Weather

What students will do

Students observe condensation forming on a cold pack placed over a warm water container, then stand a paddle pop stick in a cup of coloured urea solution to model transpiration in plants, watching crystal leaves form over the following days. Two stacking containers with hot and cold water and food dye reveal how temperature drives air and water movement, and thermometers are then used to measure the temperature difference between the layers. Students make a shaving-foam rain cloud and slowly pipette food dye through the foam to model how rain forms when clouds become saturated. Working in pairs, students model rainfall erosion using sugar cubes and a pipette. The session closes with a tornado-in-a-bottle and a globe demonstration of where cyclones and tornadoes form around the world.

Learning outcomes

• Model condensation by observing water form on a cold surface above a container of water
• Model transpiration using a paddle pop stick standing in a coloured solution and observe evidence of it over several days
• Investigate how temperature differences cause air and water to move, using food dye in hot and cold water
• Use a thermometer to measure and compare temperatures and connect this to everyday weather observations
• Model how rain forms when a saturated cloud releases water, using a shaving-foam cloud and food dye
• Model rainfall erosion using a sugar cube and observe how the landscape changes over repeated drops
• Model a tornado using a tornado-in-a-bottle and discuss where cyclones and tornadoes tend to form

Curriculum links

• VC2S2U07·Core

  Daily and seasonal changes in weather and the environment can be observed and affect everyday decisions. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2S2I03·Core

  Guided investigations, including making observations using the senses and informal measurement, can be used to explore and answer questions. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2S2I01·Related

  Experiences and observations can be used as a basis for posing questions and making predictions about familiar objects and events. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2S4U07·Enrichment

  Water is a resource used in a variety of ways, and it moves through the environment as part of the water cycle. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2S6U06·Enrichment

  Sudden geological changes, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather events can affect Earth's surface, and human responses can reduce their impact. View on VCAA ↗