Engage your fifth grade students in a basic discussion on what weather maps are. Ask students to give examples of weather like tornadoes, rain, thunderstorms, drought, heat wave and wind. Talk about where weather comes from, how it happens and how it is always changing around the world and across the United States. Show students pictures of weather maps at weather.gov and come up with a definition of weather as a class. Explain that weather maps help scientists and individuals see what type of weather is headed their way or is currently occurring around them.
Explain that there are six basic types of weather maps - satellite maps, radar maps, precipitation maps, temperature maps, front maps and wind speed maps. Divide students into six groups and give each group a piece of poster board. Assign a type of weather map to each group and let the groups research on websites like weather.gov, weather.com or usatoday.com to find examples of each kind of map and encourage them to replicate what they see by drawing it on their poster boards. Have each group present their map to the class, educating fellow students about the different aspects of weather which maps are used to track.
Have your class set up a mock newscast and give groups of students opportunities to be members of a newscast group, including meteorologists who report on the day's weather. Talk about what education and training is required for a person to study meteorology, jobs available for meteorologists and expected pay so that students can understand what meteorologists do and think about whether or not it's a career they might want to consider. Research information on local colleges that offer instruction in meteorology and internships available at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association) and local TV stations.
Set up a field trip to a local television station and arrange for your class to watch a live broadcast of a weather segment. Talk to the meteorologist beforehand and arrange time with him either before or after the newscast for students to ask questions and learn how a weather report is researched, prepared and delivered on television. Make sure children can see both the blank or blue screen that the weather forecaster stands in front of when making his report and the television screens that broadcast the actual weather maps behind him for viewers at home to see. Ask for a few volunteers to try delivering an off-air weather forecast if the news station has time and is open to the idea.