The atmosphere is the medium in which Canada's weather and climate develop and unfold. The atmosphere is our source of life- giving oxygen. We breathe the atmosphere with its essential components and its impurities. Without the atmosphere fire, sound, sucking pop up a straw, and airplane flight are all impossible.
This unit looks at the weather and climate which we experience, and at how human activity alters the atmosphere's composition.
Science writing and reading activities, as discussed in this Guide, should be incorporated into each lesson. Writing is an important way for students to reduce cognitive dissonance between their view of the world and scientists' views of the world. Writing in personal reflective journals and reporting on the activities of science class in a variety of ways are strategies through which students may refine their understanding of the concepts of science and develop their ability to communicate through the written word. Reading from a variety of sources reinforces the idea that they are capable of learning on their own and that there are a number of legitimate ways to present and interpret knowledge.
Science challenge, as described in this Guide, is meant to extend students' critical and creative thinking abilities in the context of the science concepts being studied. Activities involving science challenge should be incorporated into science lessons in each unit. The challenge is intended to give each student a chance to investigate an area of interest in more depth than would be possible for all students in a class to do. Science challenge is a key strategy for bringing the Adaptive Dimension to the classroom, and for encouraging independent learning.
Note: Many of the resources listed in Science: An Information Bulletin for the Middle Level - Key Resource Correlations describe activities or ideas for activities.
Factors: A9, B11, B13, B19, C13, D5, F3, G8
Objectives: 1.1, 1.2, 3.1
Assessment Techniques: written assignments, oral assessments
Instructional Methods: structured overview, discussion
Factors: A6, A9, B2, B11, B15, C8, C13, D4, D8, E2, F3, G8
Inquire about a source for satellite photos of weather systems. Does the
computer lab in your school have the capability of going online to receive
data from the NOAA weather satellites. Through wide-area computer networks
such as Internet, you may be able to gain access to this type of data.
Factors: A8, B13, B15, B16, C6, C12, D4, F1, F8, G3, G8
Ask those students with access to the Weather Channel or American channels
on cable TV to watch the "big picture" weather forecasts. By watching the
upper left hand portion of the screen, one can usually see what the animations
are predicting for Saskatchewan. Record what they observe on the big picture
and compare that forecast to local forecasts.
Objectives: 1.2, 1.3
Assessment Techniques: presentations, extended response test items
Instructional Methods: research projects, compare and contrast, reading
for meaning
Objectives: 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.3
Assessment Techniques: anecdotal records, performance assessments,
short answer test items
Instructional Methods: concept formation, problem solving