Weather Conversions
Grade Levels: 6 - 8
Objectives- Students will use information on a website to learn about atmospheric pressure.
- Students will convert units of pressure.
- Students write formulas to describe their conversions.
Materials
- Weather Conversions worksheet
- Atmospheric Pressure website
(http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/prs/def.rxml)
- Introduce key vocabulary: atmospheric pressure, conversion factor, formula.
- Give students copies of the Weather Conversions worksheet.
- Invite students to go to the Atmospheric Pressure website.
- Ask them to use the information on the site to convert units of pressure; they should then write formulas that describe their conversion calculations.
- Students may complete the worksheet individually or in pairs.
- Set aside time for students to share their calculations and formulas with the class.
Assessment
Use a rubric to assess students' ability to find and use information on an Internet site, convert units of pressure, and write equations or formulas.
Extension Activities
- Choose from a large collection of cross-curricular activities for all grade levels.
- Explore outstanding lessons and activities in the Weather theme.
- Direct students to U.S. City Forecasts (http://www.weather.com/maps/geography.html). They can use this site to check the weather anywhere in the United States and practice weather and temperature conversions using real data.
- Have students go to the Interactive Units Converter website
(http://www.convert-me.com/en) and check their conversion calculations. The site converts many commonly used measurements and units.
Standards Correlations
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
http://www.nctm.org/standards/
Students:
- develop an initial conceptual understanding of different uses of variables.
- understand relationships among units and convert from one unit to another within the same system.
- develop and use formulas.
National Educational Technology Standards
http://cnets.iste.org/index2.html
Students:
- use technology resources for solving problems.
- employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.
2008 Summer Olympics
Celebrate this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, China, with our resources, activities, and lessons.
Teaching about Natural Disasters
The world has suffered two natural disasters this May — Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. These tragedies may have your students wondering why such large catastrophes occur. We have resources to help you explain earthquakes and cyclones, and for dealing with the subjects of death and crisis with your class.
July Events
Find educational activities for every day in July. Take a look at our Summer Activities Slideshow for our favorite summer-themed activities, lessons, and printables.
Sign up for our Great Stuff for Teachers newsletter to keep up-to-date on all of our seasonal lessons and printables.
New Customizable Printables
Easily create personalized hall and office passes or teacher stationary with our customizable classroom passes and notes. Prepare for substitute teachers, field trips, parent-teacher conferences, and more with our customizable charts and forms.
Drama Resources
Explore our drama resources – from Shakespearean plays to The Miracle Worker to Readers Theater – to widen your curricular focus. Students will enjoy the change of pace that putting on a classroom play will bring!
ADD/ADHD Resources
From frequently asked questions to assessment accommodations, these articles and resources will help you to deal with the special nature of students with ADD/ADHD.
