Weather Teaching Resources
Browse printable weather worksheets, activities, science vocabulary resources, experiments for kids and more ideas for teaching students in elementary school about the weather outside your classroom and around the world.
This collection of curriculum-aligned weather teaching resources was created by teachers with teachers in mind. That means every printable and digital resource has been carefully checked by a member of our expert teacher team to ensure it's classroom-ready, so you save time on your lesson plans!
Looking to get started on the weather, or just need more ways to make this science topic more engaging in your classroom? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Weather? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes to defining weather for students, here's a kid-friendly definition you can use to explain what weather is:
Weather refers to the conditions in the Earth's atmosphere, such as temperature, wind, precipitation and cloudiness. The weather outside your classroom or home is affected by many things, including the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth's surface, the rotation of the Earth and the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere.
Weather can change rapidly, and it can be unpredictable, so it's important to stay informed about current weather conditions and be prepared for different types of weather.
What Is Weather Science?
Meteorology — also known as weather science — is the study of the Earth's atmosphere and the weather conditions that occur within it. This includes studying temperature, air pressure, wind, precipitation and other atmospheric phenomena.
Weather scientists known as meteorologists use a variety of tools, such as satellites, radar and weather balloons, to collect data about the atmosphere and predict what the weather will be like in the future. These predictions are called weather forecasts and help us decide what to wear or how to plan for outdoor activities that might be affected by rain, snow or excessive heat.
Weather science isn't just important for telling us what to wear, however! It helps us prepare for extreme weather events, provides important information for transportation and aviation safety and helps scientists better understand the Earth's climate.
Students can act as amateur meteorologists as they learn to record weather information to keep track of what is going on outside of your classroom, including relative temperatures such as hot or cold, clear or cloudy, calm or windy and rainy or icy!
Is Climate the Same as Weather?
The two words are often used interchangeably, but it's important to impress upon your students that weather and climate are two very different things!
Weather, as we already explained, deals with the conditions of Earth's atmosphere at any given time. It can be termed as the short-term atmospheric conditions of a specific place — such as temperature, wind, humidity, precipitation and cloud cover — over a short period of time, usually a few hours or days.
Climate, on the other hand, is a look at those conditions over a long period of time. It can be termed as the long-term average weather patterns of a specific region or location, usually over a period of at least 30 years.
What Do Kids Need to Learn About Weather?
Weather is a broad, broad topic — to say the least! So what's going on during elementary school weather lessons? Before kids move on to middle school, they should have a basic understanding of the different elements that make up the weather and how they interact with each other. They'll also need to understand weather forecasts and how to use them to plan.
With that in mind, here are the biggest topics to cover:
- Temperature — Learning how to measure temperature using a thermometer and how temperature changes over time, as well as the difference between Celsius and Fahrenheit, are part of weather lessons at this stage of kids' education.
- Precipitation — Elementary students learn about different types of precipitation — such as rain, snow, sleet and hail — and how they form in the atmosphere.
- Wind — Wind direction and speed, how wind is measured and how it affects the weather should all be covered before kids head off to middle school.
- Clouds — From cumulus to strato-form, students learn about the different types of clouds and how they form plus how clouds affect the weather.
- Extreme Weather — Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorms are typically part of the science curriculum at this stage, and depending on where you are teaching instruction on how to stay safe during these events may well be on the agenda.
- Free Plan
Weather Tools – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Match weather tools with their corresponding picture and description with this cut and paste worksheet.
- Free Plan
A Day in the Life of a Water Droplet – Comic Strip Templates
Put your artistic skills to use as you illustrate a day in the life of a water droplet with these printable comic strip templates.
- Plus Plan
Predicting Weather – Worksheet
Use data tables to answer questions and make predictions about temperature and precipitation with this weather worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Kindergarten Seasons Worksheet
Practice identifying characteristics of each season and how to write them using this one-page worksheet.
- Free Plan
Weather Word Wall Vocabulary
Use this teacher-created weather resource to teach weather vocabulary. Build a word wall with your students during your weather lessons.
- Plus Plan
Climate Zone Map — Printable Classroom Resource
Print a climate zone map for the classroom to support lessons about the 6 climate types.
- Plus Plan
Weather Tools – Instructional Slide Deck
Learn about different weather tools and how to read a weather map with this 20-slide instructional slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Spring Writing Prompts for Beginning Writers
Celebrate a new season with Spring writing worksheets for primary grades.
- Plus Plan
Factors That Influence Weather – Teaching Slide Deck
Teach your students how temperature, wind, humidity, cloud coverage, and air pressure influence weather with this 18-slide instructional slide deck.
- Plus Plan
Weather Tools – Mini-Book
Introduce various weather tools to your students with this 12-page integrated activity mini-book.
- Free Plan
Dress for the Weather Worksheet
Identify proper clothing choices for different weather conditions with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Weather Versus Climate Poster
A poster explaining the difference between weather and climate.
- Free Plan
The Wind Blew - Printable Science Booklet
Discover what the wind blew in with a printable science booklet for kindergarten science lessons.
- Plus Plan
Severe Weather STEM - Build a Storm Shelter Project
Design a storm shelter to protect against wind and rain with a hands-on Weather Stem Challenge.
- Plus Plan
Seasonal Changes Words and Definitions Display
Display this easy-to-read seasons word set in your classroom as you investigate seasonal changes with your young students.
- Plus Plan
Weather vs. Climate – Task Cards
Differentiate between weather and climate by answering questions and responding to writing prompts and with this set of 24 task cards.
- Free Plan
How About This Weather? - Worksheet
A worksheet that explores different types of weather and subsequent observable changes.
- Plus Plan
Seasons Sorting Activity
Teach students in K-2 the proper clothing, activities, and objects for different types of weather with this four seasons activity.
- Plus Plan
Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Response Activity Pack
Teach your 2nd graders about hurricanes with printable Hurricane Worksheets and constructed response activities.
- Plus Plan
2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Comprehension
Read and learn about hurricanes with our 2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets resource pack.
- Plus Plan
Fish Wind Sock Craft Template
Create a fun fish-themed wind sock with our easy DIY windsock craft template.
- Free Plan
Pinwheel Template
Use our printable pinwheel template to introduce your students to the science of wind and motion!
- Plus Plan
Weather vs. Climate – Teaching Slides and Guided Notes
Teach your students the difference between climate and weather with this set of teaching slides and accompanying guided notes.
- Plus Plan
What Is Climate Change? Comprehension Worksheet
Teach your students about the perils of climate change with this comprehensive article with accompanying comprehension questions.
- Free Plan
My Favorite Season First Grade Worksheet
Activate your First Grade students' prior knowledge about the seasons using this worksheet which prompts them to state which is their favorite season and justify their choice.
- Plus Plan
Seasons, Weather and Our Choices Worksheets
Hand out these eight great seasons worksheets to help your students learn all about the seasonal changes and the way they affect our everyday choices.
- Plus Plan
Characteristics of Seasons Interactive Activity
Use this activity-packed interactive resource to explore with your students the names and characteristics of summer, autumn, winter and spring!
- Plus Plan
Season Characteristics Task Cards
Give your students the clues and watch them select the mystery season with this set of 24 task cards.
- Plus Plan
Order of Seasons Interactive Activity
Explore the order of the seasons with your students by traveling through times of the year in this interactive adventure.
- Plus Plan
What's the Season? Teaching Slides
Help your students explore the four seasons and how they affect everyday life using this colorful teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Weather Worksheets for Kindergarten
Make weather predictions, create a weather report and write about the weather with this set of kindergarten worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Weather vs. Climate – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Strengthen student understanding of weather and climate with this interactive activity designed for 5th-grade students.