Unit Plan 25 (Grade 6 Science): Weather Data—Graphs & Models

Focus: Analyze weather datasets (temperature, humidity, wind, precipitation) to identify patterns, relate them to air masses and fronts, and connect local weather to global circulation.

Grade Level: 6

Subject Area: Science (Earth & Space Science — Weather, Climate & Earth Systems; Data & Modeling)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students become weather data detectives. They learn how to read and create graphs, interpret weather maps, and connect patterns in temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation to the movement of air masses and fronts. Building on previous work with global circulation and climate, they use models and datasets to explain how unequal heating and Earth’s rotation create the conditions that show up in daily weather data, aligned with MS-ESS2-5–6.

Essential Questions

• How can we use graphs and data to describe and predict weather conditions?
• How do air masses and fronts cause changes in temperature, wind, and precipitation?
• How does unequal heating and Earth’s rotation drive the circulation that shapes the weather patterns we see on maps and in data?
• What makes a good weather model or graph—and how can we tell if it fits the data?
• Why is it important to analyze weather data carefully (for safety, planning, and understanding climate)?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Collect and/or analyze weather data (temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction, precipitation) over several days from sample datasets or classroom tools.
2. Create and interpret graphs and tables that show patterns in weather variables (e.g., daily temperature range, changes during a front passage).
3. Use weather maps (showing air masses, fronts, highs/lows) and data together to explain how air masses interact to cause specific weather conditions.
4. Develop and use a weather model (diagram or annotated map + graphs) connecting unequal heating, circulation, and air masses to observed local weather patterns.
5. Communicate a short Weather Data Story that uses graphs and models to explain a weather event or pattern, aligned with MS-ESS2-5–6.

Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NGSS-based custom)

• MS-ESS2-5 — Collect data to provide evidence for how air masses interact to cause weather conditions.
  • In this unit: students analyze datasets and maps before/after fronts and air mass changes to identify patterns in temperature, wind, and precipitation.
• MS-ESS2-6 — Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and Earth’s rotation cause atmospheric circulation that influences weather and climate.
  • In this unit: students link local weather data and air mass movement to global circulation patterns and create integrated models of weather systems.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can read and make graphs that show how temperature, humidity, wind, or precipitation change over time.
• I can explain how a front or air mass moving through an area changes weather data (e.g., temperature drops, wind shifts).
• I can use a weather map and data table together to tell the story of a weather pattern.
• I can create a model that connects unequal heating + circulation + air masses to the weather conditions in a place.
• I can clearly explain my weather data story using evidence from graphs and models.