Collect data
Collect data by observing and recording weather, temperature, and cloud types for a week. Create charts to analyze patterns and share findings.
Step-by-step guide to collect weather data for a week
Lecture 04: Gathering and Collecting Data
Step 1
Choose one time each day for the next seven days to do your weather check.
Step 2
On a fresh page draw a table with columns labeled Date; Time; Temperature; Weather; Cloud Type; Notes.
Step 3
Draw a small cloud key showing and naming no clouds cirrus (wispy) cumulus (puffy) and stratus (flat).
Step 4
Write the dates for the next seven days in the Date column and add your chosen time beside each date.
Step 5
At your chosen time go outside to a spot where you can see most of the sky.
Step 6
Read the thermometer and write the temperature in the Temperature column.
Step 7
Look at the sky and write the weather type that matches what you see for that day (sunny rainy snowy windy).
Step 8
Compare the clouds to your cloud key and write the cloud type or draw a tiny sketch in the Cloud Type column.
Step 9
Write one short note in the Notes column about anything special like rain starting wind strength or a sudden change.
Step 10
Repeat Steps 5 to 9 every day until you have entries for all seven days.
Step 11
After seven days tally how many days each cloud type appeared using marks or numbers.
Step 12
Use your temperature numbers to draw a bar chart with a ruler and coloring materials.
Step 13
Use your tallies to draw a simple chart showing which cloud types were most common.
Step 14
Give your project a title and write a one-sentence summary of the main pattern you discovered.
Step 15
Share your finished charts title and summary on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a thermometer if we don't have one?
If you don't have the thermometer called for in Step 6, use a digital meat or alcohol stick thermometer or record the local temperature from a smartphone weather app and note in the Notes column that an app was used.
What should we do if we can't tell which cloud type we're looking at?
If cloud identification in Step 8 is tricky, draw a tiny sketch in the Cloud Type column, label it 'mixed' or list both matching names from your cloud key, and take a photo to compare later.
How can this activity be adapted for younger or older kids?
For younger children shorten to three days, use sticker tallies and have an adult read the thermometer and help fill the table, while older kids can take extra hourly readings, compute the average from the Temperature column, and make precise bar charts with a ruler and coloring materials.
How can we enhance or personalize the finished project before sharing?
To extend the project after your tallies and charts in Steps 11–13, add color-coding for weather types on the bar chart, include wind notes or photos in the Notes column, and attach those visuals with your title and one-sentence summary when you share on DIY.org.
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Facts about weather observation and data collection
☁️ A typical cumulus cloud can weigh over a million pounds even though it floats in the sky!
🌡️ The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89.2 °C at Vostok Station, Antarctica (1983).
🌦️ Different cloud types help predict weather — for example, high wispy cirrus often mean a change is coming in 24–48 hours.
📊 Scientists use 30-year averages to define climate, while a week of daily observations shows short-term weather patterns you can chart.
📝 With just a thermometer, a notebook, and a sky chart you can collect real data like a junior meteorologist.
