What's the weather like?

The weather is something that affects all of us. Although maybe you are not aware of it, I am sure that you usually check the weather forecast before going outside to know what clothes wear, if you need to bring an umbrella, etc. Today, we are going to focus on meteorology and its close relation to Mathematics, especially to probability and statistics.

Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting. The meteorological phenomena are bound by the variables that exist in Earth’s atmosphere. All of these variables can be measured through different instruments. Meteorologists are the people who analyse and study the atmospheric conditions of a place. After some time, they can talk about a kind of climate to this studied area. Finally, they can make predictions and elaborate forecasts that we normally consult.

Meteorological forecasts are completed processes in which lots of variables and elements are involved. Meteorologists measure and analyse temperature, precipitation, air pressure, humidity, etc. and they use different instruments to collect data. The most common tool is the thermometer, which is used to measure the temperature. The wind can be measured with the anemometer (speed) and the weather vane (direction). The barometer measures the atmospheric pressure whereas the rain meter collects the precipitations. In the following video, the students can learn about different types of weather.

After seeing all these contents, I wonder, how can we apply them at school? We have to think about different ideas. For instance, in my last Practicum, the children measured the temperature every day with a thermometer that they had in a window and they noted the grades down in their notebooks with the date and a drawing of the weather. It was quite simple and it helped them to know the temperature of each day, their variations and the atmospheric weather just by watching at the sky and expressing their views. They also noted down the season. In the end, they carried out a brief debate about the weather changes, their impressions, etc.

It could be a great activity for your classes and I would add something more. Since we are dealing with probability, it would be positive that everyday children look for the probability of precipitation, which appears in the official app of the AEMET, for instance. They can note it down too and draw conclusions about probability with the example of the weather. Using this app, they can also work with other items, such as wind speed or direction. If we want to go further, they can represent the collected data in some graphics so that they will study statistics at the same time. This is the link of the official page: AEMET Official Webpage