Fieldwork: Planning and collecting microclimate data
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can collect microclimate data on my school site.
Key learning points
- A microclimate is the local climate and will differ from place to place.
- Land use and aspect can affect the microclimate, increasing or decreasing the temperature.
- The microclimate can be measured using weather instruments such as thermometers and anemometers.
- We can use our knowledge of microclimates to generate questions that we can study in our fieldwork enquiry.
Keywords
Microclimate - the climate of a small area which is likely to be influenced by local factors
Aspect - the position of a feature in relation to the sun
Prevailing wind - the most common direction that the wind blows from
Land use - the purpose or function of different areas of land
Common misconception
Areas of high wind speeds are colder.
While windy areas may feel colder on our bodies, geographers measure air temperature which is unlikely to be affected by the strength of the wind speed.
Teacher tip
Collecting microclimate data gives learners an excellent opportunity to handle simple quantitative data and think about degrees of accuracy.
Equipment
A clipboard. Digital thermometer. Anemometer. A map of the school grounds.
Content guidance
Risk assessment required - outdoor learning
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is fieldwork in geography?
Q2.Which of the following is a piece of equipment used to measure temperature?
Q3.Why might geographers measure weather in different locations during fieldwork?
Q4.What does a rain gauge measure?
Q5.Why is it important to use the same equipment for all measurements in fieldwork?
Q6.How can you make your fieldwork results more reliable?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Which of these is a factor that can affect a microclimate?
Q2.What does the term 'aspect' describe in geography?
Q3.What is the prevailing wind?
Q4.A common mistake is assuming that high wind speed always means lower temperatures. Which statement is most accurate?
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Fieldwork: Planning and collecting microclimate data, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 geography lesson on: Fieldwork: Planning and collecting microclimate data, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 geography lessons from the Weather and climate: how do they vary? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.