1 "Today we are going to discuss weather and climate," began Mrs. Kim. "Can anyone tell me the difference between weather and climate?"
2 No one in the class seemed to know how to answer that question. Mrs. Kim tried another question.
3 "What if I were to ask you what the weather outside is like today. What would your answer be?" she asked.
4 Josh was quick to hold up his hand. "It is sunny and warm today," he said. "But yesterday it was rainy and a little cooler."
5 "So, when you are telling me about the weather, you are telling me the conditions at that particular time. Now, what is the climate like in Hawaii?" she continued.
6 "We just studied Hawaii," answered Maddie. "We found out that it is warm and sunny most of the time."
7 "Exactly," said Mrs. Kim. "The climate of an area is the type of weather they have over an extended period of time."
8 Mrs. Kim walked over to her work table. On the table was a big glass jar. "We're going to create weather inside this jar," she said.
9 "Rain and snow come from the sky," said C.J. "How can you make weather in a jar?"
10 Mrs. Kim took the lid off the jar and laid it on its side. She took large scoops of dark soil and layered them on the bottom of the jar on the inside. She took a very small sprinkling can and watered the dirt. The children were amazed. They had never seen anyone water dirt before.
11 When Mrs. Kim had finished watering the dirt, she replaced the lid on the jar. Then she picked up a desk lamp that was on the reading table. She plugged in the lamp and turned it on. The light from the lamp was shining into the jar. "This lamp is going to be our sun. It is shining on the dirt in the jar. What do you think is going to happen?"
12 "Nothing," decided Matthew.
Paragraphs 13 to 29:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
