Weather is defined as the momentary, day-to-day state of the atmosphere over any place on Earth’s surface.
The weather affects everyone and nearly every human activity. It occurs within the atmosphere, the mixture of gases that completely envelops Earth. The basic atmospheric conditions that make up the weather include precipitation, humidity, temperature, pressure, cloudiness, and wind. Use Britannica Library to learn more about weather, climate and the science of meteorology.
Recommended “Weather” Resources
These resource packs contain curated articles, videos and images from Britannica Library. The content is appropriate for kids and teens and provide a great starting point when researching weather and its various elements.
Resource Pack Links:
Britannica Library (Australia) Kids resource pack↗
Britannica Library (Australia) Teens resource pack↗
Britannica Library (New Zealand) Kids resource pack↗
Britannica Library (New Zealand) Teens resource pack↗
Activities
Print out these activities for children to complete on their own or in groups, using Britannica Library and the instructions provided. Worksheets can also be downloaded, shared and completed online.
Weather vs Climate
Using materials found in the Britannica “Weather” resource pack, explore the concepts of weather and climate. Create a mind map brainstorming key ideas. Then compare and contrast each concept using a Venn diagram.
Seasons
Explore the 4 seasons and create a detailed chart describing each season’s characteristics. (Use Britannica Library to research your answers!)
Elements of Weather
Write a sentence to describe each element of weather, clouds, precipitation, wind, humidity and temperature. Find images on Britannica Library that illustrate each element.
Weather Observations
Discuss and create different symbols to represent the different types of weather. For the next week observe the weather and record observations.
Indigenous Weather
(i) Examine the seasonal knowledge of Indigenous Australians. Changes in the environment were central to how the Indigenous people understood the seasons and changes in weather.
Use the Indigenous Weather Knowledge found on the BOM website and the Britannica article “Indigenous Australians and the Environment” to describe the Nyoongar seasons and how the activities of the Indigenous people were affected.
(ii) Examine the seasonal knowledge of Māori people. Use information found on the NRAIT website to describe the significance of the seasons to the Māori people.
Featured Image from BRITANNICA LIBRARY: A kite takes flight on a windy day. © Sergey Novikov/Fotolia, Accessed 05 Aug. 2022.
These activities and resources have been created using content from Britannica Library, the go-to site for safe, comprehensive research for all ages. Find out if your library already has access or set up your own free trial.
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