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How to Word a Description of Wind Directions

When elementary school children begin to learn about the wind, the way the information given is worded should be direct and simple. Technical terms and scientific explanations will be confusing. Start off by explaining what the wind is and where it comes from. Think about how the wind is connected to the Earth, as the children's minds will. Once the children understand what the wind is, put an emphasis on weather. Try to use common words to briefly describe each aspect, giving basic facts, not fancy descriptions.

Things You'll Need

  • White paper
  • Blue pen
  • Red pen
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Instructions

    • 1

      Talk to children from kindergarten to third grade about how the Earth turns. Explain that as the Earth turns it creates something we call wind. Describe being outside and feeling a cool breeze in the summer. Do this to not only give the idea of what you are saying, but also to engage the interest of your listeners.

    • 2

      Talk about the directions north, south, east and west. Pass out sheets of blank white paper to your listeners, one piece per student, and ask the class to get out crayons or markers. Hand out red and blue crayons if your listeners don't have a supply available. Draw a "+" on the top left-hand corner of the paper to demonstrate the directions. Pull down a map, or use a globe to demonstrate north by showing where we are and then what lands are above us. Point to south and talk about how it is below us on the Earth. Point to east and describe it as being to our right, and then point to west and describe it as being to our left. Explain that the wind blows in all four directions, north, south, east and west.

    • 3

      Explain wind speed by saying that the wind blows both fast and slow. Describe a gentle breeze versus a gusty wind that blows the fall leaves. Introduce the concept of weather, saying that the weather in our atmosphere is what causes the wind to blow faster or slower, remembering that the Earth's turning creates the wind, but the weather influences the wind.

    • 4

      Talk about hot and cold, and then introduce the fact that when the wind blows the air has a temperature, warm or cold. Speak about what happens when hot and cold collide, that there is steam like when you can see your breath outside in the winter. Explain that weather is created in our atmosphere when warm air meets cold air, like when they are coming from different directions. Refer to a collision, two things banging into each other, and explain that when that happens we have thunderstorms and other types of weather.

    • 5

      Close the discussion by talking about wind versus weather, how storms are made and how they can move as the wind changes direction.

    • 6

      Use the rest of the paper and the pens to draw a picture about what has been discussed. Refer to warm air as red and cold air as blue when drawing. Create a sky scene with clouds, to keep the idea in the sky, where the wind is.

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