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LE S S O N P L A N 9
E XPLO R I N G T H E
W O RLD O F W E AT HE R
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within the public and private educational systems and post-secondary educational systems, and by publicly funded Career
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ECO CANADA
Environmental Careers Organization
LE S S O N P L A N 9
E X PLOR I N G T H E
W ORLD O F W E ATH ER
The importance of people who study,
analyze and forecast weather conditions
today and potential climate change in
the future.
Ask students to identify (add or create others if you wish):
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five sporting activities they enjoy
five types of food they love to eat
five local businesses they patronize
five resources used to produce a food or product you select
[5 minutes]
Record these on the board. Divide the class into five groups and assign each
group one of the lists. Assign the following task: “Identify five ways in which
each item can be affected by the weather today or by changes in our climate
over the next 25 years.” Allow time for discussion and the development of the
lists [10 minutes]. Provide each group with one minute for a quick presentation
of their “five ways”. [5 minutes]
Summarize by emphasizing how important the weather and climate changes
are to our economy, individual businesses and industries, jobs and occupations,
people’s incomes and lifestyles, etc. Relate this to the importance of the people
who help forecast and report on weather conditions and who analyze and
predict changes to our climate. [5 minutes]
Discuss with students the ways in which they think their lives may be different
in the future as a result of changes in the climate. Compare how they think it
may be better or worse. Ask them to explain the basis on which they made these
forecasts. Emphasize the importance of knowledge and research in enabling
us to improve our forecasts — and possibly change the future. Highlight the
importance of, and the kind of work that is done by, people in the area of
weather analysis and predicting climate change. Discuss how the work of such
people could influence their lives, in any way, in the future. [10 minutes]
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Outcomes
This lesson will enable students to:
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summarize ways in which changes in our weather and climate can affect their day-to-day lives, today
and in the future
describe the effects of weather on various industries,
jobs and incomes, and the goods and services that
are produced and used
predict possible future changes resulting from
climatic change
compare the potential career of climate scientist/
meteorologist with other career options that
are available
practice written and oral communication skills
practice critical thinking and creative thinking skills
Curriculum fit and rationale
This lesson will fit when there is a
need to teach about:
• factors affecting individual, society, business and
political decision making
• change in our society and factors that will affect
the future
• evolving entrepreneurial opportunities
• the application of science and technology to create
a better future
• the importance of weather and climatic change
in our lives
• careers for people who want to help build a
better future
• the importance of knowledge and research to
forecasting future outcomes
• the environment — how it is today and could be
in the future.
LE S S O N P L A N 9
E XPLO R I N G T H E
W ORLD O F W E ATH ER
Distribute the write-up on the climate scientist/meteorologist
and summarize this as a possible environmental career. If
students are able to access www.eco.ca, have them complete
the career match activity for homework and then be prepared to
report back in the next class on whether or not this career
area was a match for them. [10 minutes]
Encourage students to think about and discuss other
environment professions that relate to weather and climate
conditions (e.g. those who work in areas related to forest fires,
habitat loss or damage, biology, etc.) Another area to focus on
for class discussion could be the effects of severe weather (e.g.
storms, floods, tornadoes, etc.) and the importance of improving
our ability to predict and contend with such weather.
As a fun conclusion, ask students to identify all the movies they
can think of in which the weather, weather events, climatic
changes or people who work in the area of weather and climate
analysis have played key roles (e.g. Twister, The Wizard of Oz, Die
Hard II, Jurassic Park). Discuss the impact that weather/ climate
had in the movie and what lessons, if any, can be learned about
the importance of studying and forecasting weather and climate
changes. Conclude with a review of the level of education, type
of courses, etc., that a career in this area would require, as well
as the kinds of summer jobs, work experience, leisure activities
and volunteer experiences that might help a young person
explore this career area if they wished. Finally, see in what ways
any of their activities or plans might be affected over the course
of the week ahead by changes in the weather. [10 minutes]
Total time estimate: 50 minutes
(adjust activities to fit your class times)
LE S S O N P L A N 9
E X PLOR I N G T H E
W ORLD O F W E ATH ER
Additional activities
for your class
• You can find meteorologists at most airports. Consider
contacting an Environment Canada office near you to
arrange for a meteorologist to visit your class, give a
presentation and answer questions. If you can’t find a
trained meteorologist, check around at your local airport
for flying instructors or seasoned pilots. All private airplane
pilots receive considerable training in meteorology — flying
instructors even more so.
• If you have access to The Weather Channel on your cable or
satellite services, you might tape a few of the segments that
are often aired on the nature of weather, global warming
and other weather-related topics.
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