Activity
Tracking Temperatures
Thanks to science curriculum in previous grades, your fourth grade scientist probably feels pretty confident recording temperatures, classifying common clouds, and identifying different kinds of weather. So here's a new challenge: Record your backyard highs and lows, check them against the ones in your local paper, and then see how today's highs and lows compare with those 50 years ago. Is your town cooler, warmer, or the same over a two week period? Here's how to start exploring that question.
Grade
Subject
Thank you for your input.
What You Need:
- Outdoor thermometer
- Paper
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Weather section of your local newspaper
- Internet access
- Temperature template
What You Do:
- Every scientist needs to record data in a clear, organized manner, so help your fourth grader use a ruler and pen or pencil to create a horizontal chart. You'll need 14 rows, one each for fourteen days, and 8 columns, labeled as follows from left to right: Today's low; Today's high; Today's low in local news; Today's high in local news; High 25 years ago; Low 25 years ago; High 50 years ago; Low 50 years ago.
- Each day, for two weeks, help your child check the temperature outside using a Fahrenheit thermometer when she first wakes up and then in mid-afternoon, perhaps right when she gets home from school. Each morning, check yesterday's temperature recordings against those in the local paper, and write the news tallies on your chart as well. How close are you?
- Now you can go "back" in time, using a very modern device, of course! Using the Internet, you can see historical records of highs and lows for communities all over the United States. We especially recommend the Old Farmer's Almanac, which offers a complete, easy to use temperature-finding chart going back to 1946.
- Now it's time for the fun stuff: thinking about this data. Give your fourth grader a couple of colors of highlighter pens, and invite her to mark the temperatures that were lower than today, and the ones that were higher. Do this for both the temperatures you've recorded from your backyard and for those in the paper. What's the trend?
- This is, of course, just a first step. For some kids, it may be enough; but don't hesitate to invite your child to keep exploring. The almanac site, for example, allows multiple years of comparisons. No matter what you choose, make sure you leave some time for the most important question of all: how can we all work together to keep average temperatures from rising more?
Related learning resources
Tracking Hurricanes
Worksheet
Tracking Hurricanes
Learn about tracking hurricanes with this map of coordinates.
4th grade
Science
Worksheet
Winter Temperatures
Worksheet
Winter Temperatures
...Track winter temperatures with this handy tracker chart....
4th grade
Math
Worksheet
Tracking Character Traits
Worksheet
Tracking Character Traits
...Use this worksheet to practice tracking character traits in any stories you are reading....
5th grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Tracking Transitions
Worksheet
Tracking Transitions
This worksheet asks students to find the transition words and to use them in their own sentences.
4th grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Tracking Important Details: A Look into Marie Curie's Life
Worksheet
Tracking Important Details: A Look into Marie Curie's Life
...Tracking details takes practice and modeling!...
4th grade
Reading & Writing
Worksheet
Flowers Everywhere: Practice Coordinates
Worksheet
Flowers Everywhere: Practice Coordinates
Challenge your fourth grader to help Emma put together a beautiful bouquet by tracking down the coordinates for a bunch of flowers.
4th grade
Math
Worksheet
Multiplication Mischief: West Coast USA
Worksheet
Multiplication Mischief: West Coast USA
Can your fourth grader assist Zoey Chase in tracking down this conspicuous culprit? Working through these multi-digit multiplication problems is the first step!
4th grade
Math
Worksheet
Color And Temperature
Science project
Color And Temperature
...To find the average, add the 5 temperatures for each color individually, then divide by 5.
Analyze the data and draw a conclusion....
3rd grade
Science project
Everyday Darwin: Create a Nature Journal
Activity
Everyday Darwin: Create a Nature Journal
In this outdoor science activity you'll find tips on how to create a nature journal by choosing a native plant or animal and tracking that species.
5th grade
Reading & Writing
Activity
The Effects of Temperature on Bounce
Science project
The Effects of Temperature on Bounce
...By testing objects at various temperatures, scientists and engineers are able to learn how objects are effected by temperature and at what point these objects do not...
Middle school
Science project
Temperature Game
Activity
Temperature Game
Use playing cards to learn about temperature as well as positive and negative integers in this fourth grade math game.
4th grade
Math
Activity
Magnets and Temperature: Does the Temperature of a Magnet Affect its Strength?
Science project
Magnets and Temperature: Does the Temperature of a Magnet Affect its Strength?
Does the temperature of a magnet affect its strength? Learn about the relationship between magnets and temperature with this cool physics science fair project.
4th grade
Science
Science project