Wind Flag

Big Idea: How do weather instruments help to observe and describe weather features?  

Focus question: How does the wind flag help to observe and describe the wind?  

Prediction: 

·        If the wind flag does not move, then the wind is not blowing hard enough or at all.

·        If the wind flag is moving slightly, then some wind is blowing.

·        If the wind flag is moving back-and-forth rapidly, then the wind is blowing strong.

Planning: 

Materials:  wind flag (cloth or paper, sturdy cylinder stick for pole, tape or stapler), outdoors, journal, pencil

First, we made a wind flag using cloth or paper, cylinder stick for pole, and tape or stapler. Next, we wrapped the edge of the cloth or paper around the top part of the pole leaving about a ½ inch from the top. Using a stapler or tape we secured it to the pole. Next, we grabbed our wind flag and went outside. Next, we investigated what was happening to our wind flag outside. Finally, we drew a picture depicting what was happening to our wind flag and wrote a description.

Data:

Claims and evidence:

I claim that there was some wind blowing. I know this because when holding my wind flag, the flag would move slightly and in spurts, but then would just stop moving. This confirms my prediction that if my flag moved slightly, then some wind is blowing. In addition to my predictions, I conclude that if you hold your wind flag differently, the wind flag will move differently in the wind. I know this because when I held my wind flag in the middle of the pole/handle, the flag blew side to side. When I held the flag from the bottom of the handle/poll, the flag blew over. I also claim that the wind can pick up strength and lose it at some points. I know this because at times my wind flag would blow rapidly and then stop and other times it would blow slightly and then stop.

Conclusion:

I learned that I can describe the wind’s strength by observing what happens to a wind flag outside. I learned that the wind for today is blowing slightly based on my wind flag only moving slightly. I also learned that if you hold it different ways and at different angles, the wind flag can catch the wind and blow more or less. This might have something to do with the direction that the wind is blowing or blowing from. I also learned that the strength of the wind changes sporadically because there were time where my wind flag blew rapidly, some, and not at all. I learned that I can use a wind flag as a weather tool to observe and describe the wind’s strength.

Reflection/ Questions:

I learned that I could use a wind flag as a weather tool to observe and describe the wind’s strength. I also learned that the wind flag moves more or less when holding it at different angles.

·       Can I use a wind flag to determine the direction that the wind is blowing or blowing from?

·       How can I determine the wind’s speed using a wind flag?

·       What other weather tools measure the wind?

·       Does the strength of the wind have something to do with good or bad weather?

Literacy Connections:

The wind blew by Pat Hutchins

Feel the wind (Let’s-read-and-find-out science 2) by Dorros and Arthur Dorros

W is for Wind:  A weather alphabet book (Science alphabet) by Pat Michaels and Melanie Rose