Standard 4.6 - Weather

From VDOE's Curriculum Framework (a student friendly version is located on the activity page in the Study Guide for each standard)

The student will investigate and understand how weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted. Key concepts include
a) weather measurements and meteorological tools (air pressure-barometer, wind speed anemometer, rainfall-rain gauge, and temperature-thermometer); and
b) weather phenomena (fronts, clouds, and storms).

Standards from VDOE Curriculum Framework (Illustrated Standards below)

The concepts developed in this standard include the following:
• Temperature is the measure of the amount of heat energy in the atmosphere.
• Air pressure is due to the weight of the air and is determined by several factors including the temperature of the air.
• A front is the boundary between air masses of different temperature and humidity.
• Cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulo-nimbus clouds are associated with certain weather conditions.
• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and white with flat bottoms. They usually indicate fair weather. However, when they get larger and darker on the bottom, they produce thunderstorms.
• Stratus clouds are smooth, gray clouds that cover the whole sky (block out direct sunlight). Light rain and drizzle are usually associated with stratus clouds.
• Cirrus clouds are feathery clouds. They are associated with fair weather. Cirrus clouds often indicate that rain or snow will fall within several hours.
• Extreme atmospheric conditions create various kinds of storms such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
• Different atmospheric conditions create different types of precipitation.
• Meteorologists gather data by using a variety of instruments.
• Meteorologists use data to predict weather patterns.
• A barometer measures air pressure.
• An anemometer measures wind speed.
• A rain gauge measures precipitation.
• A thermometer measures the temperature of the air.

In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will be able to
• use a thermometer to compare air temperatures over a period of time.
• analyze the changes in air pressure occurring over time, using a barometer, and predict what the changes mean in terms of changing weather patterns.
• differentiate between the types of weather associated with high and low pressure air masses. Illustrate and label high and low pressure air masses and warm and cold fronts.
• differentiate between cloud types (cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulo-nimbus clouds) and the associated weather.
• compare and contrast the formation of different types of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail).
• recognize a variety of storm types, describe the weather conditions associated with each, and explain when they occur (thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes).
• analyze and report information about temperature and precipitation on weather maps.
• measure wind speed, using an anemometer.
• measure precipitation with a rain gauge.
• design an investigation in which weather data are gathered using meteorological tools and charted to make weather predictions.

Illustrated Standards

Standards in yellow
Explanation in white

• Temperature is the measure of the amount of heat energy in the atmosphere.

·• Air pressure is due to the weight of the air and is determined by several factors including the temperature of the air.

Cold air is denser and heavier than hot air, and so exerts greater air pressure.

• A front is the boundary between air masses of different temperature and humidity.

All fronts are boundaries between masses of air with different densities, usually caused by temperature differences (cold air is denser than hot air).

A high pressure air mass brings cooler, drier air. A low pressure air mass brings warmer, more humid air.

COLD FRONT
• A cold front is a warm-cold air boundary with the colder air replacing the warmer.

• While a winter cold front can bring frigid air, summer cold fronts, summer cold fronts bring air that might be only a few degrees cooler, but much less humid. Click here or here to read more about cold fronts.

WARM FRONT
• A warm front is the boundary between warm and cool, or cold, air when the warm air is replacing the cold air. It sounds good, but warm fronts often bring days of wet weather.

• As the warm air advances northward it rides over the cold air ahead of it, which is heavier. As the warm air rises the water vapor in it condenses into clouds that can produce rain, snow, sleet or freezing rain. Click here for more on warm fronts.

•    Cirrus, stratus, cumulus, and cumulo-nimbus clouds are associated with certain weather conditions.
•    Extreme atmospheric conditions create various kinds of storms such as thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes.·
•    Different atmospheric conditions create different types of precipitation.

• Cirrus clouds are feathery and fibrous clouds. They are associated with fair weather. Cirrus clouds often indicate that rain or snow will fall within several hours.			Cirrus Clouds
• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and white with flat bottoms. They usually indicate fair weather.		Cumulus Clouds
Cumulo-nimbus clouds However, when they get larger and darker on the bottom, they produce thunderstorms.		Cumulonimbus Cloud produce thunderstorms and extreme weather
• Stratus clouds are smooth, gray clouds that cover the whole sky (block out direct sunlight). Light rain and drizzle are usually associated with stratus clouds.	Stratus Clouds

• Meteorologists gather data by using a variety of instruments
• Meteorologists use data to predict weather patterns.


barometer measures air pressure.	anemometer measures wind speed.	rain gauge measures precipitation.	thermometer measures the temperature of the air.