Topic: Atmospheric precipitation and suspension on Earth

Target group

First grade high school and technical high school student (extended scope)

Program basis

General requirements

III. Dynamics of atmospheric processes: vertical atmosphere construction, phenomena and processes in the atmosphere, spatial diversity of climate elements, climate zones and types of climates.

1 ) shows the relationship between the construction of the atmosphere and meteorological phenomena and processes;

The aim of education:

The student will learn to distinguish between different types of precipitation and suspension

Criteria of success

• describe the process of condensation and desublimation;

• explain the concepts of: atmospheric precipitation and suspension;

• characterise examples of atmospheric precipitation and suspension.

Key competences

• communication in the mother tongue;

• communication in foreign languages;

• mathematical competences;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Methods / forms of work

• the problem‑solving methods: discussion;

• programmed learning: via computer, e‑textbook;

• practical learning: exercises on the subject;

• forms of work: individual, group, collective.

Teaching aids

• computers (or tablets) with internet access;

• multimedia resources under “Atmospheric precipitation and suspension on Earth” in the e‑textbook;

• interactive whiteboard/blackboard, marker/chalk.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1 . Before classes, the teacher instructs students to familiarize with all the material contained in the lesson „Atmospheric precipitation and suspension on Earth”. In particular, he asks students to carefully work out the following issues:

• the phenomenon of condensation and its effects;

• the phenomenon of resublimation and its effects;

• atmospheric precipitation and their classification (rain, drizzle, snow, snow peaks, hail);

• atmospheric sediments and their classification (dew, glaze, hoarfrost, rime).

In addition, the teacher instructs students to familiarize themselves with the definitions of individual precipitation and atmospheric deposits.

2 . In class, the teacher determines the purpose of the lesson, informing students about its planned course.

3 . The teacher displays on the interactive whiteboard a puzzle from an e‑textbook and asks willing students to arrange them. He informs that the atmospheric phenomenon presented in the picture will be one of the elements of the lesson.

Implementation

1 . The teacher goes to the proper course of the lesson, the main part of which is the independent work of the students to check the level of mastery of the messages contained in the e‑textbook. Displays an interactive photo gallery of an e‑textbook showing different types of precipitation and atmospheric deposits. Asks willing / selected students to describe them.

2 . The students perform the following tasks successively:

• solve an interactive crossword with a password (Exercise 2), which checks whether they remember the definitions of individual precipitation and atmospheric deposits as well as the definitions of condensation and resublimation;

• perform interactive exercise 3, the purpose of which is to check whether they are able to recognize selected atmospheric phenomena on the basis of photography.

3 . Then the teacher divides the class into three groups. It informs that the task of each group will be to describe the conditions (with particular reference to temperature) in which there are rainfall:

group 1 – rain;

group 2 – snow;

group 3 – hail.

Specifies the time to complete the task.

4 . Group leaders present the effects of the work, and the teacher verifies the information and completes it.

5 . The teacher initiates a discussion about threats resulting from such phenomena as hail, black ice, heavy rain or snow. Students present their positions, complement each other with information and observations, the teacher watches over the course of the discussion. At the end, he asks the eager / chosen student to summarize it.

Summarized

1 . The last stage of the lesson is a summary, during which the students have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their doubts with the teacher, as well as complete the notes. The teacher focuses on explaining these phenomena and concepts with which the students had the biggest problems.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Atmospheric precipitation and suspension on Earth

Atmospheric air usually contains some water vapour in the lowest surface layers. Its content is called humidity. If it is expressed in g/mIndeks górny 3³, i.e. it represents the mass of water vapour in 1 mIndeks górny 3³ of air, then we are talking about absolute humidity. Humidity changes very often and is dependent on temperature. The warmer the air is, the more water vapour it can contain. Therefore, the concept of relative humidity was introduced, described in percentage:

• relative humidity of 0% means a completely dry air;

• relative humidity of 100% means that at a given temperature, there cannot be more water vapour in the air.

If the air temperature rises at relative humidity of 100%, it can take another portion of water vapour. If the air temperature has dropped, some water vapour would have to condense, that is, transition from the gas state to the liquid or solid state. Water droplets or ice crystals formed this way may appear in the atmosphere in the form of clouds or fog.

Precipitation is a product of water vapour condensing and falling from the clouds to Earth’s surface. They can take a liquid or solid state. Precipitation includes: rain, drizzle, snow, graupel and hail. We measure them in millimetres per water “column” that falls to the surface; 1 mm of precipitation is 1 litre per 1 mIndeks górny 2² of surface.

Atmospheric suspension are also condensation products of water vapour, but appearing on cooled surfaces. They are formed as a result of water and ice depositing from water vapour or of freezing atmospheric precipitation. Suspension includes: dew, black ice, frost and hard rime.

• Air humidity can change within very wide limits depending on geographical conditions.

• Condensation and desublimation of water vapour may cause clouds or mists as well as atmospheric precipitation and suspension.

• The basic types of precipitation are rain, drizzle, snow, graupel and hail.

• The basic types of atmospheric suspension are dew, black ice, frost, hard rime.

• Geographical factors affect the variability of the amount of precipitation in different places around the world.