Did you know that the heat from the sun causes weather on Earth?
As some areas of the Earth warm, the air rises and colder air is drawn in beneath it, causing winds. These winds move air around the world. When there is a large amount of water vapour in the air, it causes precipitation such as rain, hail and snow. Find out more about our amazing weather with the resources below.
Teach your children about the weather using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Make your own weather forecast!
- Use these images as a writing prompt; write a weather forecast for the UK.
- Learn how to talk about the weather in other languages, for example, you can download French and English weather words and phrases.
- Try our teaching ideas for The Cloudspotter by Tom McLaughlin.
- Try some of these cross-curricular ideas from Weather for Schools.
- Download and complete a weather diary.
- Can you make it rain? Try this experiment and find out!
- Investigate how wind moves through towns and cities.
Resources
- Remember to download our HUGE Weather resource pack!
- Twenty fascinating weather facts on cards to use with your class.
- These printable temperature charts are perfect for helping your children record their findings.
- The Royal Meteorology Society has lots of fully resourced lesson ideas on the weather.
- The Met Office (UK) offers some fantastic resources for ages 7 – 11.
- Visit The Royal Geographical Society for a selection of resources.
Weather Knowledge Organiser
Members of Teaching Packs can download a comprehensive knowledge organiser to accompany this topic. It includes key information that your children can use for reference and research, along with diagrams, photos and a comprehensive glossary.
Not a member yet? Join us today!
Weather Facts
- The coldest temperature so far recorded on Earth is -97.8 degrees Celcius (-144 degrees Fahrenheit) which was recorded in the middle of Antarctica in 2018. It was measured using satellites as it is far too cold for a human being to visit.
- Every day, about 100 lightning bolts strike the earth’s surface. That’s 8 million strikes a day!
- It is possible to tell the temperature by counting the number of chirps a cricket makes in 25 seconds. Divide the number by three, then add four to get the temperature in degrees Celsius
- On Sunday the 6th of August, 2000, it rained fish in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England. Unusual weather conditions can cause fish to be scooped up from water and carried a few miles in rain clouds.
- People who forecast the weather are known as meteorologists. They use computer models, based on data that has been collected from a range of different sources, to predict what the weather will be like.
Videos
What’s the difference between weather and climate?
A brief explanation of the difference between climate and weather, and explains how satellites monitor the weather on Earth.
Running time: 2:00
How a Weather Forecast is Made
This animation shows all the work that goes into producing a weather forecast.
Running time: 1:06
How are Snowflakes Made?
Maddie Moate explains how snowflakes form, using Lego.
Running time: 5:39
What causes Thunder and Lightning?
The science behind thunder and lightning explained.
Running time: 3:37
How Do Hurricanes form?
A clear explanation of how hurricanes occur.
Running time: 2:22
Books
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town, except for its weather, which came three times a day; at breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Hide and Seek Fog
Children play hide and seek in the fog of a seaside town.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
A traditional tale from Kenya: a young herd boy Ki-pat must find a way to end the dreadful drought that has come to the beautiful Kapiti Plain and save the animals that live there.
Come On, Rain!
Come on, rain! Tess pleads to the sky as listless vines and parched plants droop in the endless heat.
Shark in the Park on a Windy Day!
Timothy Pope is blown this way and that way in the windy park – but among the whistling wind and blustering brollies could that be a shark he spies through his telescope?
Extreme Weather
Explore the world of crazy weather in this illustrated guide.
See Inside Weather & Climate
A lift-the-flap information book that introduces readers to the science of weather.
Weather and the Seasons
A lovely book for younger children to explore the topic.
The Cloud Book
In this unique picture book, Tomie introduces some of the most common types of clouds, as well as the myths and legends inspired by their shapes. Simple, whimsical illustrations show the variations in shape and colour that herald changes in the weather.
Links
- The 3D geography site is a fantastic site for reference and information about the weather, with worksheets to support learning.
- Take a look at the BBC Bitesize Weather pages.
- Explore weather around the world on the World Weather site.
- The resources from the British Council are perfect for developing language skills and vocabulary about the weather.
- Test your weather knowledge with this quiz.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
