Picture this scene: I was teaching about the difference between weather and climate on a day in January when it happened to be almost 80 degrees in Texas. It snowed 3 inches just the week before. A couple of days after that lesson, we returned to our usual 50-degree daytime temperatures.
While the lesson definitely fell on a day with unusual weather for that time of year, it provided a great example for students about how weather conditions can change wildly from one day to the next, while climate describes long-term (30+ years) patterns of average conditions.
One way to help students remember the difference between weather and climate is the acronym CLAWS, which stands for Climate Long and Weather Short. As the familiar saying goes, “Climate is what we expect. Weather is what we get.”
Let’s take a look at some resources that can help your students analyze each of these concepts and understand their differences!
Before you begin...
Whether you teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade, a way to gauge student understanding of weather is to create a class bubble map or have students create one in their journals. Having your students engage in this activity is a way to pre-assess what they know and any misconceptions they have.
1. Clouds Unit
This 7-day unit helps students connect the water cycle to weather concepts. Students go outside to identify clouds in their area using a cloud window, learn about weather conditions that are associated with common cloud types, and practice predicting weather using cloud patterns.
Then, they use ice cubes, hairspray, and hot water to model the formation of a cloud while discussing the water cycle processes that occurred!
See it on TPT: Clouds Unit
2. Slides and Notes
We have two sets of Slides and Notes related to weather and climate: one is designed to cover 4.10C in the 4th grade TEKS, while the other is geared toward 3-ESS2 in NGSS.
Use these to cover weather measurement tools, weather forecasting, the difference between weather and climate, and information about major climate zones.
Each slideshow features real-life imagery, detailed explanations, and discussion questions tailored to each standard. There are also differentiated notes to hold students accountable!
See them on TPT:
3. Weather and Climate Sort
Classification of this-or-that with science concepts is a great way to practice understanding.
In this sort, students determine words, phrases, and images that best relate to either weather or climate.
Use these as team/partner games or as a class relay! Discussing results afterward is a great way to highlight how weather and climate examples are often represented.
See it on TPT: Weather or Climate Sort
4. Climate Zones Posters and Project
Learning details about climate zones helps students better understand how they differ from each other! This resource provides a ton of information about 8 different climate zones with colorful, info-packed printables. Students can use the big ideas about their chosen climate zone to create a tri-fold or fact sheet to show what they learned. When you discuss or have students present these afterward, they’ll be able to compare and contrast the different zones easily!
See it on TPT: Climate Zones Posters and Projects
5. Severe Weather Posters and Project
Most students are fascinated by severe weather! Take it further by letting them learn beyond the basics. 8 different types of severe weather are profiled in this resource, with options for students to create tri-folds or fact sheets about the main ideas.
These are great for extensions in your weather and climate unit because they help to tie the two concepts together as students analyze where and why each type of severe weather is most likely to occur!
See it on TPT: Severe Weather Posters and Projects
Time to Teach!
As you teach about weather and climate, point out keywords that signal each topic and analyze the weather and climate in your own area to make the topic more personal. Combine those discussions with some of the resources mentioned here, and students will feel like future meteorologists and climatologists in no time!
