Relative Humidity

1. Relative Humidity Karen Mahaffy

2. National Science Standards • D. Earth and Space Science - Earth and space science focuses on science facts, concepts, principles, theories, and models that are important for all students to know, understand and use. • h. The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases that include water vapor. The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations. • i. Clouds, formed by the condensation of water vapor, affect weather and climate.

3. Common Core Math Standards • CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or equations. • CCSS.Math.Content.6.RP.A.3d Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing quantities.

4. Supporting Curriculum Materials • What is relative humidity? • Why is it important to study relative humidity? • Relative humidity and it’s impact on agriculture. • Relative humidity in museums. • How do you calculate relative humidity?

5. Relative Humidity Activities • Online Interactive Weather Maker • Relative Humidity Lab • Measuring and Charting Relative Humidity • Relative Humidity Math Connection-worksheet • Relative Humidity Lab-Enrichment

6. Relative Humidity Activity 1 Online Interactive Weather Maker • Goal-Students will learn that changes in relative humidity can effect the feel of the temperature. • Students will know temperature towards the poles (either north or south) must always be less than the temperature towards the equator. • Students will understand relative humidity alters the feel of the temperature. • Students will manipulate the weather using the interactive weather maker. • Teacher role: Teacher will circulate the room as students create various climates to adjust temperature and relative humidity.

7. Activity 1-Accomodations • Struggling learners will receive modified notes with less language from the weather facts handout. • Students will work with partners.

8. Relative Humidity Activity 2 Relative Humidity Lab • Goal-Students will learn that relative humidity can be calculated in a classroom. • Students will know that you must use a wet and dry bulb thermometer to determine the relative humidity. • Students will understand that you can calculate the relative humidity by calculating the difference between the wet and dry bulb thermometers and use a relative humidity chart to locate the difference and the temperature of the dry bulb on the chart. See attached. • Students will calculate the relative humidity of the classroom using the given materials. • Teacher role: Teacher will introduce the lab with a whole class discussion about predictions of relative humidity of the class. Students will circulate as students conduct experiment and ask questions for students to consider regarding their whole class hypotheses.

9. Activity 2-Accomodations • Struggling learners will be given calculators to assist with calculations. • Struggling learners will be given highlighters to help read the relative humidity chart.

10. Relative Humidity Activity 3 Measuring and Charting Relative Humidity • Goal-Students will know that measuring shrinking wet hair simulates the the use of a hygrometer. • Students will know a hygrometer is used to measure relative humidity. • Students will understand the more the hair shrinks the less water it contains. • Students will compare the shrinkage of various hair lengths and textures. • Teacher role: Teacher will introduce the experiment with a class discussion on how the weather can cause a ‘good’ hair day or a ‘bad’ hair day. As students work the teacher should circulate and ask the students to explain why the different textures yielded different results.

11. Activity 3-Accomodations • Struggling learners will compare the shrinkage of two pieces of hair, not four. • Struggling learners will receive a partially completed relative humidity weather chart to offer guidance and examples.

12. Relative Humidity Activity 4 • Relative Humidity Math Connection • Goal-Students will learn that math is essential when calculating the relative humidity. • Students will know how to use the heat index chart to determine the relative humidity. • Students will understand that there is a correlation between heat and relative humidity when determining the heat index. • Students will use the heat index chart to answer math questions. • Teacher role: Teacher will model how to use the index chart to the whole class. Students may work with partners and as the students work the teacher should circulate to check for understanding.

13. Activity 4-Accomodations • Struggling learners will answer less questions. • Struggling learners will be able to use a calculator. • Struggling learners will receive a worksheet with the questions and heat index chart on the same page.

14. Relative Humidity Math Connection

15. Heat Index Chart for Math Connection Worksheet

16. Heat Index Table for Math Connection

17. Relative Humidity Activity 5 • Relative Humidity Lab Graphing Activity • Goal students will learn there is a relationship between temperature and the amount of water vapor a fixed volume of air can hold. • Students will know how to determine the relative humidity? • Students will understand how different parts of the world may have differences in relative humidity at various seasons. • Students will be able to calculate the relative humidity when given the temperature and dew point. • Students will discuss Teacher role: Since this is the last activity, the teacher should give little instruction and circulate the room as the students work. Upon completion of the activity, the teacher should ask the students to share their results and how they compare to the hypothesis.

18. Accommodations-Activity 5 • Struggling learners may use a calculator. • Struggling learners will be strategically grouped with high achieving students. • Struggling learners may choose to determine the relative humidity of an additional location.

19. Math Vertical Curriculum Map

20. Math Vertical Curriculum Map-Continued

21. Science Vertical Curriculum Map

22. Science Vertical Curriculum Map-continued

23. References • References • Common core state standards. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.corestandards.org/ • Humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.humidity • Measuring relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from https://www.teachervision.com/tv/printables/Moutran_0876283024_158-159.pdf • Prekindergarten – grade 8 curriculum standards and assessment expectations. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/pdf/curriculum/science/pk8_science_curriculumstandards2011.pdf • Rain forests and high humidity: How to measure relative humidity? (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http:// www.education.com/science-fair/article/rain-forest-humidity/ • Relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/kinetic/relhum.html • Relative humidity and temperature. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://www.collectioncare.org/cci/ccier.html • Understanding humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 7, 2014, from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/whumdef.htm • Weather watch. (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/ investigate/weather_maker.htm • What is relative humidity. (n.d.). Retrieved January 8, 2014, from http://8redscience.wikispaces.com/file/view/Lab +10+What+is+Relative+Humidity+SG.doc • What is relative humidity and how does it affect how I feel outside? (n.d.). Retrieved January 6, 2014, from http:// science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/meteorological-terms/question651.htm