Weather & Climate (STAAR released items)

A student studies two Texas maps that showed some high temperatures for two days in October 2012. Which city had the greatest change in temperature?

• Brownsville, with 33 degrees of change

• Lubbock, with 5 degrees of change

• San Antonio, with 31 degrees of change

• Houston, with 32 degrees of change

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

Some scientists measured and recorded local rainfall amounts and water levels at several local lakes over the summer. They compared their measurements with data from the past 30 years. The scientists concluded that the area was drier this summer than in previous years. They plan to continue recording these measurements each summer for the next decade.

What characteristic of the area are the scientists studying?

• Climate, because they are making more than one type of measurement

• Climate, because they are comparing rainfall amounts over a long period of time

• Weather, because they are tracking changed only to their local environment

• Weather, because they expect rainfall amounts and water levels to continue to decrease

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Each year for 30 years, the amount of rainfall that fell at a school was measured and recorded. Tracking rainfall over a long period provides the most information about which characteristic of an area?

• Climate

• Temperature of one day

• Weather

• Type of soil

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Which of these best describes climate rather than weather?

• Wind speed is changing as a storm moves through an area.

• The temperature is decreasing in a slow-moving cold front.

• Annual (yearly) high temperatures in the summer have increased over many decades.

• The rainfall during one year was greater than the rainfall during the following year.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5

Which word means YEARLY?

• Annually

• Decade

• Century

• Current

Which word means TEN YEARS?

• Annually

• Decade

• Century

• Current

Which word means 100 YEARS?

• Annually

• Decade

• Century

• Current

Which word means RIGHT NOW?

• Annually

• Decade

• Century

• Current

Areas near the equator are normally -

• warm and humid

• windy

• arid (dry)

• cold all year

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Areas near the poles are normally -

• warm and humid

• windy

• arid (dry)

• cold all year

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6