Put the weather in your classroom

3465 Diablo Ave, Hayward, CA 94545800-678-3669 • www.davisnet.com

• Barometric Pressure. Currently andfor each of the last 24 hours. Five-posi-tion trend arrow shows whether pres-sure is rising, falling, or stable.

• Temperature. Inside and outsidetemperature, currently and for each ofthe last 24 hours. High and low tem-perature alarms.

• Humidity. Inside and outside humidi-ty, currently and for each of the last 24hours. High and low humidity alarms.

• Rain. Rainfall for the last 15 minutesand the last 24 hours, days, months,and years. Flash flood and 24-hourrain alarms.

• Rain Rate. Currently and for each ofthe last 24 minutes. Rain rate alarm.

• Rain Storm. Rainfall for the last 24storms, with beginning and endingdates for each storm. Rain storm warn-ing and alarm.

• Wind Speed. Current wind speed.Average for the last ten minutes andeach of the last 24 hours. High andaverage wind speed alarms.

• Wind Direction. Currently and for thelast 24 hours, days, and months.Direction of high wind speed.

• Wind Chill. Current wind chill. Windchill alarm.

• Dew Point. Currently and for each ofthe last 24 hours. High and low dewpoint alarms.

• Heat Index. Currently and for each ofthe last 24 hours. Heat index alarm.

• Sunrise & Sunset. Time of sunrise andsunset at your location—it even takesdaylight savings time into account!

• Highs & Lows. For most weathervariables, with time and/or date, foreach of the last 24 hours, days,months, and years.

• Optional Sensors. For UV and solarradiation, evapotranspiration, soilmoisture, and more.

• On-screen graphing. Graph currentconditions, averages, or highs andlows for the last 24 hours, days,months, or years.

• Your own local forecast. Forecasticons show sun, part sun, clouds andrain, or snow. Check the scrolling ticker-tape for more details.

Davis weather stations are in thousands of

educational and scientific programs around

the country. With professional-level accura-

cy, they’re used in university research studies from

the Arctic to Patagonia. Yet, they’re economical (and

fun!) enough for grade school science programs.

Wireless or cabled, starting at just $495!Order now, or ask for your FREE catalog.

WeatherLinkFor the ultimate in weather data collection, analysis, and display, con-

nect Vantage Pro to your personal computer. Data logger fits neatly intothe Vantage Pro console, storing

weather data even when the comput-er is off. Transfer data to a PC wheneveryou like, then use the WeatherLink

software to create graphs, generatesummaries, and more—all with your

own weather database.You can evenupdate the weather to your website and

create your own weather web pages!

Complete Weather StationVantage Pro weather stations are available in two models: wireless

and cabled. Each includes our innovative integrated sensor suite, whichcombines our rain collector, temperature and humidity sensors, andanemometer all into one package—making setup easier than ever andimproving performance and reliability.

Whichever Vantage Pro model you choose, you get all of the following:

PR500 03/22/02

CASE STUDIES:

Use of Electronic Weather Stations as Multiple-Intelligence Teaching Tools

PROGRAM OVERVIEWEnvironmental Earth Sciences teacherTony Mitchell introduced a weather sta-tion (the Davis Instruments WeatherMonitor II) into the curriculum in 1995.Currently, he uses it as part of his ninthgrade Atmospheric ManagementProgram. By the end of the course, thestudents understand the role of weatherin what happens to the tons of pollutantsthat are dumped into the air they breathe.

The purpose of the EnvironmentalEarth Science course is to use manage-ment of natural resources as a basis forlearning Earth Science principles andskills. Students will develop and applytheir scientific literacy by studying theinterrelationship of humans to Earth’sinterior, land, sea, air, and space.

COURSE SECTIONSFoundations of Environmental Earth Science: This section explores the role of science inmanagement of the planet by connectingscientific method with the managementcycle of inventory, planning and imple-mentation. After making the case for sci-ence as a valuable method to acquire theknowledge necessary to manage the plan-et, this section of the course strengthenssome of the measurement techniques andprinciples required for Earth Science

Space/Earth: This section examines the ways thatEarthlings are affected by the universe welive in, and how we learn about space.Solar radiation, meteorite impact danger,orbital effects on days and seasons, andhow we use space to study earth areincluded.

Atmosphere: Students learn how the atmosphere devel-oped, its components, how those compo-nents cycle, how energy is transferredthrough the atmosphere, the formation ofweather systems and weather prediction

Oceans: In this section, oceans are studied for theirphysical and chemical processes such ascoastal erosion, danger from hurricanes,formation and management of coastal fea-tures, the sea floor, and both surface anddeep sea currents.

Internal Earth Process and Products: Students learn how we acquire knowl-edge of the interior of the planet, thestructure that is revealed, the transfer ofenergy to the surface, plate tectonics, for-mation of plate boundary features, miner-al and rock resources, and earthquakes.

Land Processes and Products: This section examines the weathering ofthe land and the resources such as soilthat are formed, the work of erosionagents such as wind gravity and glaciers,and the water systems of the land thatcreate both resources and hazards.

MAJOR TEXTSFocus on Earth Science, Merrill, 1989Earth Science, Scott Foresman, 1991Earth Science: Geology, the Environment, andthe Universe, Glencoe, 2002Modern Earth Science, Holt, Rinehart andWinston, 2002

Homework Expectations:Homework is assigned almost everynight. Most homework is in preparationfor class work and so stays as part of thestudents’ notes, which are collected andgraded regularly. Most assignmentsshould take 20 - 60 minutes to complete.

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7639/INDEX.HTM Reprinted with permission.Permission granted to use lesson plan in wholeor in part.

Lewis Mills High School Environmental Earth SciencesBurlington, Connecticut

“Weather interests the kids, bothboys and girls, because it’s real.When we talk about internal earthprocesses, the students can’t seeit. But they can see clouds andcan understand the relationshipbetween what we see and whatis going on inside the earth andin the atmosphere.”

Tony MitchellEnvironmental Earth Science Teacher,

Lewis Mills High School

Weather Stations in the Classroom:Sacramento, CaliforniaWhen the kids in Mrs. Powell’s fifth gradeclass in Sacramento, California, first sawour new Vantage Pro stations, theyresponded with the words, “Way cool!”

In the classroom, the kids wereresponsible for taking measurementsthree times a day, and then charting andgraphing them at the “Weather WatchCenter.” In the meantime, small groups ofkids were responsible for researching andreporting back to the class the meaningand importance of dew point, wind chill,relative humidity, and barometric pres-sure. After all, as Mrs. Powell says, “Ifwe’re going to measure it, they’re goingto have to be able to explain to everyonewhat it is and why we care about it!”

What did the kids think at the end oftheir unit on weather? Mrs. Powell says,“On their last test, I gave them points fortelling me the most interesting thing andwhat was the most fun. Several said thatthe weather station was the most fun, oneadding ‘Because it made me responsibleto the rest of the class.’ So I think ittaught more than weather.”

Length of Unit:Ongoing throughout the year

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCESVisual/Spatial: Students will create a PowerPoint slideshow to present conclusions. Design thelayout, artwork, graphs and text for aslide show.

Interpersonal: Students will work as a group to con-struct a weather station. Work daily withpartners to read, record, and present data.

Nature: Students will become aware of the patternand fluctuation of sky, clouds, wind, andtemperature.

Verbal/Linguistic: Students will create presentations explain-ing methods and conclusions based onresearch. Report findings to the class andother classes and/or parents.

Logical/Mathematical: Students will collect data daily, ana-lyze, and compare it to previously col-lected data. Create spreadsheets to cal-culate averages and graph information.Draw logical conclusions based ondata analysis.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS• Create a database

Ophir School Weather ProjectBig Sky, Montana

• Create a slide show multimedia presen-tation

• Create a graph from a database

PROCESS1. Choose which important aspects of the

weather to record2. Construct a weather station3. Work in pairs to observe, collect, classi-

fy and record the data into the database4. Graph the data in bar graphs5. Interpret graphs and write out explana-

tions6. Scan pictures of students and the

weather station7. Place the scanned pictures into

PowerPoint8. Create a slide show using PowerPoint9. Present project to community at school

board meeting

STANDARDSEnglish/Language Arts:• Use technology and tools to gather data

and extend the senses• Collect and analyze data using concepts

and techniques in mathematics, suchas averages, data displays, variability,and sampling

• Acquire information from multiplesources

• Represent data and experimentalresults

• Conduct systematic observations• Participate in group meetings• Prepare and deliver individual presen-

tations

APPLIED LEARNING• Work with others to complete a task• Show or explain something clearly

enough for someone else to be able toreplicate it

MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE• Collect and organize data• Display data graphically• Make statements and draw simple con-

clusions based on data• Read and represent data graphically• Develop hypotheses, predict results

and write

http://home.mcn.net/~ophir/weather.htm.Reprinted with permission.

WHY A WEATHER STATION?The Weather Project is a study of theweather in our own backyard. InSeptember, 2001, Mr. Coon’s 6th gradeclass began studying the weather andweather patterns in our area. Over thecourse of the study, students began tonotice that the data they were collectingfrom Gallatin Airport was 45 miles away,(quite a ways away from Big Sky wherewe were trying to collect data). The classdecided that in order to accurately obtainweather data in Big Sky, they would haveto build and position a weather station intheir backyard. Through the help ofgrants, the weather station was obtained,constructed and positioned in the back-yard of Ophir School.

Mr. Coon’s 6th grade class explorestheir natural curiosity about the weatherthrough an interdisciplinary study.Students become scientists and orators—building a weather station, collectingand interpreting data, and reportingtheir findings. They check the weathertwice a day and report their observa-tions, then record their findings in thedatabase. After twelve weeks, they createspreadsheets to examine the data trendsof the average daily temperatures.Finally, they create graphs for visualcommunication and prepare an oral pre-sentation and a slide show.

SERVICE LEARNINGThe weather project will also incorporatea service learning approach in that thestudents will upload their weather data tothe Internet so that community memberscan acquire weather data appropriate totheir location.

LESSON PLANObjectives:• To study aspects of the weather and its

effects on the environment• To collect data in a regular and system-

atic way• To interpret and graph information• To create and present a slide show that

represents the change of weather

Curricular Areas:Math, Science, Language Arts

Grade: 6

“At Ophir School, we believe inan integrated approach toteaching. We bring science,language, math, and socialstudies into every subject. TheWeather Project has beensuch an easy fit to thatapproach. And it’s universallypopular. Both girls and boysare interested in it.”

Mike CoonScience and Math Teacher,

Ophir School (K-8)