Grade 5 · Science · Unit 9 of 10
Measuring Weather
Thermometers, wind vanes, rain gauges and clouds
What your child practises
The tools that measure weather (thermometer, anemometer, wind vane, rain gauge, barometer), cloud types, fair measuring, and reading graphs of weather data.
Saskatchewan Curriculum outcome: WE5.1 · measuring and representing local weather: temperature, wind speed and direction, precipitation and cloud type
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What are cirrus clouds like?
🌤️- dark and heavy
- low and flat
- puffy like cotton balls
- high, thin and wispy
Show answer
high, thin and wispy
Hint: Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals high in the sky.
Question 2
The wind speed rises from 10 km/h to 60 km/h in an hour. What is probably happening?
🌬️- the Moon is full
- the day is ending
- the weather is getting calmer
- a storm or front is arriving
Show answer
a storm or front is arriving
Hint: Rapid changes in wind show changing weather.
Question 3
Why is it important to measure weather at the same time each day?
⏰- so the weather stays the same
- because clocks cannot be moved
- so the numbers can be compared fairly
- to save paper
Show answer
so the numbers can be compared fairly
Hint: A fair comparison needs measurements taken in the same way.
Question 4
What does a barometer measure?
⏱️- air pressure
- wind direction
- rainfall
- temperature
Show answer
air pressure
Hint: Changes in air pressure help forecasters predict weather.
Question 5
Put these cloud types in order from the highest in the sky to the lowest.
- ☁️stratus (low, flat)
- ⛅cumulus (puffy)
- 🌤️cirrus (high, wispy)
Show answer
cirrus (high, wispy) → cumulus (puffy) → stratus (low, flat)
Hint: Cirrus clouds are high and wispy, cumulus are puffy and in the middle, and stratus are low, flat layers.
Question 6
Why do scientists use instruments to measure weather and not just their senses?
🔬- instruments give accurate numbers that can be compared
- senses are never useful
- instruments make weather
- it saves time only
Show answer
instruments give accurate numbers that can be compared
Hint: Measurements can be shared and compared by many people.