New
New
Year 1

Measuring the weather

I can use different equipment to measure and map the weather in the school grounds.

New
New
Year 1

Measuring the weather

I can use different equipment to measure and map the weather in the school grounds.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A thermometer measures how hot or cold the air is and the reading can be affected by the time of day or season.
  2. We can measure rainfall using a gauge or count the number of rainy days within a given time, such as a week.
  3. A weather vane uses compass directions to show where the wind is coming from.
  4. We can build up a better picture of the weather pattern by taking weather readings at the same time and place each day.

Keywords

  • Season - The seasons are four times of year that have different weather and they are spring, summer, autumn and winter.

  • Thermometer - A thermometer is an instrument which is used to measure temperature.

  • Reading - When you take a reading you record the measurement shown on the instrument.

  • Fair test - A fair test is an investigation where only one thing is different each time. For example, by measuring at the same place and time so only the day is different.

Common misconception

Using a thermometer to take a reading is an accurate representation of the temperature.

Temperature can change depending on the time of day. When taking the temperature and comparing it over time, it needs to be taken at the same time everyday to make it a fair test.

Have some equipment ready for the children to look at and explore.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Thermometers, weather vane, water gauge

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Geographers track the weather so that ...
we can go to school.
Correct answer: we know which clothes to wear.
Correct answer: we can plan appropriate activities.
Q2.
What equipment is used to measure the temperature?
An image in a quiz
a water gauge
a weather vane
Correct answer: a thermometer
Q3.
What is temperature is measured in?
Correct Answer: degrees Celsius , Celsius (°C), degrees °C, °C, Celsius
Q4.
What can fresh water fall to the ground as?
Correct answer: rain
Correct answer: snow
sun
Correct answer: sleet
Correct answer: hail
Q5.
What is the weather like in this picture?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: sunny
Correct answer: hot
Correct answer: warm
dull
Q6.
What does a weather vane show us?
Correct Answer: wind direction, blowing from, where the wind is coming from, where the wind is blowing from
Q5 "sunny day" by .Pete. is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

6 Questions

Q1.
Geographers record and __________ the weather to look for patterns.
Correct answer: track
experience
find
Q2.
What is this piece of equipment called?
An image in a quiz
a water tap
Correct answer: a water gauge
a water filter
Q3.
What can the temperature reading on a thermometer be affected by?
Correct answer: seasons
weekends
Correct answer: the time of day
Correct answer: the weather
Q4.
Match each piece of equipment to what it is used to measure.
Correct Answer:weather vane,wind direction

wind direction

Correct Answer:thermometer,temperature

temperature

Correct Answer:water gauge,rain water

rain water

Q5.
What can you do to make sure that weather readings are fair?
Correct answer: taking the readings at the same time each day
taking the readings at a different time each day
Correct answer: taking the readings at the same place each day
taking the readings at a different place each day
Q6.
How could you track weather patterns?
by measuring the temperature once
Correct answer: by measuring the amount of rainfall every day for a week
Correct answer: by measuring the number of sunny or rainy days
by measuring the distance from home to school
Q2 J.J. Gouin/Shutterstock

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