Boy at computer Environmental Science & Math

Latitude and Temperature - What is the relationship between a place's latitude and its temperature?

Teaching objectives:

  • Constructing:
    • Generate questions about the world based on observation
    • Design and conduct scientific investigations
    • Use tools and equipment for science investigation
    • Use metric measurement devices
    • Use sources of information to support investigation
  • Reflecting (r)11.1:
    • Evaluate data
    • Show how science applies in real-life situations
    • Develop an awareness of the natural world
  • Atompshere and Weather: (EAW)V.3:
    • Explain patterns of changing weather
  • Equipment needed: Access to the Internet, a computer with a spreadsheet program such as Excel, materials for report writing
  • Time required: 1 day
  • Tips/special instructions to teachers: Students may require additional assistance if they do not have experience in making graphs and using spreadsheet programs such as Excel.

    The Assignment

    (1) Click here for the Unisys weather site or here for Weather.com's site to learn about weather stations and to gather weather information. Identify five weather stations at approximately the same longitude (so that they will receive the same amount of sunlight). Now record the latitude for each site by using The Geographic Database and compare how they differ.

    (2) Make a data table using a spreadsheet program such as Excel with the variables "Latitude" and "Temperature." Round off the latitude to the nearest degree and arrange the weather stations in terms of their ascending order of latitude. Record the temperatures at each weather station. (Use the sites listed above.)

    (3) Graph latitude and temperature. Label the x and y axes and add a title to your graph.

    (4) Using the spreadsheet, construct a bar graph of your data.

    (5) Write a recport on whether there is a relationship between latitude and temperature. If there is a relationship, discuss the pattern your data support.

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