Weather Chart
Objectives
That pupils will draw up a chart on which they can record the weather.
Tasks
Explain that this term’s topic is the weather. Tell pupils that we will be recording the weather in class, but that they are also going to record it. They will have two homeworks to do so, and will need to note down the weather every day, when they leave home and when they get home. They should record what the weather is doing at that point. At the end of the two weeks we will use the computers to produce a graph of the weather over two weeks.
Draw chart on board for pupils to copy; discuss how symbols are used to show what the weather is like and they will need to choose symbols and draw them on the key.
Stress that these symbols need to be simple as they may need to draw them several times! They should also watch the forecast every evening and record what the weather will be like the next day – then we can see if it is correct! Use 3 lines for each box.
Support sheet available so pupils who need to can simply fill in the dates.
Date 					morning weather	evening weather	forecast	
Thursday				
Friday				
Saturday				
Sunday				
Monday				
Tuesday				
Wednesday				
Thursday				
Friday				
Saturday				
Sunday				
Monday				
Tuesday				
Wednesday				
C Coster, January 1998
Key:
Cloud
Sun
Rain
Snow
Wind
Frost
Date:

Compass points
Objectives
That pupils will learn the 8 major points of the compass.
Tasks
On sheet of squared paper, draw a square. Label it with N, S, E, W and NE, NW, SE,
SW. Stick in books. Use atlases to name a country which is in each direction; draw a
picture at each of the 4 major points to show the type of conditions you would expect
to find there.
(See Young Geographer 1 for further details.)
Date:
Results of weather log
Objectives
That pupils will create a graph based on their recording of the weather.
Tasks
In IT room, use computers and Dataplot to draw a graph showing how many sessions (am / pm) had each type of weather. Pupils can then print off the graph.
Date:

Site conditions
Objectives
That pupils will record the conditions at various points around the school.
Tasks
Explain use of probe thermometers – need to wait a considerable time for them to record temperature accurately.
Put pupils into groups of 3. Each group to choose four different locations around school (nb, set rules here!) Go with whole class to different points around the school where pupils can measure the conditions. Groups record ground and air temperatures,
and whether the location is sunny or shady, sheltered or exposed. Use GWB to record initially, then transfer information to individual books and large map of school. If time allows, draw a large class bar graph of the temperature in each location; pupils could use Junior Pinpoint to produce individual graphs of their findings.
Resources
Large map of school. Thermometers.
Date:

Weather and Climate
Objectives
That pupils will recognise the difference between weather and climate.
Tasks
Talk about how the weather in this country varies, but it has a pattern. Look at Atlas 90 at the climate map. Discuss what is shown there. Define the difference between weather and climate – weather changes from day to cay; climate is the pattern of weather across the yar.
Watch Landmarks video on climate around the world. Look at Into Geography 4.
Discuss information there. This will be the core activity. Less able pupils can do the activity in Into Geography 1 p20.
Date:
Site temperatures
Objectives
That pupils will record temperatures around the school and use these to compare microclimates.
Tasks
Remind pupils of our work last week. Tell them that this time we are going to repeat our survey, but mark our findings on a map. Remind them of the ground rules of behaviour. Divide into pairs. each child to have a map, each pair a thermometer. Go  round school and tell pupils where to record temperature and to record this on their map (check they are doing this accurately. Mix sites in shelter and in open, and on north and south sides of the buildings.
On return to class, look at findings. Explain that these reflect microclimates – areas of the school where conditions affect the temperature.
Date:

Wind
Objectives
That the children will be aware that the speed of the wind can be measured.
That the children will be aware that strong winds have consequences.
Tasks
Put data from wind direction on board. Discuss. Show pupils how to complete a wind rose. Pupils use the data to do this – for January and February?
Look at Into Geography 3 p28-29. Read through and discuss. Pupils complete Assignment B.

World Climates
Date:
Objectives
That pupils will realise that the climate in different parts of the world is different.
That they will recognise that different areas of the world is affected by the location.
Tasks
Remind pupils of the video we watched and that there are different climactic areas.
Rewatch section of the video which shows these areas.
Talk about the tilt of the earth and how that means that while it is summer in the northern hemisphere it is winter in the southern hemisphere.
Show pupils OHP showing climactic zones. Talk about characteristics of tropical (includes equatorial rain forest, monsoon and tropical rain savannah), dry (desert and steppe), warm  temperate (dry summer dry winter or rain in all seasons), cool temperate (dry winter or rain in all seasons), cold (highland and polar). Give out maps showing climates of the world (there is one in Scholastic Starting Geography – Weather).
Put place names on the board. Pupils identify these places in the index of the atlas and write down the page and grid reference. They then find them on their map and mark them on.
Extension
Ask pupils to find further examples of the different climates.
Places:
Brazil, India, Indonesia, Egypt, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Antarctica, Finland.