Teaching Resources & Guides > Worksheets & Printables > Forecast the Weather Activity 

Forecast the Weather Activity

QUESTION FOR KIDS: How does weather forecasting work?

Fall weather can be rainy, windy, warm or frosty, or all of these in the same week! It’s the perfect time to raise your eyes to the sky and appreciate the processes of nature that affect us every single day. By understanding how weather works, kids will build science skills they’ll use again and again: observing, measuring, predicting, and evaluating.

Materials for this activity:

Follow this easy, step-by-step activity:

In this activity, kids will measure the variables that affect the weather. They’ll keep track of their data in order to make predictions.

1. Go outside and observe the weather 2-3 times each day for a week or more, at about the same times each day.

2. Use the Weather Golden Guide to read about data collection and weather predicting.

3. Use the Mini Weather Station to get readings for temperature, wind speed and direction, atmospheric conditions, and rainfall.

4. Write down your readings on this Daily Weather Observations Chart (PDF).

5. After a week or so, look for trends in each of the categories. Predict what you think will happen tomorrow and write it down.

6. Each day, check your predictions: were you right? Use what you’re learning to make a prediction for the next day.

Storm Clouds and Rainbow

A few tips to help you out:

  • “Atmospheric conditions” is a big term for simple weather descriptions like clear, cloudy, rainy, etc.
  • To discover trends, look at individual columns, such as Temperature High/Low. Is the low temperature getting warmer each day? Then,
    look at two columns of information together: is it warmer or cooler when it is cloudy, versus sunny?
  • Use graph paper to create a chart that visually shows the trends. Start by writing the days of the week and each day’s conditions along the
    bottom. Then mark each day’s high temperature above it, according to a scale from 0º to 100º (F) along the left side. Finally, draw a line between
    each day’s mark to form a graph.
  • Has your child started a science notebook yet? Their own science notebook gives them a specific place to keep and record their data, observations, predictions, and ideas.

Go Beyond the Activity

  • Once your child is comfortable recording temperature, wind speed and direction, atmospheric conditions, and rainfall (precipitation), start monitoring the other columns on the chart:
  • If it’s cold, use your Mini Weather Station to calculate wind chill.
  • Add the optional items: Use a psychrometer to measure humidity and
    a barometer to measure barometric pressure.
  • The optional Weather Golden Guide is a great little book for anyone interested in learning more about clouds, weather, and patterns.

Download

Download the activity sheet for a formatted and ready-to-print version of this page.

Teaching Homeschool

Welcome! After you finish this article, we invite you to read other articles to assist you in teaching science at home on the Resource Center, which consists of hundreds of free science articles!

Shop for Science Supplies!

Home Science Tools offers a wide variety of science products and kits. Find affordable beakers, dissection supplies, chemicals, microscopes, and everything else you need to teach science for all ages!

Related Articles

Science Fair Projects for 7th Graders

Science Fair Projects for 7th Graders

Science Fair Projects for 7th Graders​​ Science fair projects for 7th graders are a step up in complexity. Because 7th graders have a better grasp of science concepts, they’re expected to practice the scientific method in the way they approach their experiments–which...

Home Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Home Science Experiments for Preschoolers

Home Science Experiments for Preschoolers Home science experiments for preschoolers are a great way to pique your child’s curiosity, teach them valuable knowledge, and allow them to have some fun in the comfort of their own home. There are plenty of activities your...

Easy Science Fair Projects for Kids

Easy Science Fair Projects for Kids

Easy Science Fair Projects for Kids Science fairs are a long-standing tradition that provide kids with the opportunity to better understand practical concepts in fun and innovative ways. The great thing about the experiments presented at these events is that they...

Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Telescope

Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Telescope

Are you trying to choose the best microscope for your home or classroom? A science microscope is both an enjoyable and important tool for science education that will last for years to come. And unless you are a seasoned science educator, you probably have some questions about how to choose the right one for your specific needs! This article will explain the main types of microscopes and help you choose the best one for your home or class environment.

29 Creative Ways to Use a Home Science Tools Beaker Mug

29 Creative Ways to Use a Home Science Tools Beaker Mug

Infuse a dash of experimentation into your daily routine with a Home Science Tools Beaker Mug! As we gear up for our 29th Anniversary, we've compiled a list of 29 exciting ways to use your beaker mug in everyday life. From brewing up creative concoctions to unleashing...

should I learn computer coding