Teachable Moments - Weather

There are just so many teachable moments in everyday life. This week is a perfect example.

Groundhog's Day

Tuesday, February 2nd was Groundhog Day. I'm sure you knew that, unless you were hibernating yourself.

While for many, the day is just a novelty, we decided to take it just a little bit further. You know, learn something from it. We studied the history of Groundhog Day and watched the news to see if Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow. We reviewed hibernation and the animals that hibernate. And we created a calendar and are now tracking the weather each day for the next six weeks. We want to see how the real weather compares to the Groundhog's Day tale.

Here's how we track:

1. 1. Print a two month calendar from your favorite online source.
2. 2. Place a thermometer by an outside door and check it at the same time each day. If you are traveling like we are, simply check your area weather online.
3. 3. Record your weather findings each day. Include: High temperature, Low temperature, and whether or not it is Sunny, Stormy, Cloudy, or Snowy.
4. 4. Keep at it each day for six weeks. Make it enjoyable so you all look forward to weather tracking each day.
5. 5. At the end of the period, review together and determine if Pawxatawny Phil was indeed correct. Did we get six more weeks or winter as predicted or not.

(Photo courtesy WSBTV)

Weather Alerts

We also studied the importance of weather alerts and preparedness. I hadn't exactly planned on this lesson, but within an hour of our reaching the Daytona International Speedway a tornado watch, quickly followed by a warning, was issued. Again, a teachable moment.

We studied about NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). We talked about important information provided in weather alerts and monitoring the skies. We kept the discussion light since we were in the middle of a warning, but it reminded me to note in my homeschool notebook that we need to spend more time indepth on this subject.

And now, I'm off to have a teachable moment about some grub. We're starving!

I'd love it if you'd share about teachable moments you've discovered. We're still learning how to turn everyday life into a world of learning.