Practice identifying common weather instruments and explaining how they help us describe the weather.

Read each problem carefully. Write complete answers. Use the word bank in your mind, thermometer, rain gauge, wind vane.

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Thermometers, rain gauges, and wind vanes

Science - Grade 2-3

Instructions Read each problem carefully. Write complete answers. Use the word bank in your mind, thermometer, rain gauge, wind vane.
  1. 1
    A thermometer outside on a sunny day.

    Which weather instrument measures air temperature?

  2. 2
    A rain gauge collecting rainwater.

    Which weather instrument measures how much rain has fallen?

  3. 3
    A wind vane on a roof showing wind direction.

    Which weather instrument shows the direction the wind is blowing from?

  4. 4
    A child checks a thermometer to decide whether to wear a jacket.

    A student looks outside and wants to know if she needs a jacket. Which instrument would help her most, and why?

  5. 5
    A clear tube rain gauge collecting water during rain.

    A class puts a tall clear tube outside during a storm. The tube has numbers on the side. What instrument is this, and what does it measure?

  6. 6
    A wind vane arrow points left as wind blows across it.

    A wind vane points to the west. What does that tell you about the wind?

  7. 7
    A thermometer used to tell how hot or cold the air is.

    Write the name of the tool that matches this job: It tells whether the air is hot, warm, cool, or cold.

  8. 8
    A rain gauge catches rain for measuring.

    Write the name of the tool that matches this job: It catches rain so people can measure it.

  9. 9
    A wind vane turns with changing wind.

    Write the name of the tool that matches this job: It turns when the wind changes direction.

  10. 10

    Sam says, "The thermometer says it is 90 degrees, so it probably feels hot outside." Is Sam using the thermometer correctly? Explain.

  11. 11
    A rain gauge shows collected rain after a storm.

    Mia checks the rain gauge in the morning. It shows 2 inches of rain. What does this mean?

  12. 12
    A weather station with a thermometer, rain gauge, and wind vane.

    Look at a weather station with three tools: a thermometer, a rain gauge, and a wind vane. Which tool should you read to find wind direction?

  13. 13
    A rain gauge placed in an open area away from a roof and tree.

    Why should a rain gauge be placed in an open area away from a roof or tree?

  14. 14
    A wind vane changes direction as the wind shifts.

    The wind vane changes from pointing north to pointing east. What changed in the weather?

  15. 15

    Choose one weather instrument from this lesson and explain what it does in your own words.

LivePhysics™.com Science - Grade 2-3