Weather vs. Climate: Compare Two Cities with Data

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Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8
SP-SCI68-007  ·  Free to print and use in your classroom  ·  substituteplans.com
Page 2
Weather vs. Climate: Compare Two Cities with
Data
Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8 · Grades 6-8 · 45 minutes
Time needed
45 minutes (one class period)
Prep
Copy the 2-page worksheet (one per student).
Technology
None. Calculators are optional.
Student
independence
High. Students read data and work alone.
Copies to make
One 2-page worksheet per student
Materials
Pencils, Worksheet, Calculators (optional)
Goal for today: Students will distinguish weather from climate and calculate averages and ranges from a data table
to compare two climates.
Before the bell
☐ Copy the worksheet, one per student (2 pages).
☐ Keep the answer key on your desk.
☐ Write on the board: Average = total ÷ number of values. Range = highest − lowest.
Say this to start
Good morning! Today you will work like a climate scientist. You will learn the difference between weather and climate,
and then use real-style data tables for two cities to compare them. The formulas for the math are on the board. Work
quietly on your own first.
Run of show
Minutes
What you do
What students do
0–5
Take attendance. Hand out the worksheet. Point out the
formulas on the board.
Settle in and take out a pencil.
5–12
Ask students to read the passage silently.
Read the passage.
12–20
Tell students to sort the statements in Part A.
Label each statement weather or climate.
20–33
Tell students to complete the calculations (questions 1–4).
Walk the room.
Calculate averages and ranges for the two
cities.
33–42
Tell students to finish questions 5–11.
Answer the multiple-choice, true/false and
short-answer questions.
42–45
Collect all worksheets.
Hand in the worksheet.
If things go wrong
• If students are unsure about averages, point to the formula on the board and tell them to add the six values,
then divide by 6.
• If students ask about the missing months, tell them the table uses six sample months only.


SubstitutePlans.com
Science · Life and Earth Science 6-8
SP-SCI68-007  ·  Free to print and use in your classroom  ·  substituteplans.com
Page 3
• If students finish early, use the early finisher list.
• If the class is noisy, ask for silent work until question 5.
Early finishers
• Make up a table of monthly high temperatures for a city near you and calculate the range.
• Write two sentences describing yesterday’s weather and two describing your region’s climate.
Support and challenge
• Support: Allow calculators and have students do the sorting table and questions 1, 2 and 5–7.
• Challenge: Ask students to explain how a mountain range or latitude could change a city’s climate.
Notes for the teacher (you fill this in)
Jot a few lines before you leave. A full Daily Sub Report is in the free Sub Survival Kit at SubstitutePlans.com.
How far the class got / what to pick up next:
Students who were especially helpful:
Anything the teacher should know: