2. Your E-mail address: vdexter@tidepool.com gdexter@humboldt.k12.ca.us

3. School Name: Hydesville

4. City or Town: Hydesville

5. State: CA

6. Country: USA

8. Grade Level : 6/7 Middle (Grades 6-8)

9.. Number of students who worked on the plan: 28

PLAN:

Temperature Group- Student thought that temperature was probably the most important weather measurement they included. They feel we should do 2 readings, one at 3:00 in the morning and one at noon from school to get the highs and lows. Students thought a night shift parent should get the low reading Students will record data on a graph. Students plan on using two thermometers at two different heights by two different students to be sure of the accuracy of both the readings and the instrument: 4 thermometers, 2 different heights and 2 different readers and recorders. This group has also decided to make a hand-made thermometer and compare the results with the above plan.

(TEMPERATURE)

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/temperature.html

http://www.wildwildweather.com/temperat.htm

Cloud Group- Students felt that cloud watching was an important weather component. This group wants to observe and write the clouds seen daily on a graph. This group has been studying clouds for a week. They have drawn cloud charts and taken pictures of different clouds in our area. They have learned about how clouds are formed and at what height each are formed. I have given each child in this group a cloud chart.

(CLOUDS)

http://www.wildwildweather.com/clouds.htm

Rain Group- Kids have already brought in a rain gauge as many parents have them at home. Students felt that rain was in important weather to measure and record as they noted that in every newspaper the daily rainfall is recorded. This group wants to view and record daily on a graph. This group has also decided to make a rain gauge and compare results with a borrowed one to assure accuracy. They plan to each do a reading to assure accuracy of results.

Wind Group- Using a wind sock and scale, these students will observe and record the direction and speed of wind daily on a graph. Students also have directions for making an anemometer out of popsicle sticks, cups and markers. Its is a pretty simple tool but looks like it will work. Students would count how many times the colored cup would go around in a minute. We could check wind-speed reported in newspaper. We have looked over and chosen the following ways to make our wind instruments. This group will also use the Beauford Scale and make a group decision when reading their instruments to assure accuracy.

WIND

http://www.wildwildweather.com/wind.htm

  They can be found at: WIND VANE (WIND DIRECTION)

  http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/wind.html

WIND SPEED

  http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/windscale.html

Barometer Group - The group wants to make two and observe and record daily the atmospheric pressure. See site below for directions that we viewed and thought were great! (We have a barometer at school that we can check against for accuracy) Students plan to test their two home made barometer against the one at school and all four students will take the reading for accuracy. We liked the instructions for making the barometer at the following web site:

BAROMETER (AIR PRESSURE)

(PRESSURE) http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/airpressure.html

Humidity Group - This group is making a Psychrometer and will use a relative humidity chart to measure the relative humidity daily. These students will do a reading daily for two weeks. We have a Psychrometer attached to the front office that they plan to can check against. We looked at and will make the instrument at the following site:

(HUMIDITY)

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/moisture.html

Meteorologist Group - This group wants to gather all the data each day from each of the other six groups and make a daily "Weather Report" of Hydesville. (Hydesville is a small community and does not have it's own newspaper with the weather report) They would like each of the other groups to collect their data for two weeks.

That's it folks! Let us know what else we can send you for more information on this.

Ginny Dexter gdexter@tidepool.com

http://www.wildwildweather.com/

(DAN'S WILD WILD WEATHER PAGE)

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/weatherstation.html

(MAKING A WEATHER STATION)

http://sln.fi.edu/weather/index.html

(FRANKLIN'S FORECAST)

PLEASE GO TO THE FOLLOWING SITES FOR DIRECTIONS ON MAKING THE FOLLOWING INSTRUMENTS:

PSYCHROMETER (RELATIVE HUMIDITY)

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/moisture.html

BAROMETER (AIR PRESSURE)

http://wow.osu.edu/Weather/makingabarometer.htm

WIND VANE (WIND DIRECTION)

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/wind.html

WIND SPEED

http://bird.miamisci.org/hurricane/windscale.html

The students felt that this plan would be cost effective as we do not have to purchase ANY fancy equipment. We are using materials already on hand and students are borrowing materials from teachers that they need. Each of the 28 student has a plan for making an instrument or doing an experiment relating to their group. Testing the instruments and planning how to record will happen next week. The following two weeks we will recording for earnest!