Highs And Lows
May 1994
These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the
Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14
western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western,
United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big
Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating
teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the
Workshops.
AUTHOR: SHIRLEY GAUG, ANTHONY ELEMENTARY, ANTHONY, KS.
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: 4-6 Science
OVERVIEW:
THE MOVEMENT OF AIR MASSES CAN BE CONFUSING AND DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS TO
CONCEPTUALIZE. THIS ACTIVITY AIDS IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE BEHAVIOR,
VACUUMS AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE.
PURPOSE:
THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO GIVE THE STUDENTS A HANDS- ON REFERENCE FOR A
"LARGER THAN CLASSROOM" EVENT.
OBJECTIVES: AS A RESULT OF THIS ACTIVITY, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:
- DESCRIBE A HIGH PRESSURE AREA.
- DESCRIBE A LOW PRESSURE AREA.
- IDENTIFY A FRONT.
- EXPLAIN WHY A HIGH PRESSURE AREA SEEKS A LOW PRESSURE AREA.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS:
POSSIBILITIES ALTHOUGH NONE ARE NEEDED:
TEACHER MADE OR STUDENT MADE SIGNS INDICATING HIGH OR LOW BALLOONS, SCISSORS OR PINS
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
- TELL THE CLASS TO IMAGINE THAT ALL OF THE STUDENTS IN EVERY CLASS IN THE SCHOOL WERE
TIGHTLY PACKED INTO THEIR CLASSROOM WITH STANDING ROOM ONLY. ALL DOORS AND WINDOWS WERE
CLOSED. THIS ROOM THEN WOULD BE A HIGH PRESSURE AREA.
- NOW IMAGINE THAT THERE IS NO ONE IN THE HALL OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. IT IS TOTALLY EMPTY.
THE HALL THEN IS A LOW PRESSURE AREA.
- SOMEONE OPENS THE DOOR. WHERE THEN WOULD THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM WANT TO GO? WHERE
DOES A HIGH PRESSURE WANT TO GO? YES, OUT THE DOOR OR TO A LOW PRESSURE AREA.
- DISCUSS THE OCCURRENCE AT THE DOORWAY. COULD THE FLOW BE SLOW AND EASY? FAST AND
FURIOUS?
- NOW IMAGINE THAT SOME STUDENTS WERE MOVING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT OR IN A COUNTERCLOCKWISE
DIRECTION IN THE HALLWAY. AS THE STUDENTS MOVED OUT OF THE CLASSROOM, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO
EXIT ONLY BY MOVING LEFT TO RIGHT OR IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION. ASK FOR IDEAS ABOUT WHAT
MIGHT HAPPEN--PILE UPS (CLOUDS), BUMPING AND RUBBING OR FRICTION (LIGHTNING)....
- HAVE STUDENTS BLOW UP BALLOONS IN PAIRS. THEY WILL LEAVE A PEAK IN THE TOP OF THE
BALLOON. INSTRUCT THEM TO TIE THE END AND REMAIN HOLDING IT SECURELY. THE SECOND STUDENT
WILL THEN EITHER CUT OFF THE PEAK (ANVIL CLOUD) OR PRICK IT WITH A PIN. THE STUDENT
HOLDING THE BALLOON WILL RELEASE IT SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS ACTIVITY REPRESENTS A
CUMULONIMBUS CLOUD. THE PEAK OF THE BALLOON REPRESENTS THE PART OF THE CLOUD THAT BECOME
THE ANVIL THAT OCCURS WHEN THE JET STREAM PASSES OVER AND MAY CAUSE A TORNADO LIKE THE ONE
THEY JUST EXPERIENCED.
- STUDENTS MAY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE BY WEARING SIGNS INDICATING THEY ARE PART OF THE HIGH
OR LOW AREA. THEY WOULD THEN MOVE IN THE CLOCKWISE OR COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION. OTHER
STUDENTS COULD REPRESENT THE FRONT THAT OCCURS WHERE THEY MEET.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:
- USE NEWSPAPER WEATHER MAPS TO GIVE STUDENTS PRACTICE IN PREDICTING THE WEATHER.
- ALLOW STUDENTS TO EXAMINE AN ANEROID BAROMETER.
- STUDENTS WILL THEN BUILD THEIR OWN BAROMETER WITH POP CANS AND STRAWS.
- DESIGN A MAP WITH AN IMAGINARY AREA SHOWING HIGHS AND LOWS. EACH STUDENT MUST PREDICT
THE WEATHER FOR THE SPOT MARKED "X" ON THE MAP AND EXPLAIN IN SEVERAL SENTENCES
USING THE CORRECT VOCABULARY WHY HE/SHE BELIEVES HIS PREDICTION TO BE CORRECT.
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