🌷Valentine's Day Activities for Upper Grades

Weather Instruments for Kids – Worksheets, Activities, and Videos to Teach Weather Tools

Teaching your class about weather tools can be fun and interactive. When students get hands-on experience with weather instruments, it brings science to life and helps them connect abstract concepts to the world around them.

In this post, I’ll walk you through some ideas and activities for teaching weather tools, and yes, we’ll sneak in some awesome read-aloud books and videos too! 😉

Start with the Basics: Introduce Weather Tools🌡️

Before jumping into the hands-on activities, it’s important to introduce your students to the basic weather tools that meteorologists use to measure different elements of the weather. Some common tools include:

  • Thermometer – Measures temperature
  • Rain Gauge – Measures how much rain has fallen
  • Anemometer – Measures wind speed
  • Barometer – Measures air pressure
  • Wind Vane – Shows wind direction

To help kick off the lesson, you can use this Weather Tools Slideshow that visually introduces these tools and explains what each one does. It’s a great way to give students some background knowledge before diving into the activities.

Hands-On Activity 1: Make Your Own Rain Gauge🌦️

This simple DIY activity is always a hit in my classroom, and it’s so easy to set up! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • A clear plastic bottle
  • A ruler
  • Scissors
  • Stones or small rocks
  • Waterproof marker

How to Make It:

  1. Cut the top off the plastic bottle (about 2 inches down from the top).
  2. Fill the bottom with some small rocks to weigh it down, and then flip the top part upside down into the bottle like a funnel.
  3. Use a waterproof marker to mark increments on the side of the bottle (in centimeters or inches).
  4. Place the rain gauge outside and start tracking how much rain falls each day!

Students love checking their gauges after it rains to measure the total rainfall, and it’s a great opportunity to incorporate some math skills, too! 📏💧

Hands-On Activity 2: Track Wind Direction with a Homemade Wind Vane

Building a wind vane is another fun, hands-on way to teach students about how we measure wind direction. Here’s how to make one:

Materials:

  • A plastic straw
  • Cardstock paper
  • A pencil with an eraser
  • A push pin
  • A small paper cup
  • Scissors

How to Make It:

  1. Cut two triangles from the cardstock—one for the front of the arrow and one for the tail.
  2. Attach the triangles to either end of the straw using tape.
  3. Push the push pin through the middle of the straw into the pencil’s eraser, making sure the straw can spin freely.
  4. Place the pencil into the cup, eraser-side up.
  5. Set it outside in the wind and observe which way the arrow points!

This activity helps students understand wind direction, and it’s a great companion to your lesson on how wind vanes work. 🌬️

Suggested Read-Aloud Books for Weather Tools

Pairing your lesson with a great read-aloud book is always a win in my classroom. Here are some of my favorite books that tie in perfectly with weather tools and weather concepts:

  1. “The Kid’s Book of Weather Forecasting” by Mark Breen and Kathleen Friestad
    This book is perfect for helping students understand how meteorologists use weather tools to predict the weather. It’s filled with experiments and forecasting activities that kids will love!
  2. “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” by Judi Barrett
    While not directly about weather tools, this classic is a fun, imaginative way to get students thinking about the weather. Plus, it’s a great conversation starter for talking about how real weather is measured and predicted.
  3. “Weather Words and What They Mean” by Gail Gibbons
    This book introduces weather vocabulary in a simple and engaging way, making it perfect for young learners who are just starting to explore weather concepts and tools.

Weather Tools Interactive Notebook Pocket & Response

One of my favorite ways to assess and extend student learning is by having them record their observations in their science notebooks. After exploring the weather tools and doing the activities, have your students:

  • Draw and label different weather tools (You can use the cut-out tools below and have students label each instrument when they cut them out and put them in the notebook pocket.)
  • Record the weather data they collect from their homemade rain gauge or wind vane
  • Write about why each tool is important for understanding the weather
Weather Tools Worksheets, Hands-On Resources, and Mini Book!

Kids Videos to Teach Weather Instruments

If you’re ready to dive into teaching weather tools, check out my Weather Tools Slideshow and 3rd Grade Weather and Climate Unit for an easy-to-use resource that breaks everything down in student-friendly language.

More Ideas for Teaching Weather and Climate!

(This post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that Amazon sends me a little pocket change, at no cost to you, if you purchase through one of these links. This helps keep my site running!)

Other ELA Weather Tools Resources:

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