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Activity 2: A Closer Look

Materials
3 sample images   satellite cloud chart 

Preparation 
Photocopy the sample images (provided), consisting of three views of the weather at different scales: World, Western Hemisphere, and Eastern United States. Also, download the current regional image (and the world and western hemisphere if you have time and interest). If you have access to a printer, printout the images (using gray-scale to get full detail), photocopy them (save them for use in the next activity) or make transparencies to show show on an overhead projector.

1. Distribute the photocopied sample images. Have your students study the images. They should think about what interesting cloud patterns they see in the images. Make sure they know what geographical regions are covered in each, and that they understand the concept of "zooming in", from the world to the regional view.

2. Now distribute the two pages labeled "How to Identify Weather in Satellite Photos" and the current regional cloud map (download from Netscape). The chart shows a few basic types of clouds and weather as seen from space. Have your students try to find examples of the different cloud types in the current cloud map. The goal is for students to begin to recognize the types of cloud cover shown in these images, and what weather they represent.




Teachers' Guide                      Page 8.21