Air Temperature
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That Affect Soil » | Air Temperature
Objective
In this activity, students will measure and record the air temperature at their field
site.
Making the connection:
- By doing this activity along with the activities in Soil
Biodiversity, students can begin to see links between air temperature and
the biodiversity of soil.
- By doing this activity along with Soil Properties,
students can see links between air temperature and the physical structure of the
soil.
Activity
Hypothesize
What will the air temperature be at your field site?
Plan it!
- If you haven't already done so, choose a field site
and map it in your field journal.
- Decide how often to take temperature readings. If you are working with a group
or as a class, you should decide together. As you decide, think about these questions:
- How might your results be affected if you take daily readings?
- How might your results be affected if you take monthly readings?
- How might your results be affected if you take annual readings?
Most scientists would agree that taking readings at least once a week will give you
the most accurate record of changes in temperature over time.
Taking the temperature more often will provide more data, but
it is important to be consistent in the frequency of the measurements and in the time
of day at which they are taken.
Do it!
- Choose a spot in your field area in which to take a reading. You will need to
take your air temperature readings in the same spot and at the same time of day
each time you do it.
Taking the readings at the same time of day and at the
same place is very important. Students should understand that time of day and
location are variables that must be controlled in order to get useful data. You
can also use this experiment as an opportunity to introduce the concept of dependent
and independent variables. If your students have not worked with variables before,
you might ask them some questions to help them understand why these variables
must be controlled. For example:
- How might the temperature be different if we took it in the morning or
at night?
- How might the temperature be different if we took it in the shade or
in the sun?
- If our data are different each day because we take the reading sometimes
in the morning and sometimes at night, sometimes in the shade, and sometimes
in the sun, will we be able to tell if the temperature is getting higher
or lower over time? Why or why not? You can have different pairs or groups
of students take the temperature at various places around your field site
to help them understand the influence of these variables on air temperature.
Just be certain that each group returns to the same place each day.
- Prepare your thermometer as necessary. This will vary depending on the type of
thermometer you are using. (For example, take the thermometer out of its protective
case.)
- Hold your thermometer in the air. Be sure to keep it still. The length of time
you need to wait for an accurate reading will vary according to the type of thermometer
you use, but a few minutes should be enough for a good reading.
If students get an unexpected reading or think they took
the reading incorrectly, have them take the temperature again.
Record it!
- Record the temperature on the Environmental
Factors worksheet
 .
Be sure to mark the date and time you took your reading.
- On the field site map you drew in your field
journal, mark the spot where you took the temperature reading.
Note that after the first time, students should not need
to mark their spot on the map again, as they will return to the same spot each
time. It may also be a good idea to have students make note of a particular landmark
that will help them find the place again. If you have groups of students going
to different places around the field site, you
may want to note where each group is stationed for your own reference and/or check
each student's map to be sure the location is marked accurately and with enough
detail to be found again.
- Add the Environmental Factors worksheet to your field journal.
Remember, be sci-wise!
- Do not allow the direct heat of the sun to warm up the thermometer. This could
affect the temperature reading.
Students should protect the thermometer from direct sunlight
with a thermometer shade, paper, or their own bodies.
- Store the thermometer in a cardboard tube when it is not in use, and take the
temperature reading right after pulling it out of the tube.
You may also elect to keep all the thermometers in a box
or case and distribute them to students at the field
site.
- If your results seem unusual, double-check them by taking another reading. If
your reading is still unusual, try using a different thermometer.
Some common mistakes that lead to an incorrect reading
are covering functional parts of the thermometer with a hand, placing the thermometer
in direct sunlight, or using improperly calibrated thermometers. If the reading
continues to be unusual after the second attempt, the student should take another
reading with a different thermometer.
Assessment and Reflections
- What was the temperature at your site?
Answers will vary.
- Based on the data you collected, was your hypothesis correct or incorrect? Why?
Answers will vary.
- How did the temperature at your site change over time?
This answer will vary depending on the field site location,
but students should note an overall seasonal change in temperature as well as
smaller variations due to weather conditions.
- What patterns or links did you notice between the weather and the air temperature?
Between the season and the air temperature?
This answer will vary based on the field site location
and the duration of the activity. If you were able to do this activity over a
number of months, students should note that the temperature changes with the season.
Students should also note temperature changes based on the weather, such as slightly
cooler air temperatures on overcast or rainy days.
- If you were to continue taking the air temperature for a whole year, what differences
would you expect to find?
The air temperature would change with the seasons.
- Looking at the bigger picture, how might the data you collected help you to answer
your research question?
The answers will vary, but students should begin to make
connections between the data they gathered here and the data they gather in other
activities.
- Fill in this section of the Factors That
Affect the Soil Overview worksheet
.
Extensions
- Students can record the air and soil temperature on a weekly or monthly basis
to monitor changes and the relative differences between the two throughout the
year. They should find that the air temperatures will fluctuate more and change
faster than the soil temperatures, which will remain more consistent.
- For a math activity, have your students use their collected data to calculate
weekly or monthly average temperatures.
- Direct students to read the air temperature at many different locations on the
study site. Do the air temperatures vary? Why or why not?
- Contact your local weather station and see if your readings are the same as theirs.
If the numbers differ, have your students think about why that might be.
- Let the students record the air temperature on their site at the same spot every
hour for one full day to determine the warmest and coolest times of the day. What
do they predict will be the warmest hour? Do they think they would get the same
results for each day?
- Have your students record air temperatures taken above their heads and one inch
from the ground. Will they differ? Ask them to make predictions and come up with
explanations for any differences.
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