Air, Wind, and Weather
As children experience the natural elements daily, concepts about air, wind, and weather are very relevant and real to them. Terms that represent concepts young children can learn and use include wind, evaporation, condensation, conditions, cloud, fog, rain, snow, sleet, hail, change, season (spring, summer, fall, winter), and prediction.
To explore the effects of wind, children can make pinwheels or observe a windsock or streamers on the playground to determine its direction and strength. To investigate evaporation, they can dissolve salt in water and use squirt bottles to spray on paper, leave outside or overnight and observe residue. They also enjoy painting with water on the walls or sidewalks and watching the water disappear as it dries. Putting a mirror or other objects in the freezer and then taking them out is a way to observe condensation.
Daily monitoring and weather reporting with children should focus on applying observations to meaningful applications, such as decisions about appropriate clothing for outdoor play, when the garden needs watering, interpreting signals such as gathering dark clouds or a drop in temperature to predict how the weather might be changing, and observing seasonal changes. A simple clear plastic rain gauge and outdoor thermometer can provide data that children will be able to track on a calendar or chart. They can also choose a spot on the playground or in the neighborhood and photograph it monthly to observe seasonal changes over time.
Many communities have TV weather personnel willing to visit or host children and interactive materials to promote interest in weather reporting and forecasting. Many teachers plan seasonal units or explorations that focus on clothing, activities, foods, holidays, and weather to help children understand the influence of these annual cycles on our daily lives.