Weathering the Storm
Meteorology Curriculum
Igniting a Passion for Science and Meteorology
Developed in partnership with the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO), a NOAA cooperative institute at the University of Oklahoma, Weathering the Storm is a cutting-edge STEM curriculum focused on earth science and Oklahoma weather. Piloted in 2024 and launching in 2025, this middle-school curriculum builds students’ understanding of weather patterns, natural disasters, and the role of technology in disaster preparedness. By connecting real-world issues to STEM careers, youth are inspired to engage in solving global challenges and are prepared to become future leaders in meteorology.
The Future of Meteorology Starts Here
Ready to bring the excitement of weather and meteorology into your classroom? Explore the Weathering the Storm curriculum modules and discover a wealth of free resources designed to support your teaching and engage your students. With comprehensive teacher guides, ready-to-use student handouts, and dynamic presentation slides, we’ve provided everything you need to seamlessly integrate this cutting-edge curriculum into your classroom. Dive into the modules below and start inspiring the next generation of scientists, meteorologists, and STEM leaders today!
Module 1
Driving Question: How do we keep people safe in the extreme temperatures of summer and winter?
Lesson 0
Weather and Meteorology
Students will discover that weather is the atmosphere's state at any given moment, defined by key components like temperature, pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness. They'll also be introduced to meteorology, the science dedicated to studying these elements and the atmosphere's processes.
Lesson 1
Temperature
Students will explore how temperatures differ between sun and shade, discovering that different substances absorb varying amounts of energy from the sun. They'll also learn how to measure temperature using both Celsius and Fahrenheit scales.
Lesson 2
Heat Transfer
This lesson delves into the sun's crucial role in powering all weather. Students will learn how solar energy heats the air, increasing molecular energy and thus air temperature. They'll explore the three methods of heat transfer: radiation, conduction, and convection. The lesson also explains how convection currents, driven by warm air rising and cool air sinking, create air masses that influence weather patterns, using the fascinating phenomenon of mirages as evidence of convection in action.
Lesson 3
Heat Index
Lesson 3 introduces students to relative humidity as another key weather component. They'll discover how humidity affects our perception of temperature, making it feel hotter or colder than the actual reading, while understanding that it doesn't change the true temperature itself. Finally, students will learn about the Heat Index, a practical measure that combines temperature and relative humidity to give us a more accurate sense of how hot it really feels.
Lesson 4
Wind Chill
In this lesson, students will explore wind chill, learning how wind speed affects how cold the air feels to our skin. They'll discover that higher wind speeds increase heat loss from the body, leading to a decrease in body temperature and a greater sensation of cold.
Lesson 5
Temperature Advisory Alerts
Lesson 5 explores how extreme weather conditions can pose serious health risks. Students will learn how high temperatures, humidity, and heat indices can create unsafe conditions, potentially leading to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. They'll also discover how high wind speeds combined with low temperatures or wind chill can create dangerous situations that put people at risk for hypothermia and frostbite.
Module 2
Driving Question: Why is it so windy in Oklahoma?
Lesson 1
Air & Wind Pressure
In this lesson students will learn how to interpret weather graphs to determine both wind speed and direction. They'll discover the connection between changes in atmospheric pressure and wind patterns, understanding that wind is ultimately the result of a pressure gradient.
Lesson 2
Measuring Air Pressure
This lesson explores the concept of air pressure, explaining how gravity causes air to exert pressure on Earth's surface. Students will learn how air pressure changes with altitude and how it can be measured using tools like barometers and radiosondes. They'll also discover the multiple units used to express air pressure and practice converting between these units using mathematical procedures.
Lesson 3
Measuring Wind
This lesson focuses on the importance of measuring wind speed and direction, explaining how these measurements contribute to our understanding of current air quality, safety conditions, and even help predict precipitation and temperature changes. Students will learn that wind speed is measured using an anemometer, while wind direction is determined with a wind sock or wind vane.
Lesson 4
Global Wind Patterns
Lesson 4 explores prevailing winds, explaining how these winds follow predictable patterns across the globe. Students will learn that these patterns are driven by a combination of factors, including the uneven heating of Earth's surface, differences in air pressure, convection currents, and the Coriolis Effect.
Lesson 5
Local Wind Patterns
Students will learn how wind speed varies across different terrains, from the high wind speeds often experienced in grasslands and mountain ranges to the typically lower wind speeds found within forests. The lesson explains how friction on the surface can affect wind speed, and how mountains, by forcing air to rise, can create unpredictable and complex wind patterns.
These materials were prepared by Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance with funding provided by NOAA/Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research under NOAA-University of Oklahoma Cooperative Agreement #NA21OAR4320204, U.S. Department of Commerce. The statements, findings, conclusions, and recommendations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or the U.S. Department of Commerce.
