Science · Unit 4 · Weeks 19–24 · 40–45 min

Scoring Guide: Weather & Climate

41 points total

Part 1: Measuring & Graphing Weather

12 points

Use the table for questions 3 to 5. Use the pictograph for questions 6 and 7.

1.
On a thermometer, each mark is 2 degrees. The liquid stops 6 marks above 50. What is the temperature?
(1 pt)
Answer: 62°F
2.
Write the tool that measures each one. how much rain fell: ____ how hot or cold the air is: ____ which way the wind blows: ____
(2 pts)
Answer: rain gauge, thermometer, wind vane
3.
Make a bar graph of the usual high temperature for each month in the table. Give it a title and label both sides.
(3 pts)
Answer: Bars: January 34, April 58, July 84, October 62, with a title, labeled axes and an even scale (for example, counting by 10s).
4.
How many degrees warmer is River City's usual July high than its usual January high?
(1 pt)
Answer: 50 degrees (84 − 34 = 50)
5.
A family is visiting River City in January. What weather should they expect? Use the data to explain what they should pack.
(2 pts)
Answer: Answers vary. Look for: cold weather, because the usual January high is only 34°F, just above the 32°F at which water turns to ice, so they should pack warm coats, hats and gloves (snow or ice is possible).
6.
Pictograph: Usual Rainy Days in River City (each ● = 2 rainy days) March: ●●●● April: ●●●●● May: ●●● How many rainy days does April usually have?
(1 pt)
Answer: 10 rainy days
7.
Using the same pictograph, how many rainy days does River City usually have in March, April and May all together?
(2 pts)
Answer: 24 rainy days (8 + 10 + 6 = 24)

Scoring: Item 1: 1 point. Item 2: 2 points for all three tools, 1 point for two (accept 'weather vane' or 'wind sock'). Item 3: 1 point for four bars of the right heights, 1 point for title and labels, 1 point for an even scale. Item 4: 1 point. Item 5: 1 point for 'cold', 1 point for using the 34°F data. Item 6: 1 point. Item 7: 2 points for 24; 1 point if one month is miscounted but the adding is right.

Reteach if needed: Week 19, Week 20, Week 23. Week 19 Days 2–5 (thermometers, rain gauges, wind and matching tools); Week 20 Day 2 (reading a table of monthly averages); Week 23 Day 1 (reading weather tools).

Part 2: Climate Regions

9 points

Use the table for questions 9 and 10.

8.
Write W for weather or C for climate. ___ It is foggy at the bus stop this morning. ___ Winters in our town are usually snowy. ___ It hailed last Tuesday. ___ Most summers in this valley are hot and dry.
(2 pts)
Answer: W, C, W, C
9.
Write the climate type for each place: tropical, arid, temperate or polar. Place 1: ____ Place 2: ____ Place 3: ____ Place 4: ____
(2 pts)
Answer: Place 1: tropical. Place 2: temperate. Place 3: polar. Place 4: arid.
10.
A cactus from a hot desert is planted outdoors. In which place would it survive well? In which place would it not survive at all? Use the table to tell why.
(3 pts)
Answer: Well: Place 4, because it is hot and gets only 4 inches of rain and snow a year, like a desert. Not at all: Place 3, because it is far below 32°F much of the year (5°F in January) and never gets warm.
11.
Mia says, "It snowed in our town on one day in April, so our town has a polar climate." Is she right? Explain.
(2 pts)
Answer: No. One snowy day is weather. Climate is the usual weather of a place over many years, so one day cannot tell you the climate.

Scoring: Item 8: 2 points for all four right, 1 point for two or three. Item 9: 2 points for all four right, 1 point for two or three. Item 10: 1 point for Place 4, 1 point for Place 3 (also accept Place 2 if the reason uses its below-freezing 28°F January), 1 point for a reason that uses the table. Item 11: 1 point for 'no', 1 point for explaining weather versus climate.

Reteach if needed: Week 20, Week 22. Week 20 Days 1, 4 and 5 (weather versus climate, climate types on a world map); Week 22 Days 1–5 (tropical, temperate, polar and arid climates and the living things that survive in each).

Part 3: Severe Weather & Safety Designs

11 points

Read about the two river towns. Use the table for question 12.

12.
Is a levee a good design for reducing flood damage? Make an argument. Claim: ____ Evidence: ____ Reasoning: ____
(6 pts)
Answer: Answers vary. Look for: Claim: yes, the levee reduced flood damage. Evidence: only 6 of 100 homes flooded in Town A with the levee, but 58 of 100 flooded in Town B without one, in the same flood. Reasoning: the levee holds the river water back from the homes; it did not stop every home from flooding, but it helped a lot.
13.
What does a lightning rod on a roof do to reduce damage from lightning?
(2 pts)
Answer: It gives lightning a safe path down into the ground, so the lightning does not damage or burn the building.
14.
Which design best protects windows from hurricane winds?
(1 pt)
Answer: storm shutters
15.
You see lightning and count 10 seconds before you hear the thunder. About how far away is the lightning? Should you keep playing outside? Why?
(2 pts)
Answer: About 2 miles away (10 ÷ 5 = 2). No. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike, so go indoors.

Scoring: Item 12: Claim: 2 points for a clear answer to the question, 1 point for a partly correct claim. Evidence: 2 points for two facts or numbers from the table or text, 1 point for one. Reasoning: 2 points for a science idea that links the evidence to the claim, 1 point for a link with a gap or a restated claim. Spelling does not count. If your child can say it but not write it, write their words down and score them. Item 13: 1 point for a path to the ground, 1 point for protecting the building. Item 14: 1 point. Item 15: 1 point for about 2 miles, 1 point for 'go indoors' with a reason.

Reteach if needed: Week 21. Week 21 Days 1–5 (thunder and lightning safety, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods and the designs that reduce weather damage, such as levees, lightning rods and storm shutters).

Part 4: Engineering a Weather Instrument

9 points

Read about Lena's thermometer shelter. Use the table for questions 17 to 19.

16.
Write one criterion and one constraint for Lena's shelter.
(2 pts)
Answer: Criterion: any one of keeps sunlight off, lets air flow through, or stays in place in the wind. Constraint: only things from the recycling bin, or 45 minutes.
17.
Which shelter gave the reading closest to the weather report? By how many degrees was it off?
(2 pts)
Answer: Shelter B; it was off by 1 degree (71 − 70 = 1).
18.
Shelter C read 78°F. Which criterion did it miss, and why did that make the reading too warm?
(2 pts)
Answer: It did not keep sunlight off the thermometer. The sun shone right on it and heated it, so it read warmer than the air.
19.
Shelter B blew over in the wind. This is a failure point. Name one change Lena could make, and tell how she should test it.
(3 pts)
Answer: Answers vary. Look for: one change that keeps the slits, such as taping rocks or a weight to the bottom or tying it to a post, then testing it again in the wind and comparing the reading with the weather report.

Scoring: Item 16: 1 point for a criterion, 1 point for a constraint. Item 17: 1 point for B, 1 point for 1 degree. Item 18: 1 point for the missed criterion, 1 point for the reason. Item 19: 2 points for a change that fixes the failure and follows the constraints, 1 point for a fair way to test it.

Reteach if needed: Week 24. Week 24 Days 1–4 (criteria and constraints, comparing two designs, building a prototype, testing outdoors against a trusted source and improving it).

Score box

Part	Points earned	Possible
1. Measuring & Graphing Weather		12
2. Climate Regions		9
3. Severe Weather & Safety Designs		11
4. Engineering a Weather Instrument		9
Total		41

Level: Enter points to see the level.

D · Developing: 0–20
A · Approaching: 21–28
P · Proficient: 29–36
E · Exceeding: 37–41