An Early Arctic Shift
Aims
An unusual change high above the Arctic could affect UK weather, but snow is far from certain.
The lesson, stage by stage
- News10 min
In the news: The story
Read a 102-word news story: The Arctic Winds Are Changing Early
Strong winds high above the Arctic usually keep the coldest air near the North Pole. This year, the winds have begun to weaken unusually early, and the polar vortex has started to shift and briefly split. This change may affect the jet stream and bring a colder, drier pattern to parts of Europe. But the forecast does not mean snow is certain in the UK; the event is early, so its effects are hard to predict. For many areas, continued drought may be a bigger concern than snow. Less rain could mean low reservoir levels, making it harder to store enough water.
- Vocabulary8 min
Vocabulary: Words in the news
6 items
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Cold-weather plans
2 discussion questions
- If snow arrived where you live, what would you most enjoy doing?
- Would you rather have a cold, dry winter or a mild, rainy one? Why?
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Water in daily life
2 discussion questions
- Have you ever changed how you use water during a dry spell? What did you do?
- What small changes would be easy for you if water became harder to get?
- Discussion10 min
Discussion: Living with uncertainty
2 discussion questions
- How much do you trust long-range forecasts when you make plans?
- What should communities do when weather patterns become harder to predict?
Target vocabulary
In a Tuton account these words become your student's vocabulary deck, so they come back in practice between lessons.
- weaken
- to become less strong or powerful
- shift
- to move or change position
- pattern
- a way something happens again and again
- forecast
- a report about what the weather may be
- drought
- a long period with very little rain
- reservoir
- a large place where water is stored
This plan comes from the Science course in the Tuton library. Browse all free lesson plans.