The weather station in your outdoor classroom includes various weather instruments that you and your students can use to measure, record, and track weather conditions over time. 

Weather Instruments  |  Materials Budget  |  Construction Instructions  |  Educational Sign & QR Code  |  
Activity Resources  |  Maintenance Tips  |  Example Photos                          
 

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Weather Instruments
 

• Thermometer measures the air temperature.
• Anemometer (pictured right) measures wind speed.  
• Hygrometer measures humidity, or the amount of water vapor in the air. 
• Rain gauge measures the amount of rain that has fallen over a specific time period.  
• Barometer measures air pressure in the atmosphere, also called barometric pressure.
• Wind sock (pictured right) is a cone-shaped tube of fabric, which resembles a giant sock, attached to pole that rotates. It helps us determine wind direction and relative wind speed.
• Cardinal directions sign, for which we have a separate materials list and estimated budget (see below), includes directional signs pointing North, South, East, and West attached to a 4”x4” post. Use the cardinal directions sign in your outdoor classroom along with your wind sock to determine the direction the wind is blowing.

 

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Materials Budget

These materials lists and budgets for a weather station and cardinal directions sign include the following:

• a suggested list of materials needed to construct the learning station,
• suggestions about where you can purchase the materials,
• an estimated budget,
• and space where you can track your donations and final costs for this learning station.

Example Weather Station Materials List & Budget: (Word Doc | PDF)
Example Cardinal Directions Materials List & Budget: (Word Doc | PDF) 

 

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Construction Instructions
 
These construction instructions include a list of tools & supplies needed for your work day as well as step-by-step construction instructions.

Example Cardinal Directions Construction Instructions: (Word Doc | PDF) 

 

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Educational Sign & QR Code



CLICK HERE to download the QR Code for this webpage.

You can inlcude the QR Code on the educational sign for your weather station in your outdoor classroom: PDF  |  Word Doc


 
 

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 Activity Resources

Use our "Learn about Weather" Student Exploration Link to help your students research weather and climate.

Below are free AWF Field Investigation Activities related to weather:

• Seasonal Weather Observations (K-1st): (Version #1: Word Doc / PDF)  (Version #2: Word Doc / PDF) - Students record their seasonal weather observations in the outdoor classroom. 
• Weather Data Log (3rd-5th): (Word Doc / PDF) - Students record the weather forecast, and then log in real-time weather data from the Weather Station into a Weather Data Chart, examining temperature changes throughout the day using a line graph.

 
 

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Maintenance Tips

When creating your weekly maintenance checklist for your outdoor classroom, be sure to include daily weather data collection as well as weekly emptying of the rain gauge. 

 

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Example Photos

 

Heritage Elementary's Cardinal Directions Sign	Julian Newman Elementary's Cardinal Directions Sign	Example Weather Station	McBride Elementary's Digital Weather Station

Questions:  Contact the AWF at oc@alabamawildlife.org. .