Gimme That Old Time Weather Prediction

Step 1: Find out what it is the Old Timer thinks he knows about weather prediction.  Do this by asking a savvy Old Timer you know or research it using the links or books included below. 

Step 2: Of the many you find, choose three bits of weather lore that you would be able to verify.  For example, if your weather lore concerns the sea and land breezes at the shore you should live right at the water.  Bring those three to me in writing and I will OK them.  Many will not be appropriate for a one month period of observation.

Step 3: In a new composition book begin a weather journal.  Your weather journal will have three parts:

              I.      Introduction – Describe the weather lore in words and diagrams.  Explain how you will test the lore using the instruments available.

           II.      Predictions/Observations – Using one (visible) color of ink for the Old Timer’s predictions and another for your observations (wind speed, wind direction, barometric pressure, temperature, cloud cover, etc.) and the correspondence between the two (did or didn’t predict correctly), make journal entries at least daily.  You’ll have to establish in part I how often your lore requires observation.

         III.      Conclusions – See Step 4.

Step 4: Is the Old Timer correct?  Compile your findings and determine how effective the methods were.  This step can be done in groups where the weather lore is similar.  You may end up belonging to three different groups to begin with but eventually you’ll need to establish residency in only one group.  As a group, share and organize your data and decide whether the weather lore worked or not.

Step 5: Still in your group, make a video, powerpoint presentation, or live presentation to present your data to the class and use it to either sell your classmates on the prediction method or warn them away.  Be ready to take questions from your classmates, especially the ones who explored a similar method.