lesson plan – climate vs. weather summary - gcoos · 2021. 3. 21. · lesson plan – climate vs....
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LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
SummaryThislessonwillexplainwhatclimateis(asopposedtoweather)anddiscussfactorsabouttheearth’spositionandrotationthatinfluencetheclimate.Otherfactorsaffectingclimateandwhytheearthisgettingwarmerwillbediscussed.Ahands-on,inclassroomactivitywillreinforceconceptsofthislesson.ContentAreaEarthScienceGradeLevel5-8KeyConcept(s)• Climateandweatheraretwodifferentthings.Climatedescribeslongtermpatterns
ofweatherinregionsbasedondistancefromequator,distancefromocean,oceancurrents,prevailingwinds,andtopography.
• Earthsheatbudgetalsoaffectsclimateanddependsonhowmuchheatfromthesunisreflectedorabsorbed.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
KeyConcept(s)• Climateisalsoaffectedbytheshapeofearthsorbit,thetiltofearth’saxis,andthe
wobbleofearth’srotation.
ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:• Explainthedifferencebetweenclimateandweather.• Explainwhyearth’sicecapsareanimportantfactorinbalancingtheearth’sheat
andclimate.• Understandhowdifferentgeologicandoceanicfeaturesinfluencetheclimatein
differentregionsoftheearth.• Understandtherelativesizedifferencebetweensun,earth,andmoon.• Understandhowtheshapeoftheearth’sorbit,thetiltofearthsaxis,andthe
wobbleofearth’srotationinfluenceearth’sclimate.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
ResourcesNOAAsitesforclimateandweatherinformationandeducationmaterials.http://www.noaa.gov/educationhttps://www.climate.govhttp://www.weather.govGCOOSclimateassociatedmapstoshowcurrentweatherandwarningsintheGulfofMexico.Mapsanddataalsodepictwhatparametersaremeasuredbyremoteequipment(candiscussbenefitstoshortandlongtermdata).Thisproductalsohasmapsthatdepictsealevelrisescenarios.https://products.gcoos.org/search
NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
UnifyingConceptsandProcesses1.Systems,order,andorganization
Asystemisanorganizedgroupofrelatedobjectsorcomponentsthatformawhole.Systemscanconsistoforganisms,machines,fundamentalparticles,galaxies,ideas,numbers,andeducation.Systemshaveboundaries,components,resourcesflow(inputandoutput),andfeedback.
UnifyingConceptsandProcesses2.Evidence,models,andexplanation
Modelsaretentativeschemesorstructuresthatcorrespondtorealobjects,events,orclassesofevents,andthathaveexplanatorypower.Modelshelpscientistsandengineersunderstandhowthingswork.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
UnifyingConceptsandProcesses3.Change,constancy,andmeasurement
Changesmightoccur,forexample,inpropertiesofmaterials,positionofobjects,motion,andformandfunctionofsystems.Interactionswithinandamongsystemsresultinchange.Changesvaryinrate,scale,andpattern,includingtrendsandcycles.
ScienceasInquiryA.1.Abilitiesnecessarytodoscientificinquiry.Usemathematicsinallaspectsofscientificinquiry.
Mathematicsisessentialtoaskingandansweringquestionsaboutthenaturalworld.Mathematicscanbeusedtoaskquestions;togather,organize,andpresentdata;andtostructureconvincingexplanations.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
ScienceasInquiryA.2.Understandingsaboutscientificinquiry
Differentkindsofquestionssuggestdifferentkindsofscientificinvestigations.Someinvestigationsinvolveobservinganddescribingobjectsorevents;someinvolveexperiments;someinvolveseekingmoreinformation;someinvolvediscoveryofnewobjectsandphenomena;andsomeinvolvemakingmodels.
EarthandSpaceScienceD.2.Structureoftheearthsystem
Clouds,formedbythecondensationofwatervapor,affectweatherandclimate.Globalpatternsofatmosphericmovementinfluencelocalweather.Oceanshaveamajoreffectonclimate,becausewaterintheoceansholdsalargeamountofheat.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
EarthandSpaceScienceD.3.Earthisthesolarsystem
Thesunisthemajorsourceofenergyforphenomenaontheearth’ssurface,suchasgrowthofplants,winds,oceancurrents,andthewatercycle.Seasonsresultfromvariationsintheamountofthesun’senergyhittingthesurface,duetothetiltoftheearth’srotationonitsaxisandthelengthoftheday.
Principle3(6-8:A.,A.10.,A.12.)Theoceanisamajorinfluenceonweatherandclimate.TheinteractionofoceanicandatmosphericprocessescontrolsweatherandclimatebydominatingEarth’senergysystem.
A.Theoceanmoderatesglobalweatherandclimatebyabsorbingmostofthesolarradiationreachingearth.A.10.Short-termandseasonalchangesinoceantemperaturecanaffectrainfallandtemperaturesonland(i.e.weather).Long-termchangesinoceantemperaturecanaffecttheclimate.A.12.Longtermweatherandoceanographicdatasetscontributetoclimatepredictions.
LessonPlan–Climatevs.Weather
ClimateorWeather?What’sthedifference?
ClimateLongertimescales
WeatherShortertimescales
Anotherwaytothinkaboutit…
Wethinkofweatherintermsofthingslike:• Brightness• Cloudiness• Humidity• Precipitation• Temperature• Visibility/fog• Wind…
Climateiswhatyouexpect…• AveryhotsummerinJulybasedonaverage
ofweatherovertimeandspace.Weatheriswhatyouget…• Arainyafternoon.• It’showtheatmosphereisbehavingNOW
orintheshorttermofminutes-to-months.
ClimateisaffectedbyEarth’sHeatBudget
RememberthatscienceisallaboutENERGY?Heatisanotherformofenergy.• Whereit’s
comingfrom… • Whereit’sgoing• Howit’s
changing…
ThebalanceofheatenteringandleavingEarthisonefactoraffectingtheheatbudget.
AlbedoistheLatinworldfor"whiteness“.ItisusedtodescribehowmuchsunlightisreflectedfromthesurfaceofEarth.
Snowandicereflectmoreheatbacktospacethansoilandwater. Figuringouttheheat
budgetiscomplicated.Thinkaboutthis:IceonEarthmeltsLandbelowtheicenowabsorbsmoreheatthantheicedid.WhathappenstothetemperatureonEarth?Whathappenstotheremainingice?
Theideaof“tippingpoints” Ifyouguessed• Temperatureincreases• IcemeltsfasterYouarecorrect!HowmuchicecanEarthlosebeforeplanetarytemperatureistoohotforwatertofreeze?Shouldwecare?Firstwe’llinvestigatesomedrivingforcesofclimate.Duringtheyear,we’llexploremanyreasonswhyweshouldcareandwhatwecandotodealwith“tipping.”
Activity:Investigatingaspectsoftheearth’srotationaroundthesunthataffector“drive”theearth’sclimate.
Thisactivitywillutilizeamodeltodemonstratehowtheshapeoftheearthsrotationaroundthesun(itisnotaperfectcircle,butclose!),thetiltoftheearth’saxis,andthewobbleofearth’sspindrivechangesintheearth’sclimate.Materials:• Threecircles(eachadifferentcolor):
1measuring30cm(sun)1measuring8cm(earth)1measuring2cm(moon)
• 1Pieceofyarn(approximately150cmor1.5m)• Ruler• Pencil,marker• Foamballs(Approximately2”diameterorlarger)• Lollipopsticksorsmallwoodenskewers(forearthsaxis)• Spinningtop(multipleifpossible)
Procedureandexplanationsonfollowingslides:
So,whataffectsEarth’salbedo(howmuchsolarenergyisreflectedbacktospacecomparedtohowmuchEarthreceives)?
• Today,wewillinvestigatethreeofthese‘drivers’ofEarth’sclimate.• WewillstartbyremovingtheitemsinyourZiplocbag(youeachgetoneorange,
oneblueandoneyellowcircleand1pieceofyarn).• Noticethesizeofeach.Whatdoyouthinkeachcirclerepresents?
Whenyouaredone,yourcirclesshouldlooklikethis.
Sun Earth Moon
Labeleachofthethreecircleswithapencilormarker.
Measurethediameterofeachcircleincentimeters.Writethenumberyoumeasureontheappropriatecircle.Calculatethis:Themoonisabout________%thesizeofEarth.
Thetrickisthatthe“is”goesinthenumerator(top)andthe“of”goesinthedenominator(bottom:
Earth
Moon
Usethe“is”over“of”tricktohelpsolveforpercent.
Calculatethis:Themoonisabout________%thesizeofEarth.
8cm
2cm
Sun Earth Moon
Approximatediametermeasurementsforyourcirclesare:
IfthediameteroftheMoonis2cmandthediameterofEarthis8cm:28(asafraction2/8)=0.25Asapercent:0.25x100=25%.Usingmorerealisticdiametersofthemoon(3,500km)andEarth(12,700km),themoreexactnumberiscloserto27%,butyougettheidea!
30cm8cm 2cm
ThediameteroftheMoonisabout¼thesizeoftheEarth.
HowdoesthediameteroftheSuncomparetothatofearth?
• Inouractivity,theSunisonlyabout4xthesizeofEarthbecauseithastofitonyourdesk!
• Inreality,thediameteroftheSunisabout100XgreaterthanthatofEarth.
• IfourEarthis8cm,whatis100xthisdiametermeasuredincentimeters?• Let’sgooutsideandseewhatthisnumberlookslikecomparedtoour8
cmEarth!
Sun Earth Moon> >
Otherwaystoconsider800cm:
2.4cm=1inch800cm=800/2.4=315inches12inches=1ft315inches=315/1227feet3ft=1yard:27/3=9yards…that’showmuchfabricweused!
Thelongestknownfabricbannerwas7.8km.Itwasmadefora1938paradeinSpaintocelebratetheopeningofaWorldCupstadium!That’s8,530yards…about950Xlongerthanours!
Howdowemeasuretime?
OneDay OneMonth OneYearThetimeittakesthemoontoorbittheEarthonecompletetime(27days).
ThetimeittakestheEarthtospinaroundonitsaxisonecompletetime(24hours).
ThetimeittakesEarthtocompleteoneorbitaroundtheSun(365days).
ClimateDriver#1:ChangesinEarth’sorbitaroundtheSun
Takeyouryarnandlet’sinvestigate…1.Laythesunflatonyourdesk.2.Makeacirclewithyouryarnaroundthesun.3.PlacetheEarthanywhereonthepieceofyarn.4.Measurethedistanceincentimetersfromthecenterofyourearthtotheedgeofthesunclosesttoit.Ifyoumovetheearthtoanotherpointalongthecircumferenceofthecircle,willthedistancetothesunchange?
Sun
Earth
Stretchyourcircletomakeanellipsearoundthesun.
Sun
Earth
Earth
1. Placetheearthontheyarnatapositionontheellipseclosesttothesunandmeasurethedistanceasbefore.
2. Movetheearthtoapointontheellipsefurthestfromthesunandmeasureagain.
ChangesinEarth’sorbitaroundthesun
Sun
Earth
Sun
Earth
EarthEarth
Whenearthhasanellipticalorbit,itisclosertothesuninonepartofitsorbitandfurtherfromthesuninanotherpartofitsorbit.Theamountofsolarenergyreachingdifferentpartsofearthdependsonitsorbit.ThefancywordforthisisECCENTRICITY.Theshapeoftheorbitchangesoncyclesofabout100,000years.
Figureitout…whatistheleastamountofyarnwecouldhaveusedtoorbitour30cmsun?
About94cm
ClimateDriver#2:ClimatechangealsoresultsfromchangesinthetiltoftheEarth.
• ImaginetheEarthisalollipop.ThestickrunningthroughthelollipopisEarth’s(imaginary)axis.
• ThepartsoftheEarththattilttowardtheSungethotterthanthepartsawayfromit.• WewillusethefoamballsandlollipopstickstomakeEarthonitsaxis.Wewilldrawtheequatortoshowhowtheplanetisdividedintohalvesorhemispheres.
Nextwewilldrawtwomore“special”linesoflatitudecirclingtheglobe.• Theequatorislatitude0.
• Latitude23.5NorthiscalledtheTropicofCancer• Latitude23.5SouthiscalledtheTropicofCapricorn.
TheyarespecialbecausetheyarethegreatestdistancesnorthandsouthinEarth’stiltpatternwherethesunmayappeardirectlyoverhead.
WhereinEarth’stiltpattern?
• Solstices• SummersolsticeisaroundJun21.
Itiswhenthesun’sraysaredirectlyoverheadtheTropicofCancer—wegetourlongestdaylighthoursoftheyear.
• WintersolsticeisaroundDec.21.WegetthefewesthoursofsunlightwhilethosealongtheTropicofCapricorngettheirlongestdays.
• Equinoxes• Vernalequinox(startofspring)is
aroundMarch21.ItiswhenEarth’saxisisstraightcomparedtothesun.Thesun’sraysaredirectlyovertheequator.
ThetiltiswhatgivesEarthitsfourseasons(spring,summer,winter,fall).Seasonsareoppositeinthetwohemispheres.WhileweenjoysummerintheNorthernHemisphere,ourneighborsintheSouthernHemisphereareexperiencingwinter.
SummerintheNorthernHemisphereTheNorthPoletiltstowardtheSun.
WinterintheNorthernHemisphereTheNorthPoleistiltedawayfromtheSun.
OnecycleofEarth’stiltpatterntakesabout41,000years!
ClimateDriver#3:ClimatechangeisalsoinfluencedbychangesinthewobbleoftheEarth(calledprecession).
• ThinkoftheEarthasaspinningtop.• Doesthetopstayononeplace?• Whathappensasaspinningtopslowsdown?
Spinthewritingtoponapageinyourdatabook.Ifyoudon’thaveone,usearegulartopandapencil.Observethepaththetoptakesasitspins.Isthereonepointonthepageoraspiral?ThisishowtheEarthwobblesasitspins!
ChangesinEarth’swobbleaffectwhenaparticularseasonwilloccurandhowdifferenttheseasonswillbe.
Sun
Earth
Earth
• TherearepointsinEarth’swobblewhereNorthernHemispherewintersoccurwhenEarthisfarthestfromtheSun
• SummersolsticesoccurwhenEarthisclosesttotheSun.
• Thiscanresultinwintersthatarecolderthanusualandsummersthatarewarmerthanusual.
Ear
SUMMER
WINTER
ThefancynameforthiswinterpositionisAPHELIONandsummerpositionisPERIHELION.• “Helios”=Greekforgodofthesun.• “peri”=Greekfornear• “apo”=Greekforaway
Earthcompletesonefullcycleof“wobble”aboutevery26,000years.
TheclimatedriversweinvestigatedarecalledtheMilankovitchCycles
OtherfactorsalsoinfluenceEarth’sclimate.– Theamountandtypeofgasintheatmosphere– Motionoftectonicplates(becausetheirpositionsaffectwindand
oceancurrents).– Volcanicactivity
MILUTINMILANKOVIĆ(1879-1958)
Serbian
ChangesinOrbitAbout100,000yearcycle
ChangesinTiltAbout41,000yearcycle
ChangesinWobbleAbout26,000yearcycle
LessondevelopedbyDr.ChrisSimonielloforBayPointElementary.Standards-cross-referencingandformattingbyGrantCraig.Questions,comments,edits?ContactDr.Chris:chris.Simoniello@gcoos.org
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