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Air and Wind

Air and Wind

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to demonstrate that air is all around us and observe that wind is moving air.


Essential Understanding

The student knows that the natural world includes the air around us and objects in the sky.

Science Background

Wind: Exploring Weather (website) - Learn about the causes of wind, the names and characteristics of global and local wind patterns, and the potential of wind as a source of energy.

Wind
Exploring Weather, www.exploringweather.com

The Weather Channel: Weather.com (website) - Find news, information, photos and video about weather in your area and across the country.

The Weather Channel
www.weather.com

Signature Lesson

Wind Scale: FOSSWEB (PDF) - Observe and record changes in wind speed and wind direction by making wind vanes, pinwheels and a simple anemometer.

Wind Scale
FOSSWEB, www.fossweb.com

Supporting Lessons

Learn Where Wind Comes From: Education.com (website) - Demonstrate how wind is created with this simple investigation.

Learn Where Wind Comes From
by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone, Education.com

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Make a Wind Vane: Education.com (website) - Use inexpensive materials to make a science tool that indicates wind direction and speed.

Make a Wind Vane
by Julie Williams, Education.com

Assessment Ideas

Exploring Air, Air Toys: FOSSWEB (website) - Have students look at home for a toy that uses air to work. If they do not find such a toy, they should try to invent a design for one. Instruct students to draw a picture of the toy they found or invented, and explain how it works.

Exploring Air, Air Toys
FOSSWEB, www.fossweb.com

Literature Connections

Wind. Canizares, Susan (ISBN: 0590107267)

Watching the Wind. Eckart, Edana (ISBN: 0516259415)

Air. Meachen Rau, Dana (ISBN: 0761430423)

Related Science TEKS

(1.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to recognize and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(1.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to recognize the importance of safe practices to keep self and others safe and healthy.

(1.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world.

(1.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigations
The student is expected to plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations such as ways objects move.

(1.2C) Collect Data
The student is expected to collect data and make observations using simple equipment such as hand lenses, primary balances, and non-standard measurement tools.

(1.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.

(1.2E) Communicate Observations
The student is expected to communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations.

(1.3B) Make Predictions
The student is expected to make predictions based on observable patterns.

(1.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to describe what scientists do.

(1.4A) Tools for Collecting Information
The student is expected to collect information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, primary balances, cups, bowls, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and timers; non-standard measuring items such as paper clips and clothespins; weather instruments such as demonstration thermometers and wind socks; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

1.9A    The student is expected to collect and sort data.

1.9B     The student is expected to use organized data to construct real object graphs, picture graphs, and bar-type graphs.

1.11C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

1.11D  The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

1.12A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

1.13A  The student is expected to justify his or her thinking using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

The Case of the Phenomenal Weather: NASA SCI Files™ (website) - Learn about violent storms, weather fronts, global wind patterns and climate. Scroll down to the middle of the page to view a video and download a lesson guide.

The Case of the Phenomenal Weather
NASA SCI Files, www.knowitall.org/nasa/scifiles

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