Title: Atmospheric pressure

Lesson plan elaborated by: Zyta Sendecka

Target Group

Students of the 4th grade of primary school

Core Curriculum

Grade 4

III. Weather, weather components, weather observation. Student:

1. lists different weather components and gives the names of the instruments used to measure them (air temperature, cloudiness, precipitation and atmospheric sediments, atmospheric pressure and wind direction);

2. reads the values of measurement of the weather components using the appropriate units of measurement;

3. conduct observations of weather components, record and analyze their results and recognizes the dependencies of each.

The general aim of education

Students perform simple experiments showing the existence of air and atmospheric pressure.

Criteria for success

• introduce the composition of atmospheric air;

• explain the concept of atmospheric pressure;

• discuss the construction and operation of a barometer.

Key Competences

• Communication in the mother tongue;

• Communication in foreign languages;

• Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology;

• Digital competence;

• Learning to learn;

• Social and civic competences.

Methods/forms of work

Talk, work with text, direct observation, indirect observation, brainstorming.

Individual work and group work.

Teaching aids

• abstract;

• interactive or traditional board;

• tablets/computers;

• items needed to carry out „Observation 1”: a tall container with water, a straw;

• items needed to conduct „Observation 2”: a candle, a glass, matches;

• items needed to perform „Observation 3”: plastic bottle, rubber glove, rubber band, tape.

Lesson phases

Introduction

1. The teacher asks selected students to answer the following questions:

• In which states can water be observed?

• What should you do to make the water change its state?

2. The teacher gives the subject and the purpose of the lesson in a language that the student understands as well as the criteria for success.

Realization

1. The teacher asks pupils to read the passage entitled „What is the atmosphere?” and familiarized themselves with the illustration „Atmospheric air composition”.

2. Students in pairs carry out „Observation 1” and „Observation 2”. They write their observations in notebooks.

3. The students describe the evidence for presence of water vapor found in previous lessons.

4. The teacher discusses the operation of the barometer. Next, it displays a video showing the process of constructing a home barometer.

5. Using abstract, students write notes in their notebooks: they define the concept of atmospheric pressure, define its units and the device used to measure it.

6. The teacher presents an illustration of a spring barometer and explains how to operate it.

7. Students in pairs carry out „Observation 3” and discuss its results.

Summary

1. Students independently perform interactive exercises.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

Atmospheric pressure

Above the surface of the Earth there is an adjacent coating, many kilometers thick called the atmosphere. It is made up of a mixture of gases called air. It consists mainly of nitrogen, oxygen and small amounts of other gases. The most important for us is oxygen which we use during breathing or when burning wood. These processes produce carbon dioxide which is used by plants. Also in the air is water vapour, which after condensation can form clouds. When describing the composition of the air, water vapour is omitted, because its quantity is very variable.

The atmosphere makes life possible on our planet. We breathe using the oxygen in the air. Due to the atmosphere on Earth, the right temperature is maintained. In addition, this coating protects us from harmful radiation.

Clean air has no taste, no smell and no colour. You can not see it because it is transparent. How can you convince yourself that it exists?

The air consists of particles, so it has a mass. It means that it pushes against everything that is under it and within it. This pressure related to the air is called atmospheric pressure.

Heated air becomes lighter than its surroundings and rises upwards, which somewhat reduces the air pressure in an area. In contrast, when cooling down, it becomes heavier and falls down, which will increases the pressure. High in the mountains, the atmospheric layer pressing on the surface of the Earth is thinner. Therefore, the pressure will be lower there compared to the areas located closer to sea level.

Let us now consider whether atmospheric pressure exerts pressure only from above. It seems obvious. However, remember that the air consists of particles that move in all directions. So maybe pressure affects objects from different sides?

Atmospheric pressure is measured in pascals – shortened to Pa. Because it can reach high values, for convenience in weather forecasts they are given in hectopascals (1 hPa = 100 Pa). Atmospheric pressure measurements are made using a device called a barometer.

How do you use a barometer? If you have such a device in your school, then do the observation.

• The air exerts pressure on every surface. It is called atmospheric pressure.

• The pressure varies with altitude – the higher it is above sea level, the lower it is.

• The pressure measured using a barometer.