Science and Weather Together

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As an industry-leading Life Science company, Bayer has its foundation in science, innovation and research. This gives us a unique understanding of the integral role science plays in everyday life. It drives our passion to be a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education partner for schools, parents & others in our communities. Bayer is  dedicated to advancing STEM education and ensuring that all individuals are scientifically literate. We strive to engage, educate, and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, technologists and innovators. At Bayer, we strongly believe it is about making STEM education more accessible and less intimidating – to kids and adults.

LESSON 4

Air and Wind

This planet is surrounded by a lot of air. Gravity holds that air in place…keeping it from escaping into outer space. This lesson looks at the many forces that make the wind blow, as well as a discussion about the jet stream. If you’ve ever wondered why some days are windier than others…and why the wind blows from one direction or another…this will help you understand the process!

  • Why is knowing what the wind will do important?

  • What do you think makes the wind blow?

  • Name three ways the wind impacts what you do.

Teacher Guide: Air and Wind
Lesson Resources: Air and Wind
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Lesson 4 Quiz: Air and Wind

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1. Air tends to flow from:

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2. Wind is considered a:

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3. When all the forces that affect wind flow are exactly in balance, the wind will be:

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4. Friction can affect wind flow up to:

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5. The spinning of the earth exerts this force on the wind:

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6. If the wind is blowing toward the west it is called:

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7. The "Jet Stream" is generally found near:

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8. There is only one "jet stream"

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9. How is wind affected by the tilt of the earth?

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10. There are large bodies of different types of air in various places around the earth. They are called:

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Quiz Answers: Air and Wind

EXPERIMENTS AT HOME

Thermal Expansion

In many of our lessons, we talk about how the air expands and rises when it heats up, and shrinks and drops when it cools off.  This simple experiment demonstrates how the differences in temperature cause this to happen.  Molecules in the air move faster and move farther apart when the air heats up. They move slower and move closer together when the air cools. Watch the results of this experiment to see the expansion and contraction of air happen in real time!

Experiment Equipment List: 

  • 2 Clear Plastic Bins

  • Plastic Water Bottle

  • Small Rubber Band

  • Regular Size Balloon

  • Hot and Cold Water

LESSON 5

Seasons

A lot of people love the change of the season!  By the end of the summer, we are always ready for cooler weather. Winter makes us long for spring and warmer air. And everyone loves the bright colors of autumn. And with each change of season comes a change in the weather. This lesson explores what makes the seasons and why they change more in some parts of the world than others!

  • Shine a flashlight on a world globe directly over the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° north of the equator).  Spin the globe and observe the distribution of light over the globe.

  • Then shine the light over the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° south of the equator) Spin the globe and observe the light distribution over the globe.

  • Observe how little light hits the poles when the light is on one hemisphere or the other.

  • Observe the changes in the light over the equator.

Teacher Guide: Seasons
Lesson Resources: Seasons
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Lesson 5: Seasons

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1. The tilt of the earth affects everything except:

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2. The tilt of the earth, in relationship to the sun, changes as::

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3. Over the course of a year, the tilt of the earth:

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4. Spring and fall tend to have less extreme temperatures because:

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5. The first day of winter in the northern hemisphere is:

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6. Which location on the earth gets the greatest amount of sunlight all year long:

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7. Over thousands of years our weather and climate changes due to

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8. Which location has the greatest amount of daylight during the summer?

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9. The weather is colder during the winter because:

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10. The amount of daylight in any one location changes gradually each day:

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Quiz Answers: Seasons

LESSON 6

Clouds

Have you ever laid on your back and watched clouds float by? Have you ever wondered why some clouds are thick and puffy and some are flat and wispy? Have you ever thought about why clouds even exist?  We see clouds almost every day, and likely don’t think much about them unless they are dark and threatening…but even the smallest cloud can tell us something about what is happening in the sky overhead. That is the focus of this lesson on clouds!

  • Why are clouds important?

  • Do you know what it takes for clouds to form?

  • Discuss what different types of clouds tell you.

Teacher Guide: Clouds
Lesson Resources: Clouds
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Lesson 6: Clouds

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1. What type of cloud indicates that the air is rising?

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2. What type of cloud is this?

Question Image

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3. Which cloud type tells you the air is stable and not rising?

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4. What type of cloud is this?

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5. Which cloud type would you expect to see if severe storms were nearby?

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6. What type of cloud is this?

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7. The name for a layer in the sky were a certain type of cloud forms:

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8. Altocumulus and altostratus clouds form between"

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9. This is one of the most important things necessary for cloud formation:

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10. On average, how much of the planet has cloud cover at any one time?

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Quiz Answers: Clouds

EXPERIMENTS AT HOME

Cloud In A Bottle

Water covers over 2/3rds of the planet. As it heats up and evaporates, it replenishes the moisture we need in the air to creates clouds, rain, snow, and ice! This experiment explores the water cycle by creating a cloud in a bottle. Watch closely as the vapor rises off the hot water and creates a cloud! Parental supervision is recommended for this experiment.

Experiment Equipment List:

  • 2 Glass Bottles

  • Matches
  • Towel or Hot Pad Mitt
  • Icepack or Bag of Ice

  • Hot Water

LESSON 7

Unique Clouds

As you learned in the last lesson, clouds cover about 67% of the planet at any one time. But there are a few types of clouds that are fairly rare, and unusual. This lesson takes a look at three types of unique clouds that are not readily visible in every part of the earth. And, unless you live in the right location, you would likely have to travel to see them!

  • Have you ever heard of nacreous, noctilucent, or lenticularis clouds?

  • Can you guess you guess what these unusual clouds might look like based on their names?

  • What do you think makes these clouds different from others?

Teacher Guide: Unique Clouds
Lesson Resources: Unique Clouds
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Lesson 7: Unique Clouds

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1. Why is it impossible to see noctilucent clouds during the day?

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2. What type of cloud is this?

Question Image

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3. What type of cloud is this?

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4. Which of these cloud types tend to form most often in the winter months near the top of the stratosphere?

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5. Which cloud type forms at an altitude higher than any other?

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6. Which of these rare cloud types tend to form in the summer months near the north or south poles?

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7. What type of cloud is this?

Question Image

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8. When does twilight occur?

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9. Which of these rare clouds usually form near mountain ranges?

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10. Which type of these cloud types presents a danger to aircraft?

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Quiz Answers: Unique Clouds

LESSON 8

Precipitation

Everyone enjoys a rainy day every now and then…but have you ever thought about what happens to make it rain? Precipitation is happening all around the world, all the time. But there are reasons why rain, sleet, and snow form where they do…and when they do. This lesson provides insight into how precipitation forms, and what kind of precipitation occurs!

  • How much water falls from the sky during a storm?

  • Why are some raindrops bigger than others?

  • What determines the type of precipitation that falls from a cloud?

Teacher Guide: Precipitation
Lesson Resources: Precipitation
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Lesson 8: Precipitation

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1. Clouds and fog are made up of:

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2. For rain to form in a cloud these two items must be present:

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3. Fill in the blank: Water molecules are _________, meaning strongly attracted to each other.

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4. Raindrops that fall from a cloud but never reach the ground are called

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5. Which type of rainfall has larger drops that fall at a higher velocity?

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6. Which type of rain contains a higher amount of drops per square foot?

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7. Which hazards are associated with rainfall:

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8. Snowfall is possible when:

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9. Freezing rain or sleet happens when:

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10. Heavier snowfall is possible with less available moisture when the air temperature is:

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Quiz Answers: Precipitation
Go To Lesson #9: Storms