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Week 10 · Weather by the Numbers

Launch Lab

Launch Lab: Family Weather Log
// Measuring weather and finding patterns
⏱ about 15 min

Launch Lab: Family Weather Log

Rocket and Raven tape a weather chart to the fridge. "Let's track the weekend!" Rocket says.

Raven hands out jobs. "Who reads the rain gauge? What do you notice about the sky?"

Nova hovers by the window. "Measure at the same time each day," she says. "That makes the data fair."

  1. Weather is what the air is like at one place and time.
  2. A thermometer measures temperature. A rain gauge measures rain.
  3. A wind vane shows wind direction. An anemometer measures wind speed.
  4. Tables and graphs help us see weather patterns.
  5. A normal is a 30-year average. It shows what each season is usually like.
◇ FAMILY WEATHER LOG
Make a chart with columns for time, sky, wind and rain.
Check the weather in the morning and in the afternoon.
For sky, write sunny, cloudy or rainy.
For wind, tie a ribbon to a stick. Write still, gentle or strong.
Read your rain gauge after any rain.
If you have a thermometer, read it in the shade.
Safety first
Stay inside during thunder or lightning.
Never look straight at the Sun.
For a grown-up
Ask: what did you notice? What would you change?
Ask: was the afternoon different from the morning? How?
TimeSkyWindRain (inches)Temperature (if measured)
Saturday morning
Saturday afternoon
Sunday morning
Sunday afternoon
LAUNCH LAB CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why measure at the same time each day?
A tool that measures rain is a rain ____.
A 30-year average is called a ____.
LOG THINKING
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Your log shows afternoons were warmer than mornings. What is that?
← Friday