Weather  and  Climate  IQuest  Lesson  Plan  
 
 
Lesson  Overview:  This  IQuest  provides  an  introduction  to  the  fundamentals  of  
weather  and  climate,  and  gives  students  an  opportunity  to  interact  with  climate  
change  data.  Students  will  need  to  have  computers  with  Internet  connectivity  to  
complete  this  activity.  Completing  the  IQuest  will  probably  take  from  45  to  90  
minutes,  depending  on  the  speed  at  which  the  students  complete  the  exercises.  The  
ideal  set  up  would  be  to  have  each  student  work  on  a  computer,  although  they  could  
work  in  pairs  or  even  complete  this  activity  in  a  whole  class  setting.    
 
Learning  Objectives:  
• Understand  and  describe  difference  between  weather  and  climate  
• Describe  how  interactions  between  Earth’s  sphere  can  cause  weather  and  
climate  
• Discuss  how  climate  change  might  impact  Earth’s  spheres  
• Explain  why  it  is  hard  to  accurately  predict  weather  accurately  
• Understand  that  using  Earth-­‐observing  satellites  enhances  our  ability  to  
predict  and  understand  weather  and  climate  
 
National  Standards:  
 
ESS2.D:    Weather  and  Climate:    What  regulates  weather  and  climate?    
 
By  the  end  of  grade  8:    
-­‐  Weather  and  climate  are  influenced  by  interactions  involving  sunlight,  the  ocean,  
the  atmosphere,  ice,  landforms,  and  living  things.  These  interactions  vary  with  
latitude,  altitude,  and  local  and  regional  geography,  all  of  which  can  affect  oceanic  
and  atmospheric  flow  patterns.  Because  these  patterns  are  so  complex,  weather  can  
be  predicted  only  probabilistically.    
-­‐  The  ocean  exerts  a  major  influence  on  weather  and  climate  by  absorbing  energy  
from  the  sun,  releasing  it  over  time,  and  globally  redistributing  it  through  ocean  
currents.    
 
ESS2:  Earth’s  Systems:  How  and  why  is  the  earth  constantly  changing?    
 
By  the  end  of  grade  8-­‐    
-­‐  All  earth  processes  are  the  result  of  energy  flowing  and  matter  cycling  within  and  
among  the  planet’s  systems.  This  energy  is  derived  from  the  sun  and  the  earth’s  hot  
interior.  The  energy  that  flows  and  matter  that  cycles  produce  chemical  and  physical  
changes  in  Earth’s  materials  and  living  organisms.  The  planet’s  systems  interact  
over  scales  that  range  from  microscopic  to  global  in  size,  and  they  operate  over  

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fractions  of  a  second  to  billions  of  years.  These  interactions  have  shaped  Earth’s  
history  and  will  determine  its  future.  
 
ESS2.C:    The  Roles  of  Water  in  Earth’s  Surface  Processes:    How  do  the  
properties  and  movements  of  water  shape  Earth’s  surface  and  affect  its  
systems?    
 
-­‐  Water  continually  cycles  among  land,  ocean,  and  atmosphere  via  transpiration,  
evaporation,  condensation,  and  precipitation  as  well  as  downhill  flows  on  land.  The    
complex  patterns  of  the  changes  and  the  movement  of  water  in  the  atmosphere,  
determined  by  winds,  landforms,  and  ocean  temperatures  and  currents,  are  major  
determinants  of  local  weather  patterns.    
 
-­‐  Global  movements  of  water  and  its  changes  in  form  are  propelled  by  sunlight  and    
gravity.  Variations  in  density  due  to  variations  in  temperature  and  salinity  drive  a  
global  pattern  of  interconnected  ocean  currents.  Water’s  movements  both  on  the  
land  and  underground  cause  weathering  and  erosion,  which  change  the  land’s  
surface  features  and  create  underground  formations.    
 
 
Background  Information:  from  the  NGSS  at  http://www.nextgenscience.org  
 
“Weather,  which  varies  from  day  to  day  and  seasonally  throughout  the  year,  is  the    
condition  of  the  atmosphere  at  a  given  place  and  time.  Climate  is  longer  term  and  
location-­‐  sensitive;  it  is  the  range  of  a  region’s  weather  over  one  year  or  many  years,  
and,  because  it  depends  on  latitude  and  geography,  it  varies  from  place  to  place.  
Weather  and  climate  are  shaped  by  complex  interactions  involving  sunlight,  the  
ocean,  the  atmosphere,  ice,  landforms,  and  living  things.  These  interactions  can  
drive  changes  that  occur  over  multiple  time  scales—from  days,  weeks,  and  months  
for  weather  to  years,  decades,  centuries,  and  beyond  for  climate.    
 
The  ocean  exerts  a  major  influence  on  weather  and  climate.  It  absorbs  and  stores  
large  amounts  of  energy  from  the  sun  and  releases  it  very  slowly;  in  that  way,  the  
ocean  moderates  and  stabilizes  global  climates.  Energy  is  redistributed  globally  
through  ocean  currents  (e.g.,  the  Gulf  Stream)  and  also  through  atmospheric  
circulation  (winds).  Sunlight  heats  Earth’s  surface,  which  in  turn  heats  the  
atmosphere.  The  resulting  temperature  patterns,  together  with  Earth’s  rotation  and  
the  configuration  of  continents  and  oceans,  control  the  large-­‐scale  patterns  of  
atmospheric  circulation.  Winds  gain  energy  and  water  vapor  content  as  they  cross  
hot  ocean  regions,  which  can  lead  to  tropical  storms.    
 
The  “greenhouse  effect”  keeps  Earth’s  surface  warmer  than  it  would  be  otherwise.  
To  maintain  any  average  temperature  over  time,  energy  inputs  from  the  sun  and  

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from  radioactive  decay  in  the  earth’s  interior  must  be  balanced  by  energy  loss  due  
to  radiation  from  the  upper  atmosphere.  However,  what  determines  the  
temperature  at  which  this  balance  occurs  is  a  complex  set  of  absorption,  reflection,  
transmission,  and  redistribution  processes  in  the  atmosphere  and  oceans  that  
determine  how  long  energy  stays  trapped  in  these  systems  before  being  radiated  
away.  Certain  gases  in  the  atmosphere  (water  vapor,  carbon  dioxide,  methane,  and  
nitrous  oxides),  which  absorb  and  retain  energy  that  radiates  from  Earth’s  surface,  
essentially  insulate  the  planet.  Without  this  phenomenon,  Earth’s  surface  would  be  
too  cold  to  be  habitable.  However,  changes  in  the  atmosphere,  such  as  increases  in  
carbon  dioxide,  can  make  regions  of  Earth  too  hot  to  be  habitable  by  many  species.    
 
Climate  changes,  which  are  defined  as  significant  and  persistent  changes  in  an  area’s    
average  or  extreme  weather  conditions,  can  occur  if  any  of  Earth’s  systems  change  
(e.g.,  composition  of  the  atmosphere,  reflectivity  of  Earth’s  surface).  Positive  
feedback  loops  can  amplify  the  impacts  of  these  effects  and  trigger  relatively  abrupt  
changes  in  the  climate  system;  negative  feedback  loops  tend  to  maintain  stable  
climate  conditions.    
 
Some  climate  changes  in  Earth’s  history  were  rapid  shifts  (caused  by  events,  such  as    
volcanic  eruptions  and  meteoric  impacts,  that  suddenly  put  a  large  amount  of  
particulate  matter  into  the  atmosphere  or  by  abrupt  changes  in  ocean  currents);  
other  climate  changes  were  gradual  and  longer  term—due,  for  example,  to  solar  
output  variations,  shifts  in  the  tilt  of  Earth’s  axis,  or  atmospheric  change  due  to  the  
rise  of  plants  and  other  life  forms  that  modified  the  atmosphere  via  photosynthesis.  
Scientists  can  infer  these  changes  from  geological  evidence.    
 
Natural  factors  that  cause  climate  changes  over  human  time  scales  (tens  or  
hundreds  of  years)  include  variations  in  the  sun’s  energy  output,  ocean  circulation  
patterns,  atmospheric  composition,  and  volcanic  activity.  (See  ESS3.D  for  a  detailed  
discussion  of  human  activities  and  global  climate  change).  When  ocean  currents  
change  their  flow  patterns,  such  as  during  El  Niño  Southern  Oscillation  conditions,  
some  global  regions  become  warmer  or  wetter  and  others  become  colder  or  drier.  
Cumulative  increases  in  the  atmospheric  concentration  of  carbon  dioxide  and  other  
greenhouse  gases,  whether  arising  from  natural  sources  or  human  industrial  
activity  (see  ESS3.D),  increase  the  capacity  of  Earth  to  retain  energy.  Changes  in  
surface  or  atmospheric  reflectivity  change  the  amount  of  energy  from  the  sun  that  
enters  the  planetary  system.  Icy  surfaces,  clouds,  aerosols,  and  larger  particles  in  the  
atmosphere,  such  as  from  volcanic  ash,  reflect  sunlight  and  thereby  decreasing  the  
amount  of  solar  energy  that  can  enter  the  weather/climate  system.  Conversely,  dark  
surfaces  (i.e.  roads,  most  buildings)  absorb  sunlight  and  thus  increase  the  energy  
entering  the  system.  “  
 

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Materials:  computers  with  Internet  access  (see  Teacher  Notes  for  additional  
information  on  setting  up  and  organizing  computer  usage),  Student  Capture  sheet,  
(one  per  student),  headsets  (optional,  as  there  are  several  video  clips  with  audio  in  
this  IQuest)  
 
Engage:  Begin  by  showing  students  this  short  video,  “Too  Little,  Too  Much”  
http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/videos/gpm-­‐too-­‐much-­‐too-­‐little  (4:44) to  activate  
their  background  knowledge  and  stimulate  their  interest in  the  subject  of  weather  
and  climate.  This  video  explains  why  we  need  accurate  and  timely  rainfall  
information  to  better  understand  and  model  where  and  when  severe  floods,  
frequent  landslides  and  devastating  droughts  may  occur.  GPM’s  global  rainfall  data  
will  help  to  better  prepare  and  respond  to  a  wide  range  of  natural  disasters.  After  
students  have  seen  this  video,  have  the  students  answer  the  first  set  of  questions  on  
the  Student  Capture  sheet,  as  this  serves  as  a  pre-­‐assessment  for  the  lesson.  Once  
they  have  finished  answering  these,  have  a  class  discussion  about  their  responses.  
You  might  select  a  student  to  act  as  the  “notetaker”  and  write  down  some  of  the  
different  responses.  Have  the  class  work  on  coming  up  with  a  class  definition  of  
terms  “weather”  and  “climate”.    
 
Explore:  Ask  students  how  scientists  collect  data  on  weather,  and  let  them  share  in  
some  of  the  instruments  that  are  used.  As  they  share  in  these  instruments,  have  
them  identify  the  variables  that  these  instruments  are  measuring.  Show  them  a  local  
weather  report  for  today  by  going  to  the  National  Weather  Service  website  at  
http://www.weather.gov/forecastmaps  and  entering  your  school’s  zip  code.  Have  
them  identify  the  variables,  such  as  temperature  and  wind  speed,  that  are  listed.  Ask  
them  a  few  questions  about  the  information  on  the  forecast  page,  such  as  “When  
were  these  conditions  reported?”,  “Why  are  percentages  given  for  the  chance  of  
precipitation?”,  and  other  questions  you  feel  will  enable  them  to  focus  on  the  data  
and  think  about  it.  Then  scroll  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  page  where  there  are  radar  
and  satellite  images.  Ask  them  to  think  about  how  we  use  these  types  of  technology  
to  forecast  and  understand  weather,  and  invite  a  few  students  to  share  in  their  ideas  
and  information.  
 
Explain:  Tell  the  students  that  they  will  be  working  on  an  IQuest-­‐    a  series  of  
directed  questions  to  answer  while  visiting  different  websites.  They  will  go  to  the  
url  that  is  listed  on  the  Student  Response  sheet,  and  will  read  the  information  and  
follow  the  links  to  direct  them  to  the  different  websites.  As  they  go  through  the  
IQuest,  they  will  use  their  Student  Response  sheet  to  write  their  responses.  The  
Student  Response  sheet  is  in  Word  to  enable  the  teacher  to  modify  this  document  to  
meet  the  unique  needs  of  the  students.  Some  students  may  do  better  respond  using  
word  processing  capabilities,  while  others  may  benefit  from  providing  written  
responses.  The  teacher  should  circulate  around  the  room  and  assist  students  as  they  

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work.  It  might  be  helpful  to  have  a  copy  of  the  answer  key  to  assist  in  steering  
students  to  the  correct  responses.  
 
Evaluate:  The  completed  Student  Response  sheet  and  observations  from  the  class  
discussions  will  provide  the  teacher  with  pre-­‐assessment  and  formative  assessment  
data.  Depending  on  the  ability  level  of  students  and  the  desired  outcomes  for  the  
course,  the  teacher  may  want  to  add  additional  summative  items  to  the  Student  
Response  sheet  or  develop  other  summative  assessment  instruments.  For  example,  
students  could  write  a  two-­‐page  paper  comparing  and  contrasting  weather  and  
climate.  They  could  use  their  completed  Student  Capture  sheet  to  guide  them,  and  
could  revisit  various  websites  to  gather  specific  data  to  support  their  responses.    
 
Extend:  There  are  many  extension  activities  that  students  could  do  to  further  their  
knowledge  about  weather  and  climate.  Students  could  work  in  “Expert  Groups”  and  
focus  on  the  NASA  Climate  Change  Vital  Signs,  using  the  http://climate.nasa.gov  
website.  Each  group  could  become  experts  on  a  different  “vital  sign”  and  then  teach  
what  they  learn  to  the  rest  of  the  class.  They  could  make  posters  to  inform  others  
about  these  indicators  and  interesting  facts  that  they  learn,  and  could  post  these  
around  the  school  to  share  with  the  school  community.  
 
 

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