Changing Weather Patterns

Coastal hazard education resources

As the climate changes, we are seeing changes on the shorter term—weather patterns are changing seasonally. Oceans are warming and storms are becoming more severe.

Selected curriculum

Topic	Grades	Type	Title
Observing weather patterns	K-2	Lesson Plan	UAF REACH: How Do We Observe and Measure Weather?
Collecting and reporting weather/atmosphere data	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Citizen Science Program, Datasheets/Protocols	GLOBE Atmosphere Data Collection Protocols
Collecting and reporting weather/atmosphere data	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Lesson Plans, Activities	UAF REACH Up: Middle School Weather Observation
Reporting observation of unusual or severe weather	K-2, 3-5, MS, HS	Citizen Science Program	LEO/ANTHC: Local Observer Network
Collecting and reporting data about local weather, storms, and severe storms to improve weather forecasts	3-5, MS, HS	Activity, Data Sheet/Protocols	NWS: Alaska Weather Spotter Program.
Collecting and reporting data about local weather	3-5, MS, HS	Citizen Science Program , Lesson plans, Datasheets/Protocols	NOAA: CoCoRAS (Community Collaborative Rain, Snow, and Hail Network)
Global warming is causing more severe weather patterns and events and warmer oceans	MS	Video	Extreme Weather & Climate Change
	HS	Video	Why Climate Change Makes Stronger Storms
Density differences in water masses related to differences in temperature and salinity drive ocean current patterns	MS, HS	Lesson Plan	ASG Alaska Seas and Watersheds: Investigation: Temperature and Salinity Effects
Warmer-than-average ocean events can alter marine food webs	MS, HS	Lesson plans, Datasets, Animations	NOAA: Data in the Classroom – Understanding El Niño
Warmer-than-average ocean events can alter marine food webs	MS, HS	Virtual Field Trip, Lesson plans, Videos, Animations	GulfWatch Alaska: “The Blob” Virtual Field Trip
Weather vs. Climate: Monitoring changes in weather and climate patterns (collecting and analyzing data) as an impact of human-caused global warming	3-5, MS, HS	Article, Citizen Science Program, Datasheets/Protocols	Introduction to GLOBE: Atmosphere
Indigenous and western science ways of forecasting weather	MS, HS	Activity	ANKN: Predicting Weather (using western science and traditional methods)
Warmer-than-average ocean events can alter marine food webs	MS, HS	Video	Modelling in Climate Change Research
Warmer-than-average ocean events can alter marine food webs	MS, HS	Report, Teacher Background	The Ocean and Crysophere in a Changing Environment (Summary of 2019 IPCC report with links)
Weather forecasting based on the results of climate models	MS, HS	Datasets	SNAP: Alaska Community Climate Charts: Predicting average temperatures. and precipitation
Documenting and analyzing the impacts of changing weather and climate patterns	MS	Lesson Plan	ASG Alaska Seas and Watersheds: Our Changing World

Thanks to these education partners, who collaborated to develop curriculum relevant to this coastal hazard: Alaska SeaLife Center, Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, UAF Alaska Sea Grant, Prince William Sound Regional Citizen Advisory Council, Prince William Sound Science Center