Weather Mini Unit Resources

Weather Mini Unit for NGSS MS ESS2-5

In the Weather mini unit, students start by describing their perfect weather day!  They investigate density differences in fluids, model air pressure and create a local weather prediction based on evidence.  Extension activities challenge students to build their own barometer, thermometer, anemometer, weather vane and/or rain gauge!

Anchor Phenomenon Ideas:  Engage students immediately by having them share their perfect weather day.  You'll be amazed at the questions generated by this discussion!  Share these Cloudwise and Weatherwise posters from NOAA or this image about windchill with students and use the authentic questions they come up with to make connections throughout your weather unit.  

Make it Relevant:  Kids love to talk about the weather!  Ask students to share their favorite types of weather.  You can collect class data and create a graph of favorites.  Or, ask students to share their most memorable weather event:  A big storm, lots of snow, freezing temperatures... the possibilities are endless.

Tips and Tricks:  Students spend a lot of time creating models and making observations in this mini unit.  Here are some tips to get started:

To find evidence that air takes up space, students can blow into a balloon and watch the balloon change shape.  for a whole class demo, take a look at this experiment from the American Chemical Society.

To find evidence that air has mass, students often compare the mass of an empty balloon and the same balloon filled with air.  Here is a video comparing the mass of a deflated basketball and the same basketball filled with air.

This density tank video can give students an idea of what to model in question six.  You can show the video to the whole class and discuss modifications kids can make based on available supplies.