Weather apps on phones and computers are getting better at telling us what the weather will be like. They use new technology to give us weather news that is just for us. A weather group in the UK made their weather maps better so we can see the weather change as it happens. They also made special weather news for people going to the beach or mountains. These apps help us know what to wear and what to do.
The people who make weather apps are working hard to tell us about the weather fast, especially when it is very bad. Sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect, and these apps want to be ready. But making new weather apps can be hard because they need money, and not many people are giving money for this. One weather app called Accuweather is using smart computer brains to tell us about the weather in many languages. They want to make sure we know when the weather is dangerous or when the air is not clean to breathe.
Original news source: How weather apps are trying to be more accurate (BBC)
Listen:
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Vocabulary:
| 1 | weather | What the sky and air are like outside |
| 2 | technology | New and cool things that help us do stuff |
| 3 | maps | Pictures that show us where things are |
| 4 | beach | A place with sand and water where we can play |
| 5 | mountains | Big, tall places with rocks and trees |
| 6 | apps | Special programs on our phones and computers |
| 7 | money | Something we use to buy things |
| 8 | dangerous | Not safe or not good for us |
| 9 | clean | Not dirty or yucky |
| 10 | breathe | Taking air into our bodies |
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– Charades
Instructions: Divide the class into two teams. Give each team a set of weather-related words or phrases written on small pieces of paper or index cards. One member of each team will come to the front of the class and act out the word or phrase without speaking. The team members will try to guess what the word or phrase is. The team that guesses correctly gets a point. Repeat with different team members and words/phrases.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word “weather” on the board and ask the students to brainstorm as many words or phrases related to weather as they can in one minute. Encourage them to think of nouns, adjectives, and verbs. After one minute, go around the class and have each student share one word or phrase they came up with. Write all the words and phrases on the board. Discuss the meanings of any unfamiliar words.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Write a list of weather-related vocabulary words on small pieces of paper or index cards. Divide the class into pairs. One student from each pair will come to the front of the class and choose a word or phrase from the list. They will then have one minute to draw a picture representing that word or phrase while their partner tries to guess it. After one minute, switch roles. Repeat with different pairs and words/phrases.
– Keyword Hangman
Instructions: Write a weather-related word or phrase on the board, leaving out some of the letters and replacing them with blanks. Divide the class into two teams. One member of each team will come to the front of the class and guess a letter. If the letter is in the word, write it in the correct blank space. If the letter is not in the word, draw one part of a hangman diagram. Alternate between teams until the word is guessed or the hangman is completed.
– Pros and Cons
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a weather-related scenario, such as “Going to the beach on a sunny day” or “Having a picnic in the rain.” Ask each group to discuss the pros and cons of the scenario and come up with a list. After a few minutes, have each group share their lists with the class. Encourage them to use weather-related vocabulary and expressions in their discussions.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What do weather apps do?
2. How did the weather group in the UK make their weather maps better?
3. Who are the people who make weather apps working hard for?
4. Why can making new weather apps be hard?
5. What is Accuweather using to tell us about the weather in many languages?
6. Why does Accuweather want to make sure we know when the weather is dangerous?
7. Why is it important to know when the air is not clean to breathe?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Weather apps on phones and computers are getting better at (1)______ us what the weather will be like. They use new technology to (2)______ us weather news that is just for us. A weather group in the UK made their weather maps better so we can see the (3)______ (4)______ as it happens. They also made special weather news for people going to the beach or mountains. These apps help us know what to wear and what to do.
The people who make weather apps are working hard to tell us about the weather fast, especially when it is very bad. Sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect, and these (5)______ (6)______ to be ready. But making new weather apps can be hard because they need money, and not many people are giving (7)______ for this. One weather app called Accuweather is using smart computer brains to tell us about the weather in many languages. They want to make (8)______ we know when the weather is dangerous or when the air is not clean to breathe.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is a weather app?
2. How would you feel if you didn’t know what the weather would be like?
3. Do you like using weather apps? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to know what to wear for the weather? Why?
5. What do weather apps help us know?
6. How do weather apps tell us about the weather fast?
7. What do weather apps want to be ready for?
8. Why is it hard to make new weather apps?
9. What is Accuweather using smart computer brains for?
10. How can knowing about dangerous weather help us?
11. How can knowing about unclean air help us?
12. Why do you think not many people give money for making weather apps?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. weather
2. technology
3. maps
4. beach
5. mountains
6. apps
7. money
8. dangerous
9. clean
10. breathe
Meanings:
(A) Something we use to buy things
(B) Taking air into our bodies
(C) A place with sand and water where we can play
(D) What the sky and air are like outside
(E) Pictures that show us where things are
(F) Not safe or not good for us
(G) Special programs on our phones and computers
(H) Big, tall places with rocks and trees
(I) Not dirty or yucky
(J) New and cool things that help us do stuff
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What do weather apps on phones and computers tell us?
(a) What to eat for breakfast
(b) What time to go to bed
(c) What color to paint our nails
(d) What the weather will be like
2. How did a weather group in the UK make their weather maps better?
(a) They added pictures of animals
(b) They made the maps bigger
(c) They used new technology
(d) They made the maps smaller
3. What kind of weather news did the weather group in the UK make for people going to the beach or mountains?
(a) Special weather news
(b) Funny weather news
(c) Sad weather news
(d) Old weather news
4. Why do the people who make weather apps want to tell us about the weather fast?
(a) Because they like to talk fast
(b) Because sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect
(c) Because they want to win a race
(d) Because they want to keep the weather a secret
5. Why is making new weather apps hard?
(a) Because they need a lot of food
(b) Because they need new clothes
(c) Because they need new shoes
(d) Because they need money
6. What is Accuweather using to tell us about the weather in many languages?
(a) Smart computer brains
(b) Magic wands
(c) Talking animals
(d) Flying cars
7. What does Accuweather want to make sure we know?
(a) When to eat lunch
(b) When the weather is dangerous or when the air is not clean to breathe
(c) When to take a nap
(d) When to watch TV
8. What do weather apps help us know?
(a) What to eat for dinner
(b) What color to paint our hair
(c) What to wear and what to do
(d) What time to go to school
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect, and these apps want to be ready.
2. One weather app called Accuweather is not using smart computer brains to tell us about the weather in many languages.
3. The people who make weather apps are working hard to tell us about the weather fast, especially when it is very bad.
4. A weather group in the UK made their weather maps worse so we can’t see the weather change as it happens.
5. They use new technology to give us weather news that is just for us.
6. Weather apps on phones and computers are not getting better at telling us what the weather will be like.
7. These apps help us know what to wear and what to do.
8. They also did not make special weather news for people going to the beach or mountains.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What do weather apps on phones and computers do?
2. How did a weather group in the UK make their weather maps better?
3. Why do the people who make weather apps work hard?
4. Why is it hard to make new weather apps?
5. What is Accuweather using smart computer brains for?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What do weather apps do?
Weather apps give us information about the weather, like if it will be sunny or rainy, and what the temperature will be.
2. How did the weather group in the UK make their weather maps better?
The weather group in the UK made their weather maps better by using new technology that shows us the weather change as it happens.
3. Who are the people who make weather apps working hard for?
The people who make weather apps are working hard for us, so we can know what the weather will be like and be prepared.
4. Why can making new weather apps be hard?
Making new weather apps can be hard because it takes a lot of money and not many people are giving money for this.
5. What is Accuweather using to tell us about the weather in many languages?
Accuweather is using smart computer brains to tell us about the weather in many languages.
6. Why does Accuweather want to make sure we know when the weather is dangerous?
Accuweather wants to make sure we know when the weather is dangerous so we can stay safe and take precautions.
7. Why is it important to know when the air is not clean to breathe?
It is important to know when the air is not clean to breathe so we can protect our health and avoid breathing in harmful pollutants.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) telling
(2) give
(3) weather
(4) change
(5) apps
(6) want
(7) money
(8) sure
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. weather
Answer: (D) What the sky and air are like outside
2. technology
Answer: (J) New and cool things that help us do stuff
3. maps
Answer: (E) Pictures that show us where things are
4. beach
Answer: (C) A place with sand and water where we can play
5. mountains
Answer: (H) Big, tall places with rocks and trees
6. apps
Answer: (G) Special programs on our phones and computers
7. money
Answer: (A) Something we use to buy things
8. dangerous
Answer: (F) Not safe or not good for us
9. clean
Answer: (I) Not dirty or yucky
10. breathe
Answer: (B) Taking air into our bodies
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What do weather apps on phones and computers tell us?
Answer: (d) What the weather will be like
2. How did a weather group in the UK make their weather maps better?
Answer: (c) They used new technology
3. What kind of weather news did the weather group in the UK make for people going to the beach or mountains?
Answer: (a) Special weather news
4. Why do the people who make weather apps want to tell us about the weather fast?
Answer: (b) Because sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect
5. Why is making new weather apps hard?
Answer: (d) Because they need money
6. What is Accuweather using to tell us about the weather in many languages?
Answer: (a) Smart computer brains
7. What does Accuweather want to make sure we know?
Answer: (b) When the weather is dangerous or when the air is not clean to breathe
8. What do weather apps help us know?
Answer: (c) What to wear and what to do
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Sometimes the weather changes in ways we don’t expect, and these apps want to be ready. (Answer: True)
2. One weather app called Accuweather is not using smart computer brains to tell us about the weather in many languages. (Answer: False)
3. The people who make weather apps are working hard to tell us about the weather fast, especially when it is very bad. (Answer: True)
4. A weather group in the UK made their weather maps worse so we can’t see the weather change as it happens. (Answer: False)
5. They use new technology to give us weather news that is just for us. (Answer: True)
6. Weather apps on phones and computers are not getting better at telling us what the weather will be like. (Answer: False)
7. These apps help us know what to wear and what to do. (Answer: True)
8. They also did not make special weather news for people going to the beach or mountains. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
