Teaching Weather to Kids

Weather effects all of our lives – we make plans around it, we read about it and in some cases we weather can cause devastating results for people living in earthquake or tsunami regions. Weather is refers to the changes that happen in our atmosphere. They change in seconds, minutes, and hours. These changes happen in the troposphere, which is the part of the atmosphere that is closest to the ground. 

There are many reasons as to why you should teach your students about the weather. The first reason involves introducing them to how cool nature is. If some of your students are afraid of thunder or tsunamis, this is your chance to help them understand how it works and keep them interested in them. Weather effects every one of us so it is a great topic to get children curious about science. Finally, talking about weather will help them understand why we have evacuation policies during these natural disasters.

Create a classroom weather station

As the weather keeps constantly changing, measuring this change in front of their very eyes is a way to introduce them to its phenomenon. You can even make the weather station with your students as a gradual activity too! Some of the many tools that you can make with them include a rain gauge, a wind vane, and a barometer. As a bonus, using these can be a good way to introduce them to the scientific method too!

Show students how to read a local weather forecast

One of the simplest ways to help your students understand what type of weather they are experiencing around them is by looking up a local newspaper or news clip and discussing it in class. You can introduce them about what symbols are used to point out different weather conditions such as snow, rain, or sun. Then, there’s also teaching them the difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit to measure how hot or cold it is.

Ask students to keep a weather journal

A weather journal is a great way for your students to notice their surroundings and start appreciating the weather. Before that, teach them words such as “humid,” “cool,” and “rainy” to help them describe the weather properly. You can even incentivize them to make their own weather station at home to help them with their journal. 

Teach students about safety precautions against certain weather conditions

After introducing them to the wonders of weather, you should also include a lesson in how to prepare before, during, and after natural disasters that can happen in your area. For example, if your town is susceptible to heavy rain or typhoons, teach your students ways they can waterproof their important items. Another way you can prepare them for a natural disaster is to hold a classroom drill of what to do during an earthquake. 

There are many things that you have to take note of when it comes to teaching about the weather. First, it is about observing what is happening to our atmosphere and the power it can show us. Second, how teaching about this topic can help us appreciate nature, science, and readiness. Finally, some of the many activities you can hold to make the experience more interactive and fun.

Any cool stories that you want to share while you were teaching about the weather? Comment them down below!