How's the Weather where you are?

I have a thermometer on the back porch. Every morning I pull on my fuzzy boots, jacket, hat, scarf, mittens… and brave the winter cold to check it. One side measures the minimum – how cold it got over night (18? Brrrrr!). The other side measures the maximum – how warm it got yesterday (only 28? Really?). Then I race back inside and grab a cup of coffee and debate whether it’s going to be a go-outside-and-walk day, or a snuggle-under-the-quilt-and-read day. 

What's the Weather? (What, Why, or Where?)

32 pages; ages 4-8

Arbordale Publishing, 2020

theme: weather, earth science

Weather is all around us – every day, all day. It can change from minute to minute, hour to hour, and day to day.

One of my favorite seasons to weather-watch is winter because there are so many things to see. Depending on how cold the air is, snow can float down like feathers, or sift down like sand. Frozen pellets tap and rattle against windows, and a breeze on a quiet day can make beech leaves whisper. 

What I like about this book: Each spread shows some aspect of weather and season, and poses a question to explore. From clouds to precipitation to severe weather, this book introduces young children to what’s happening in the atmosphere outside. Back matter includes tips for making weather observations, a cloud identification chart, and the difference between weather and climate.

Beyond the Book:

What does the sky look like today? Go outside and look up. If there are clouds, what do they look like? How much of the sky do they cover?

Paint the sky. Well, not the real sky, but try to find a color that matches the sky and paint a swatch in your nature notebook. Do this over a few months and see what you notice. I’ve noticed that my winter sky has a flatter, darker shade of blue than spring and summer. If you don’t have paints, then try to find the color using a color chart. Here's one... you might even find paint chips at the hardware store that match sky colors.

If you have a thermometer, make a chart of daily temperatures over the season. Look at the thermometer at the same time each day. (Make sure your thermometer is out of direct sunlight.)

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.