Utah Weather. Meteorology

Transcription

1 Utah Weather Meteorology Purpose Students will use a graphical representation of weather patters in order to visualize abstract concepts associated with the interpretation of weather data and climate variations. Time: 1 hour Level: Elementary Materials Weather Glyph Worksheet Weather Glyph Questions, copied onto an overhead transparency Utah Weather Map, copied for each pair of students and one overhead transparency Crayons or markers and scissors for each student Background The Great Basin is a region between rivers and lakes that are bounded prominently on the west by the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Mountain Ranges and on the east by the middle Rocky Mountains and the Colorado Plateau. It encompasses most of the state of Nevada, while Utah is dominated by the Wasatch Mountains and the high plateaus of the central portion of the state. The Great Basin is effectively cut off from the westerly flow of Pacific moisture. As the moist air masses from the Pacific Ocean cross over the Sierra and Cascade Mountains they cool and lose much of their precipitation before they cross Nevada. The result makes Nevada the driest state in the nation. The dry steppe climate is typical of large basins, where the potential for evaporation exceeds precipitation throughout the year. Utah s distinct geography defines its unique climate. Utah is the second driest state. By the time the air masses reach the Basin s eastern edge they get another lift, creating extra moisture and highland climates that support Utah s population along the Wasatch Front. High-level, low pressure systems affecting our state s weather in the spring and fall are often referred to as Great Basin or Nevada lows. These lows bring the most significant amounts of precipitation every year. This activity links Utah s weather with mathematics and geography by using glyphs. Glyphs provide a visual way for students to collect, display and interpret data. It will help students understand that the elements of weather can be observed, measured, and recorded to make predictions and determine simple weather patterns by observing, measuring, and recording data on the basic elements of weather over a period of time. Students will use maps to identify and compare geographic features of Utah, and will explain the effect of physical features on climates (e.g., elevation, temperature, precipitation). Activity Procedures This activity requires advanced preparation. The day before you make the glyphs with your students, complete the first step of this activity. 1. Using the Utah Weather Map provided on page 6, invite the students to select a specific city from across the state You may choose to assign these locations to assure that a statewide representation is available for analysis. You may also wish to print a copy of the Utah Weather Map for enlargement on an overhead projector. 2. Glyphs are easy to create and help students with step-by-step process skills. To introduce glyph-making use an overhead projector and model what you want them to do. Post the selected glyph shape for students to see. Read aloud each survey question, adding your own picture detail to the glyph shape after each question. Seeing the glyph being made will help students understand the construction process. After students have heard all the survey questions and watched you use your answers to create a glyph, they will be ready to begin their own glyphs. Pictures of completed glyphs are included at the end of this lesson plan. Utah Agriculture in the Classroom 1 utah.agclassroom.org

2 3. Provide each student a copy of the Weather Glyph Worksheet and each pair of students the Utah Weather Map. Post the Glyph Questions on an overhead projector. 4. Review the background information with the students. You may wish to emphasize that this activity will allow them to see the differences in the types of weather throughout the state. 5. Have the students cut out the pattern following the glyph directions. Students should check with the teacher before cutting the line for the size of the sun in question one. 6. Invite students to add the remaining details to their glyphs to show their answers to the questions. Students can also personalize their glyph if it does not interfere with the interpretation of the data. 7. Once the glyphs are complete have the students display them in a central location. Ask them to describe how these glyphs could be sorted to collect the data from them. You may choose to write these suggestions on a chalk or white board. 8. Display the enlarged Utah Weather Map, previously downloaded from the web, on the overhead projector. Project the image on a blank wall or white board. Have the students organize the glyphs by their locations on the map and tape them to the wall. 9. Review the Glyph Questions with students and have them verbally describe what information is available from the glyphs to provide an overview of Utah weather patterns. Ask the students to describe what physical geographic features may be influencing the climate at various locations. 10. Using another wall (or white board), form a basic outline for a bar graph. Ask the students to organize the cities with a range in high and low temperature in one bar, those with ranges, and those locations with 71 or higher degree ranges in high and low temperatures in the third bar. 11. Ask the following questions: What similarities do they notice about the cities which are in the same category? Does the geography of the locations determine the climate? Does the weather define what kinds of jobs are available in that community? Why would someone consider the weather of a particular area when deciding to start a business or move their business to a new area? 12. Ask students to determine if their city s climate would encourage or discourage them from certain types of agriculture. Why would it be possible to grow apples in some parts of Utah, but not others? What types of risks do farmers face with regard to the weather? What, if any, things can farmers do to work with the weather? 13. Relate to students the importance of determining the climate before planting a garden, a crop, or raising livestock. 14. Pair the students and have them convert their location temperatures to Celsius using a basic conversion formula. Students should write those numbers on a separate sheet of paper. Ask the students to present their glyph information in another graphical form (not previously shown), such as a pie chart or line graph. Fahrenheit to Celsius Conversion: T = Temperature in Fahrenheit C = Temperature in Celsius [(T - 32) X 5] 9 = C Utah Agriculture in the Classroom 2 utah.agclassroom.org

3 Additional Activities Place the glyphs in a basket. Ask each student to select one glyph from the basket, and using the data from the glyph, list the items he or she would pack if traveling to that city today. For example, if the weather is 50 F (10 C) and rainy, a student might list a jacket, blue jeans, a sweatshirt, and an umbrella. If it s 80 F (27 C) and sunny, the list might include shorts, a T-shirt, a tennis racket, and a bathing suit. Remind students to consider the daytime and evening temperatures when packing for their trips. Ask students to gather data about the daily high and/or low temperatures in the city previously selected for a one-week period of time. Challenge them to create a line graph to show their data. Invite students to research weather conditions for cities in other parts of the world. Have them create glyphs for these cities, then list what types of advantages and disadvantages that area may have if they were trying to grow a crop or raise livestock. Resources Utah Drought Conditions: water.utah.gov/droughtconditions/default.asp Utah Climate Summaries (specific state locations): wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmut.html Utah Current Weather Conditions: web.ksl.com/tv/weather/index.php Utah Agriculture in the Classroom 3 utah.agclassroom.org

4 Utah Weather Map Map Key July Average Maximum Temperature ( F) January Average Minimum Temperature ( F) Total Average Precipitation (inches) Elevation (feet) 1 Brigham City: Park Valley: Logan: Bear Lake State Park: Randolph: Ogden: Morgan: Bountiful: Salt Lake City: Draper: Alta: Park City: Coalville: Uintalands: Manila: Flaming Gorge: Vernal: Roosevelt: Duchesne: Heber: Alpine: Spanish Fork: Tooele: Wendover: Nephi: Manti: Price: Sunnyside: Castle Dale: Green River: Koosharem: Richfield: Fillmore: Garrison: Milford: Beaver: Circleville: Loa: Capital Reef: Moab: Monticello: Monument Valley: Escalante: Panguitch: Brian Head: Cedar City: Enterprise: St. George: Kanab: Bull Frog Basin:

5 Weather Glyph Questions Directions: Answer each of the following questions by completing the requests on your weather glyph. 1 What was the location s average maximum July temperature? Below 69 o F 69 o F to 78 o F 78 o F to 88 o F 88 o F to 99 o F 100 o F or above Cut out the sun on this line 1st line; smallest sun 2nd line; a little larger 3rd line; even larger 4th line; still larger 5th line; largest sun 2 What was the location s average minimum January temperature? Draw this number of birds on the cloud Below 0 o F 0 o to 9 o F 10 o to 19 o F 20 o to 29 o F 30 o F or above 3 What was the difference between the July and January temperatures? 59 o to 60 o F 61 o to 70 o F 71 o F or more Color of the sun Red Orange Yellow 4 What was the amount of average annual precipitation? Draw a lightning bolt on the cloud 10 inches or less 11 inches or more No lightning bolt Draw a lightning bolt 5 Write the elevation of your location in the center of the cloud. 6 Write the name of your location directly above the elevation number.

6

7