Unit Keypoints - Franklin College

Seasonal Weather
1. Tracking local weather
Unit Key Points
Second Grade
Local weather plays a big role in people’s everyday lives. By tracking
local weather, one is better able to predict what weather pattern may be
approaching.
1.a. Predict the weather daily
The weather changes on a day-to-day basis in most parts
of the world. In order to better predict the weather on a daily basis, one
must watch the different weather patterns that occur over a length of
time.
1.2 What seasons bring
The year is divided up into four different seasons. As the Earth
orbits the sun, different parts of the Earth surface receive different
amounts of the sun’s energy; creating the four seasons. With every
season comes a change in the weather or climate. There is also a
change in nature, such as plants and animals.
1.2.a. The different types of seasonal weather
With every season comes a different type of climate and change in
nature. Summer, fall, winter, and spring all have different characteristics
that make them unique. These different seasons make it possible for
animal and plant life to continue.
1.3 Weather patterns
Weather has many different types of shapes and forms. Looking at the
different seasons one can determine weather patterns. Many people
accept certain weather patterns with each season.
1.3.a. Weather patterns associated with different parts of the country:
The weather in different parts of the country changes drastically. One
part of the country may often have tornados, while the other part of the

country suffers from hurricanes. The weather changes due to the different
positions the states are in compared to the equator.
Air and Wind
1. What is wind
Wind is air in natural motion, moving horizontally at any velocity
along the earth’s surface. Wind is able to transport small materials, such
as seeds, for long distances.
2.a. The affect that heat has on air
When air gets warmer, it expands. This causes warm air to get
thinner and it float upward. Cold air does the opposite of warm air.
2.1.Wind observation
The wind affects the climate and the air pressure. Many
elements in the environment cause changes in the wind.
2.1.a. Learn about anemometers
An anemometer is an instrument used to measure wind
speed. The anemometer is spun by the wind and the amount of spins per
minute are counted and multiplied to get the wind speed.
2.1.b. Why certain areas of the country are windier than others
Where a certain state or country is located plays a big part in how
windy that area will be. Many states located near water tend to have more
wind since there is a warm and cold air exchange happening.
2.2. Wind direction
The air in our atmosphere moves in many directions at varying
speeds. Air is a fluid that moves in a path. Warmer air rises while
cooler air sinks which creates the environment for flowing air
movement. Air moves from an area of high pressure (cold) to an area
of low pressure (warm).
2.2.a. Learn about weather vanes
Weather vanes are instruments used to determine what

Storms
direction the wind is blowing from. The weather vane has an arrow
attached to it, which points in the wind, telling what direction it is coming
from.
2. Thunder and Lightning
Lightning is a brilliant electric spark discharged in the atmosphere,
occurring within a thundercloud, between clouds, or between a cloud and
the ground. Thunder is a loud explosive noise created by an expansion of
air heated by a lightning discharge.
3.a. How thunder and lightning are formed:
Lightning is created when a separation of the positive and negative
charges within a cloud becomes so great that the insulating power of
air is exceeded and great amounts of electricity are then released.
Thunder is formed when warm air and cold air collide.
3.1. Tornados:
Is a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and a
pendent from a cumulonimbus cloud.
3.1.a. How does a tornado form?
Tornadoes are often formed by giant thunderstorms known as
“supercells”. When warm, moist air along the ground rushes upward,
and meets cooler, drier air this causes for a massive thundercloud to
form.
3.1.b. Tornado alerts and safety
Flying debris is one of the biggest hazards when it comes to
tornadoes. In order to remain safe there are many precautions that need
to be taken. Shelter needs to be taken when a tornado siren is first
sounded. The best place to take shelter is in a basement or a room that
has no windows.

3.1. Stormy Weather
There are many different types of storms that are associated with
stormy weather. Such storms include tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards,
and many others.
3.2.a. Different types of weather storms
There are many different types of weather storms. There are
blizzards, a storm that deals with high levels of snow. There are also
storms that occur on the water, such as hurricanes. Tornadoes are a type
of storm that occurs due to hot and humid climate.
3.2.a.1 Parts of the country where these storms occur
Many of these storms occur in different parts of the country due to
climate. Weather plays a big role in producing these storms. In hot and
climates, tornadoes are most likely to occur. In areas that are close to the
ocean, hurricanes often occur over the water and there effects are felt on
the land.
Precipitation
4. Rainfall
It rains when warm, moist air cools down. Condensation then occurs
and droplets form which fall as rain.
4.a. Measuring rainfall
Rainfall is measured in terms of inches or millimeters in depth.
There are many stations all over the world that keep track of the daily,
monthly, or yearly rainfall. A simple gauge apparatus can be used to
measure the rainfall.

4.b. How is rain made
4.1.Puddles
Clouds contain huge numbers of tiny droplets of moisture.
Raindrops are formed when these tiny droplets are enlarged.
Puddles are small pools of water left standing on the ground.
4.2. Different types of precipitation
4.2.a. Sleet
There are many different types of precipitation. Such forms of
precipitation are sleet, hail, and freezing rain.
Rain drops that freeze into ice pellets before reaching the ground.
Sleet usually bounces when it hitting a surface and does not stick to
objects. Sleet can accumulate like snow and be hazardous.
4.2.b. Freezing rain
Clouds
Rain that falls onto a surface with a temperature below freezing.
This causes it to freeze to surfaces, such as tress, cars and roads, forming
a coating or glaze of ice.
5. Different types of clouds
There are four different types of clouds, cirrus, nimbus, cumulus, and
stratus. Each type of cloud has a different characteristic.
5.1 How a cloud is formed
Clouds are formed when air containing water vapor is cooled below a
temperature called the dew point. The result is moisture condenses into
droplets on microscopic dust particles in the atmosphere to create clouds.
5.2. Cloud classification
There are many different types of clouds. Each cloud has a unique
characteristic about it. Along with the cirrus, nimbus, cumulus, and stratus
clouds there are still may others types to explore, such as fog.

5.3. Predicting weather based on cloud coverage
Weather can be predicted by looking at the clouds in the sky, different
types of clouds bring different weather. Cumulus clouds usually means a
thunderstorm is on its way, stratus clouds usually bring light steady rain,
and nimbus clouds will bring long steady rain.
Heat and Temperature
6. How to read a thermometer
A thermometer is an instrument used to determine the temperature of
a certain area. There are many different types of thermometers that have
been developed since the seventeenth century. A thermometer uses the
Fahrenheit and Celsius scale.
6.a. Keep track of a daily thermometer
keeping track of the weather on a daily basis helps develop the
skill of sequencing. The weather can change on a daily basis;
therefore, the reading on the thermometer will not always be the same.
6.1. How air gets heated and cooled
The sun plays a key role in the heating and cooling of the air. The
sun can warm the air up during the day and then at night when the sun
has set, the air cools. The earth’s tilt towards the sun also plays a vital
role.
6.2. How heat and temperature varies around the world:
The latitude of a country determines the climate. Some countries lie
closer to the equator than others, therefore making the climate there
warmer.