Chapter 9 Lesson 4, "Precipitation"

Materials:

• Worksheet, "Precipitation"

Objective:

• Students will describe how precipitation forms.
• Students will describe four kinds of precipitation.

Anticipatory Set:* In classrooms if possible. Use a hairdryer and point it straight up. Put a ping pong ball in the airstream. Ask the students why it doesn't fall. Tilt the hairdryer slightly and the ping-pong ball will fall. Ask the students how upward air currents cloud affect the size of snowflake, raindrops, and even sleet or hail.

Teacher Input:* Remind the students how the temperature changes as you go up in the atmosphere. Ask them what the temperature is at 2 or 3 (5km) in the sky. (10,000- 15,000 feet) If there are clouds at this level what state is most of the moisture in? Remind the students the size of a raindrop and how it is formed and how it can grow. Then ask: How could the raindrop increase in size. What happens when the winds can no longer hold the droplet up in the atmosphere? What is the term that meteorologist use for any type of water falling from the sky. Other than rain what other types are there.

Describe each of the following using these pictures.

hail: ( ball1, ball 2, Hailstone 3, Hailstone 4, Hailstone 5, Hail formation 1, Hail formation 2, Hail formation 3).Where can this happen ? thunderstorm.

Sleet or Freezing Rain: Freezing rain damage, Freezing rain 1, Freezing Rain 2, Sleet formation 1, Sleet Formation 2.

Use this diagram to explain how warm air can end up above cold air.

Snow, (Snowflake1, snowflake 2, snowflake 3, snowflake types 1, snowflake types 2.

Guided Practice:* Classes will complete the questions on Page 218.

Independent Practice:* Students will complete the worksheet, "precipitation"

Check for Understanding:* Students will take the quiz on Lesson 4, precipitation.

Duration:

30 minutes + 10-15 for Independent Practice (Could be longer if taken for homework).