The cost of the Weather Instruments is $570, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
One of the most important science themes for fourth graders is weather. My students track and eventually predict weather throughout the entire school year. Today there are many hand held weather instruments that would make learning this skill so much easier and relative.
By using instruments like a hand held anemometer, students will be able to see the cups spinning around and be able to read the speed on the instrument. Likewise with the hand held wind vane and humidity indicator. In conjunction with instruments such as these, I'd like to have a weather map with the symbols my students are expected to know. Using this map, we will be able to recreate the local and national weather conditions and predict future weather by tracking fronts, highs, and lows.
Instead of simply using the weather readings out of the local paper or checking the national weather site on the computer, my students will have, in their hands, the instruments needed to take their own accurate weather readings.
They will be able to take the cloud models outside and match them to the clouds that are in the sky and because the models are clearly labeled, they will be better able to match the clouds they see with the type of weather for that day.
The individual alcohol thermometers will be used not only in weather related experiments (which color is best to wear on a hot day/cold day and solar radiation), but also in other experiments during the school year.
With all of these state-of-the-art materials, just think of the conversations they will have with our local meteorologist when he visits our class! When he starts talking about the instruments he uses, they will know first hand what he means, because they will have used their own weather instruments to gather the same kind of information.
Who knows, we might be preparing a budding meteorologist for his/her future occupation. ~{!l~}:o)
Thank you for considering this proposal.
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