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Comparing Temperatures:
Summer Vs. Winter

Subjects

Educational Technology
Mathematics
--Applied Math
--Arithmetic
--Measurement
--Statistics
Science
--Physical Science
----Earth Science
----Environmental
Social Studies
--Geography

Grade

3-5
6-8
9-12

Brief Description

Calculate the difference between average summer and winter temperatures for 15 locations around the world.

Objectives

Students will

  • calculate the difference between average summer and winter temperatures for 15 locations around the world.
  • create a map to illustrate the temperature statistics.

Keywords

world map, temperature, summer, winter, average

Materials Needed

Lesson Plan

By how much do temperatures vary in your part of the world between summer and winter? The chart below shows average January and July temperatures in 15 cities around the world.

Click here for a printable copy of the chart (without the answers) for student use.
In addition, there is a spot on the chart to record your own communitys average January and July temperatures. (We recommend using the Weatherbase Web site as your temperature source.)

Provide a copy of the chart for your students. They can work on their own or in pairs to calculate the difference between the average January and July temperatures in the 15 locations listed on the chart. The differences in temperature are shown in red on the chart below.

Location Average January
Temperature (F)
Average July
Temperature (F)
Difference Between
January/July Temp. (F)
Anchorage, Alaska (U.S.A.) 15 59 44
Baghdad, Iraq 48 94 46
Cairo, Egypt 57 83 26
Cape Town, South Africa 70 55 15
Lima, Peru 74 64 10
London, England (U.K.) 39 62 23
Miami, Florida (U.S.A.) 68 83 15
Moscow, Russia 16 63 47
North Pole (Arctic) -24 35 59
San Juan, Puerto Rico 77 83 6
Sao Paolo, Brazil 74 63 11
South Pole (Antarctica) -16 -74 58
Stockholm, Sweden 27 63 36
Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) 72 53 19
Tokyo, Japan 42 77 35
Your Community _____ _____ _____

After students have completed the work sheet and you have checked/gone over their work, provide a copy of a world map [see sources below]. Have students locate on their maps each location on the chart. At each location, they should record the average high temperature in red, the average low temperature in blue, and the difference in those temperatures in black. For example, at the spot where Anchorage, Alaska (U.S.A.) is located, they will record

15/59/44F
Printable World Maps
Printable World Map #1
Printable World Map #2
Printable World Map #3

Use the completed maps to illustrate and talk about how temperatures differ north and south of the equator. Students will note that temperatures south of the equator are warmer in January and cooler in July, which is the opposite of how temperatures adjust north of the equator. You might use the video below to help students understand how Earths tilt on its axis creates the seasons.

Assessment

Use the chart above to check student work (temperature differences shown in red type).
Check students maps for accuracy.

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

MATHEMATICS: Number and Operations
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-NUM.3-5.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.3-5.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-NUM.6-8.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.6-8.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-NUM.9-12.1 Understand Numbers, Ways of Representing Numbers, Relationships Among Numbers, and Number Systems
NM-NUM.9-12.3 Compute Fluently and Make Reasonable Estimates

MATHEMATICS: Measurement
GRADES 3 - 5
NM-MEA.3-5.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
GRADES 6 - 8
NM-MEA.6-8.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement
GRADES 9 - 12
NM-MEA.9-12.1 Understand Measurable Attributes of Objects and the Units, Systems, and Processes of Measurement

MATHEMATICS: Representation
GRADES Pre-K - 12
NM-REP.PK-12.1 Create and Use Representations to Organize, Record, and Communicate Mathematical Ideas
NM-REP.PK-12.2 Select, Apply, and Translate Among Mathematical Representations to Solve Problems
NM-REP.PK-12.3 Use Representations to Model and Interpret Physical, Social, and Mathematical Phenomena

SCIENCE
GRADES K - 4
NS.K-4.2 Physical Science
NS.K-4.4 Earth and Space Science
NS.K-4.6 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
GRADES 5 - 8
NS.5-8.2 Physical Science
NS.5-8.4 Earth and Space Science
NS.5-8.6 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
GRADES 9 - 12
NS.9-12.2 Physical Science
NS.9-12.4 Earth and Space Science
NS.9-12.6 Science in Personal and Social Perspectives

SOCIAL SCIENCES: Geography
GRADES K - 12
NSS-G.K-12.1 The World in Spatial Terms
NSS-G.K-12.5 Environment and Society
NSS-G.K-12.6 Uses of Geography

TECHNOLOGY
GRADES K - 12
NT.K-12.5 Technology Research Tools

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    08/21/2010



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