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.
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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.
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Winter Words - Vocabulary Word Wall
Bring a bit of chill to your classroom with a set of 45 vocabulary cards containing words related to winter.
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Differentiated Winter Word Search Printable
Add a frosty twist to your seasonal studies with a winter word search printable teaching resource.
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2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Comprehension
Read and learn about hurricanes with our 2nd Grade Hurricane Worksheets resource pack.
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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.
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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.
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Rain Cloud in a Jar Experiment
Use this science experiment when learning about the different types and features of clouds and how they contribute to the water cycle.
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Spring Writing Prompts for Beginning Writers
Celebrate a new season with Spring writing worksheets for primary grades.
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Pinwheel Template
Use our printable pinwheel template to introduce your students to the science of wind and motion!
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What Is Climate Change? Comprehension Worksheet
Teach your students about the perils of climate change with this comprehensive article with accompanying comprehension questions.
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Season Characteristics Task Cards
Give your students the clues and watch them select the mystery season with this set of 24 task cards.
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Weather vs. Climate – Google Slides Interactive Activity
Strengthen student understanding of weather and climate with this interactive activity designed for 5th-grade students.
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How About This Weather? - Worksheet
A worksheet that explores different types of weather and subsequent observable changes.
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Clouds and Their Position – Poster
Learn about the different types of clouds and their position within the atmosphere with this printable poster.
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Climate Zone Map — Printable Classroom Resource
Print a climate zone map for the classroom to support lessons about the 6 climate types.
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Jellyfish Craft Template for Kids
Use this printable jellyfish craft template when learning about wind, ocean animals, or teaching about the letter J.
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Weather Tools – Instructional Slide Deck
Learn about different weather tools and how to read a weather map with this 20-slide instructional slide deck.
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The Changing Seasons Comprehension Worksheets
Read and write about the changing seasons with a comprehension passage and worksheet.
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Weather Tools – Mini-Book
Introduce various weather tools to your students with this 12-page integrated activity mini-book.
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Dress for the Weather Worksheet
Identify proper clothing choices for different weather conditions with this worksheet.
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Seasons Sorting Activity
Teach students in K-2 the proper clothing, activities, and objects for different types of weather with this four seasons activity.
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Hurricane Worksheets - Reading Response Activity Pack
Teach your 2nd graders about hurricanes with printable Hurricane Worksheets and constructed response activities.
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What Can Wind Move? Wind Power Experiment
Investigate the power of wind with a printable Wind Power Experiment for kindergarten.
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Tornado in a Jar Science Experiment
Create a Tornado in a Jar with an interactive science experiment slide deck and Tornado in a Jar Science Experiment Worksheets.
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Working with Wind Worksheets
Use printable Working with Wind Worksheets to help your little learners explore wind, a force that exists but cannot be seen.
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Evidence of Wind PowerPoint for Kindergarten
Use our Evidence of Wind PowerPoint to teach your students about wind and how we know it’s present.
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What Can The Wind Move? Kindergarten Science Activity
Use this Kindergarten Science Activity to teach your students about wind and what it can move in the world around them.
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The Wind Blew - Printable Science Booklet
Discover what the wind blew in with a printable science booklet for kindergarten science lessons.
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Tornado Worksheets - Informational Writing (2nd Grade)
Use our printable tornado worksheets and organizers to teach 2nd grade informational writing lessons.
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Fish Wind Sock Craft Template
Create a fun fish-themed wind sock with our easy DIY windsock craft template.
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Patriotic Windsock Template - Craft Activity
Make a Patriotic Windsock Craft to observe wind movement and celebrate patriotic holidays in the classroom!
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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.