Introduction: Weather Watching

Weather has a great impact on our everyday lives. It determines what clothes we wear, and what plants we can grow.

When you hear a weather report, do you wonder what causes the weather to be a certain way? What makes one day bright and calm, while another day is rainy and windy? What makes the wind blow? How are clouds formed? Why do we have seasons?

The weather is a complex and ever changing thing. There are so many different features associated with the weather; it takes powerful computers to make predictions of even a few days ahead. Even with this complexity, people can observe clouds, air pressure changes, and other weather components to make fairly accurate predictions on their own.

This website discusses several areas of weather: clouds, seasons, air pressure, winds, global warming, and violent weather. Activities have been included to give students hands-on experiences to work through. Some may work best as a demonstration. Take home activities such as word games and math exercises are also included.

Contact your local University of Illinois Extension office for more information on this and other 4-H In School programs.