BY: Dan Garwood, Hank Matthys, Liberty Middle School, Valparaiso

Purpose:

In order to make students aware of current weather conditions of selected cities throughout the world and to introduce related Internet resources, students will research on-line weather data for cities around the world.

Grade Levels: 6 & 7

Geography Standards addressed:

#1) Using maps, tools and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective.

Materials required: computer(s), internet, atlases

Objectives:

Upon the completion of this activity, students will be able to

• 1) select a global destination based on assumed desirable current weather conditions,
• 2) research the chosen city (cities) for desirable weather conditions,
• 3) utilize the Internet for weather data research purposes, and
• 4) report their findings to their colleagues, verbally and written.

Background:

Discuss the world climate patterns with students; introduce physical landscape, winds, oceans, precipitation, trends relating to weather. Talk about seasonal variations. Students, as a class or small group, should agree on preferred weather conditions.

Procedures:

• 1) Teacher distributes a list of cities from around the world to students in small groups.
• 2) Students choose a city in the world which they assume to have the preferred current weather conditions utilizing the developed class list.
• 3) Each group should work through the list rating the cities on the teacher’s list from most desirable to least desirable based on the class list.
• 4) Groups should share their rankings with other groups.

Evaluation:

Individuals and groups share information found to agree on best choice of selected cities.

Resources:

• http://city.net
• http://www.rainorshine.com/weather/index/sites/national