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You can use Acrobat Reader to look at the PDF version of the Cover
Sheet
for the Units and Self-Assessment
for Cultural Standards in Practice.
Winds
And
Weather
by Jonas Ramoth and Sidney Stephens
II. Understanding Wind
It is assumed that as students spend time observing the weather, they will
come up with questions about the weather, which interest them greatly. While
some of these questions will undoubtedly relate to developing proficiency with
forecasting and to dealing with weather-related issues of travel and safety,
other questions will probably relate to developing a more sophisticated understanding
what causes the wind. The following chart indicates some of the connections
that can be made between local knowledge, student questions and science concepts.
| Local Observations
|
Possible Investigations
|
Possible Science Concepts
|
Alaska Science Standards
|
|
-wind direction, speed, temperature
-snow movement/drift pattern
-cloud cover
-temperature
-cold as a relative factor
-influence of wind and cold on human and animal behavior
|
-What causes the wind?
-Why are west winter winds cold?
-Why are east winds warmer than west winds?
-What is surface wind?
-How is surface wind different than atmospheric wind?
-Why are west winds erratic and gusty?
-Why do east winds create consistent drifts?
-How can drift patterns aid in navigation?
-Why are clear winter days colder than cloudy winter days? Is this also
true for summer?
-How does weather affect animals?
-Do all animals respond similarly to the same temperature?
-What kind of weather is best for hunting and trapping?
|
-density
-convection
-radiation
-insulation
-adaptation |
A-1 (structure and behavior of matter)
A-4 (Earth/weather)
A-8 (heat transfer)
B-1 (Process skills)
A-12 (diversity)
|
These questions can be investigated in at least two constructive ways: inquiry
and/or guided discovery. If an inquiry approach were taken, students would identify
their own question with regard to winds/weather and pursue it intensely through
a combination of research and experimentation of their own design. If a guided
discovery approach were taken, the teacher would set up a series of activities
designed to enable students to develop an understanding of the driving forces
behind wind.
To enable either approach, the following series of guided discovery lessons
are focused on developing conceptual understanding of local winds as a building
block to understanding the whole of the atmospheric cycle. Central to this is
an understanding of heat transfer including the concepts of convection, absorption
and radiation as related to the creation of both local and global winds. These
lessons assume some understanding of the nature and behavior of matter and molecules
in the solid, liquid and gaseous states. They also assume some familiarity with
the concept of density.
Standards
Section I - Observing Locally
Section II - Understanding Wind
Section III - Connecting
Globally
Appendix A - Selawik Weather Information from
Jonas Ramoth
Appendix B - Assessment
Appendix C - Weather Resource
List
Appendix D - Interdisciplinary Integration
Handbook
for Culturally Responsive Science Curriculum by Sidney Stephens
Excerpt: "The information and insights contained in this document will be
of interest to anyone involved in bringing local knowledge to bear in school
curriculum. Drawing upon the efforts of many people over a period of several
years, Sidney Stephens has managed to distill and synthesize the critical ingredients
for making the teaching of science relevant and meaningful in culturally adaptable
ways." |
