Subject:
Science

Grade Levels: 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade,
Topics: Earth ScienceEnvironmental ScienceMeteorology
Common Core State Standard: N-Q.1, N-Q.2, N-Q.3,
Concepts:

· Precipitation
· Front

Knowledge and Skills:

· Can describe current weather conditions (temperature, precipitation, barometer reading, fronts, wind speed and direction, cloud cover)
· Can make short term predictions of weather based on an understanding of “”fronts””
· Can read a weather map

Materials:

Video camera (optional), large cardboard/illustration board, markers, magazine cutouts

Download the Teacher Guide PDF
Lesson:

Procedure: Students working in teams of two should do this project.

The “auditions” can take place in front of the class, with the entire class or selected students in the role of the “producers”.

Distribute the handout and discuss it as a class. Make sure students realize that the primary requirement for a successful audition is that they themselves understand enough about weather to explain it to someone else.

Point out those students with access to video cameras can prepare a video instead of doing a live audition, as long as the presentation meets all of the requirements.

Give students a due date and schedule for working on the assignment.

 

Channel 5

Auditioning Now!

Channel 5 is currently auditioning for new talent to deliver its morning news program national weather report.

In a break from tradition that we believe will set a standard for weather reporting everywhere, a team of two weather people will deliver our weather reports.

To audition, you and your partner must prepare and deliver a three-minute report on US weather, based on one or more US weather maps that you prepare.

Remember that your maps must be large enough to be seen clearly by your audience.

Your weather report should include current temperature, cloud cover and precipitation conditions around the country, as well as a discussion of regions of high and low air pressure and major fronts, and an explanation of how these relate to the weather.

Based on the direction of movement of the fronts, your team should make some general predictions about how the weather might change over the next 12 hours.

Keep in mind that the producers who will be watching your audition will be most interested in how well you explain the weather, so everything you do should be designed to help the viewer in some way understand weather
conditions and how and why they change.

Feel free to bring other props and to work out a dialogue with your partner that will help you to accomplish this.