What Causes Thunder and Lightning?

Weather Project Introduction -- Weather PBL 2018

How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

This is our driving question for this project.  This week you will be creating Google Slideshow presentations on this question.  You will need to pick one climate or weather problem that has an effect on humans.  We will be presenting these slideshows to the class.

Suggestions:
Climate Change
Blizzards
Droughts
Floods
El Nino
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Thunderstorms

Your Google Slideshow will need to include the following:

1.  A cover slide with your topic and the driving question.

2.  At least 10 slides which explain the following:

• What causes your weather event?
• What are the characteristics of this weather event?
• What kind of damage can be caused by it?
• How does it affect people?
• How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

3.  A final slide with a list of links and resources that you used to gather information.

Check out your project groups here.

Water Cycle Diagram

As a project this week, you need to make a diagram of the water cycle.

1. Include full color pictures to represent evaporation, condensation, precipitation and runoff.
2. You should connect each picture with an arrow.  
3. Each picture should also be explained with a caption.  
4. I should be able to understand each stage of the water cycle by reading your captions.

Use these links to help you understand the water cycle better.  You should also go back to your science book and reread the sections about the water cycle.

Water cycle basics by Kidszone.

Diagram & explanations from Science Kids.

Read this more advanced article about the water cycle.

Interactive water cycle diagram from the USGS.

Weather Forecast Homework

This week you will have a weather forecast homework assignment as a supplement to our PBL unit on weather.  I would like you to watch a meteorologist give the weather forecast on at least three separate days.  I am posting three websites that you can use to watch the forecast.  I also recommend watching the 5 o'clock or 6 o'clock news when the meteorologist comes on.  Remember, I want you to watch an actual weather scientist speak about the weather, not just look up the forecast online with an app or website.
CBS 5
NBC Bay Area
ABC 7

Fun Atmosphere Video

Earth's Atmosphere

Read about the layers of the atmosphere:
Kids Geo
Science for Kids

Weather Project -- PBL -- Working on the Final Presentation

How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

As we work on completing our weather project this week, make sure you are focused on our driving question for this project.  This question should end up on the first or second slide of your presentation.

Use these related questions to guide you in creating your presentations.  Make sure you have slides that provide answers to all of these questions.  (You do not need to write these questions on your slides.)

1. What causes your weather event?
2. What are the characteristics of your weather event?
3. What kind of damage can be caused by it?
4. How does it affect people?
5. How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

Tips for a great presentation:

• Make sure you read a lot about your subject.
• Look at multiple resources for information.
• Paraphrase. (Use your own words.)
• Providing good information is better that putting gimmicks (fancy animation, etc.) on your slides.
• Be thorough when you cover each question.
• Make sure the information you include is related to the driving question.
• Proofread.

If you finish early, try out the free poster maker at Lucidpress or use Google Draw.

What is El Nino? -- Weather PBL

The video above gives general information about El Nino.  How will El Nino have an effect on California and our drought?
Listen to this radio broadcast.
Read this news article.
Read this magazine article.
Accuweather El Nino article
How are these three presenting the same information?  What is different in the articles and their analysis of the impact on California's drought?

Weather Reading & Research -- Weather PBL 2016

How does weather affect the lives of human populations around the world?

While you are pondering this question, do a bit of research about weather.

Web Weather for Kids
Science Kids -- Weather
NASA -- Climate Kids
Weather Whiz Kids
Clouds -- Weather Whiz Kids
Cloud ID Guide by NASA
El Nino for Kids
The Water Cycle

Weather PBL -- Project Based Learning 2016

How does weather affect the lives of human populations around the world?

Over the next few weeks we will be studying weather.  The question above will be our driving question for this project.  Keep this in mind as you learn about weather.  We will end this unit by creating a slideshow about one extreme weather event. 

Please watch the video below as an introduction to this weather project.

Weather Mythology -- PBL

Throughout history there have been many different types of myths and legends about the weather.  These range from stories and legends to deities.  Please pick a few to read about as a supplement to your weather project.

Gluskabi and the Wind Eagle (Native American legend)
Why We Need Wind (Native American story)
The Bird Whose Wings Made Wind (Native American legend)

Chuqui Illa, Inca Thunder God
Njord, Norse Wind God
Susanowo, Japanese Storm God
Tawhiri, Maori God of Wind and Storms
Thor, Norse Thunder God
Tlaloc, Aztec Rain God
Tonenili, Navajo God of Water
Xib Chac, Mayan Rain God

Modern Folklore about weather
Myths, legends and folklore about weather put together by an elementary school.

Eyewitness Video -- Weather

Weather Project -- PBL

How does weather affect the lives of the human populations throughout the world?

This is our driving question for this project. This week you will be creating Google Slideshows to present this to others. For this project you will need to pick one climate or weather problem that has an effect on humans.

Suggestions:
Blizzards
Climate Change
Droughts (& CA's drought)
Floods
Hurricanes
Thunderstorms
Tornadoes

In your Google Slideshow, you will need to include the following:
1.  A cover slide with your topic and the driving question.

2.  At least 10 slides which explain the following:

• What causes your weather event?
• What are the characteristics of this weather event?
• What kind of damage can be caused by it?
• How does it affect people?
• How do humans react and respond to protect themselves?

3.  A final slide with a list of links and resources that you used to gather information for this project.

Bonus work:  If your group finishes early, you can create an online poster at Lucidpress.

Weather Project -- Post #1

We will be blending language arts and science in the next few weeks of school.  As a culminating event we will create and present a project about weather.

Here is our driving question for this project:
How does weather affect the lives of human populations throughout the world?

Watch this video as an introduction to this topic:

Water Cycle Music Videos -- Which one do you think is better?

Which video is more educational?  Which is more interesting?  Cast your vote in the comments section of this post.

5th Grade Weather Forecast Assignment

If you would like to watch the weather forecast online for your homework, try out these resources:

ABC 7

CBS 5

NBC Bay Area

Science Study Aid -- 5th Grade Water Cycle & Clouds

Read about clouds on Weather Wiz Kids.  This site has more cloud types than you need to know.  Focus on cirrus, cumulus, stratus and cumulonimbus.

Check out these cool weather experiments.

The Water Cycle -- 5th Grade Science

Watch the video above to get you started.  When you finish, read about the water cycle to complete your project this week.  Project -----> Science Diagrams

This Kid's Zone article does a pretty good job of explaining the water cycle.  (It refers to runoff as collection, but it's the same idea.)
If you need more information, this article about the water cycle is very thorough.
Check out this cool, interactive diagram from the USGS.

This water cycle rap is just for fun.

The Atmosphere -- 5th Grade Science

Read about the atmosphere once you have watched the video above.
The Earth's Atmosphere -- Science for Kids.
Look through and read the slides on Kids Geo.
Geography 4 Kids -- The Atmosphere

What is air pressure?
Air pressure from FactMonster.

Tornadoes for Grade 5

Are you interested in tornadoes?  Read more about these storms on Weather Wiz Kids.  You can also read about them on Science Kids.