Using Weather Instruments
Use weather instruments to measure and record temperature in °C, rainfall in mm, the direction wind comes from, and wind speed. Keep dated readings in a weather diary.
What a learner can do afterwards
- Name at least three weather instruments and explain what each measures
- Read a thermometer and record the temperature in degrees Celsius
- Record weather data in a table or diary over several days
1 · Read
You have learned that a thermometer measures temperature: how hot or cold something is. Degrees Celsius are written °C. On a liquid thermometer, read the number where the liquid column ends. Record the number and °C. Our practice scales use a dot to mark that reading. Check how much each space stands for.
A rain gauge collects rain. Read its marked rainfall scale at the water level in millimeters (mm). A wind vane's arrow points toward where the wind comes from. An anemometer measures wind speed. On a cup anemometer, faster wind makes the cups spin faster. Read its speed scale or display. Spin counts alone do not give wind speed.
Ben records daily rainfall. Each bar shows one day's amount. Read the number above each bar. Tuesday has the most rain. Wednesday's 0 mm means a reading was taken and no rain was measured.
Rainfall in millimeters (mm). The numbers above the bars give the daily amounts.
In a diary, use one row for each date. Write the time, temperature in °C, rainfall in mm, and the direction wind comes from. Copy each reading beside its unit. Check at the same time each day to compare days. Empty a daily rain gauge after recording it. Write 'missing' for a missed reading, not 0.
Some scales have spaces worth more than 1°C. Here, the numbers go 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Each space is 2°C. Four spaces above 0°C reach 8°C. Use the scale's numbers when counting spaces.
Four spaces of 2°C reach the marked reading of 8°C.
To compare rainfall for two whole months, add all the daily rainfall readings in each month, including 0 mm readings. Compare the totals. The larger total means more rain fell. Missing days may leave rain out of a total. Comparing diary entries can reveal patterns, but it cannot tell you exactly what tomorrow's weather will be.
Different weather instruments measure different things, and writing down what they show each day helps you spot patterns over time.
Lesson revisions, question replacements and revised cards written for this dataset.
The five readings and revised flashcards were written for this dataset. Weather resources were consulted for facts and teaching ideas.
More to read
Build a weather diary
Give each date its own row. Add columns for the time, temperature in °C, rainfall in mm, and wind direction. For example, a row could record Thursday at 3 p.m., 17°C, 1 mm of rain, and wind from east. Keep the units beside the numbers. Leave earlier rows in place when you add a new day. Then you can compare the readings.
Check a temperature reading
On a liquid thermometer, find where the liquid column ends. Read the scale at that level. Nearby numbered marks tell you how much each space is worth. Write the reading with °C if the thermometer uses Celsius. Ask an adult to place an air thermometer in shade, away from hot surfaces, and wait for its reading to settle. Sunlight can warm the instrument itself.
Zero rain or a missing reading?
Write 0 mm when you take a reading and measure no rain. Write 'missing' if nobody took the reading. These entries mean different things. To find a month's rainfall total, add its daily readings. Missing days may leave rain out of that total. Keep those gaps visible. For a daily rain gauge, record its reading and then empty it before the next day's collection.
Measure wind speed
An anemometer measures how fast the wind moves. A cup anemometer has cups that turn faster in faster wind. Read its speed scale or display and record the unit it uses. Counting a homemade tool's spins does not yet give a wind speed. It needs a matching speed scale. Ask an adult to set up weather tools safely. Stay on the ground rather than climbing to reach them.
Where does the wind come from?
Read the pointed end of a wind vane's arrow. If it points east, record 'wind from east.' The air is moving from east toward west. The vane's direction marks must line up with the real directions around it. An adult can use a compass to help. If you move the vane, check that alignment again. Read it from a safe place on the ground.
2 · Watch
به انگلیسیTake it off screen
Where it sits
Learn first
Optional connections
This opens up
Where this leads
Jobs that lean on this skill. Follow one to see everything it is built on.
8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.