Effect of Pressure Systems on Wind Lesson Plan: Wind Simulator

Lesson Procedure:

1. Begin by asking students what they already know about wind. Here are a few discussion starters that will help you assess prior knowledge.
   • What is wind?
   • Where does wind come from?
   • What causes wind?
   • Where are places you’ve been that are very windy? Why do you think those places are windy?
   • Why is wind sometimes strong and other times weak?
        
2. Build students knowledge by showing the BrainPOP movie Wind to the whole class on the whiteboard or other display. Pause the movie as needed when Tim explains the concept of a low pressure system (beginning at time code 00:40).
3. Next, model a high pressure system by inflating a balloon halfway and tying it off. On a table, press down gently on the balloon. Explain to students that a high pressure system works just like the air in the balloon -- air currents are deflected off, or skirt around, not allowing moisture or wind within.
4. Display the comic at the beginning of the game Wind Simulator on the whiteboard. Invite a volunteer to read it aloud. Ask the class, “What is the difference between Scout and Honey’s building strategies?” and “What evidence does Scout have of wind direction?”
5. Tell students that today they will play Wind Simulator, a game that challenges them to experiment with high- and low pressure systems to observe how each affects wind and weather conditions.  Open the game on the whiteboard (skipping past the comic), and point out that just like in real weather maps, the H stands for high pressure system and L for low pressure. You may want to show a real weather map as an example.
6. Play through the tutorial level and the first three levels as a whole class, inviting students to come up and experiment with dragging the H’s and L’s, as well as the flags (which appear after the tutorial level). Ask student what they think the particles represent, and have them explain how they know where to place the flags. Bring up the concept of a weathervane (show an image if students are not familiar with the them) and ask why it might be useful to know which direction the wind is blowing.
7. Divide the class into pairs (alternatively, they can work independently or in small groups), and allow for 15 minutes of play. If playing in pairs or small groups, encourage students to explain their reasoning or logic for how they move the arrow. If the arrow doesn’t respond as they anticipate, prompt them to discuss with each other what may have happened and why, as well as what they will try next.
8. If students have individual logins through My BrainPOP, encourage them to use the SnapThought® tool to take snapshots during game play, and reflect on their discoveries. For suggested prompts, see Wind Simulator: SnapThought Prompts.
9. Bring the class together to discuss what they learned about wind, and to share their observations from playing the game. Mention other weather conditions, such as tornadoes and hurricanes (if time allows, you may choose to watch the BrainPOP movies on one or both of these topics), and ask students how meteorologists use high- and low pressure systems to predict weather conditions, and why using these systems is valuable.