Our worldAges 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Match weather instruments and cloud types (cirrus, cumulus, stratus) to what they measure or indicate. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

New variation Try interactive challenge Browse templates

Age band:Ages 4-6 Ages 7-9

Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What causes the loud sound of thunder during a thunderstorm: lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave, or clouds bumping together?
What causes the loud sound… · Weather instruments & clouds
2. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument p… · Weather instruments & clouds
3. Why do you see the flash of lightning before you hear the clap of thunder from a distant storm: light travels much faster than sound in air, or lightning happens ten minutes earlier?
Why do you see the flash o… · Weather instruments & clouds
4. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the low, flat, un… · Weather instruments & clouds
5. On a sunny afternoon at the coast, land heats up faster than the sea, drawing cool air inland from the water. What is this breeze called: a sea breeze or a land breeze?
On a sunny afternoon at th… · Weather instruments & clouds
6. What lines on a weather map connect places that have the exact same atmospheric pressure: isobars or contour lines?
What lines on a weather ma… · Weather instruments & clouds
7. Where should you place a rain gauge to get an accurate rainfall measurement: in an open area away from trees and building roofs, or directly under a tree?
Where should you place a r… · Weather instruments & clouds
8. Which airport and marina instrument uses a striped fabric cone on a pole to show both wind direction and approximate wind strength: a windsock or a sundial?
Which airport and marina i… · Weather instruments & clouds
9. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
“weather” · “climate” · Weather instruments & clouds
10. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
Why are weather station th… · Weather instruments & clouds
11. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the tall, towerin… · Weather instruments & clouds
12. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Which weather instrument h… · Weather instruments & clouds

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What causes the loud sound of thunder during a thunderstorm: lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave, or clouds bumping together?
Lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave
A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air channel to ~30,000 °C, creating a sonic shock wave (thunder).
2. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Wind vane (weather vane)
A wind vane pivots so its arrow points into the oncoming wind.
3. Why do you see the flash of lightning before you hear the clap of thunder from a distant storm: light travels much faster than sound in air, or lightning happens ten minutes earlier?
Light travels much faster than sound in air
Light travels at ~300,000 km/s, whereas sound in air travels at ~340 m/s (about 1 km every 3 seconds).
4. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Stratus clouds
Stratus clouds form a low horizontal grey layer across the sky.
5. On a sunny afternoon at the coast, land heats up faster than the sea, drawing cool air inland from the water. What is this breeze called: a sea breeze or a land breeze?
Sea breeze
Warm air rises over the heated land and cooler air flows in from the sea as a sea breeze.
6. What lines on a weather map connect places that have the exact same atmospheric pressure: isobars or contour lines?
Isobars
Isobars join points of equal barometric pressure; closely spaced isobars indicate strong winds.
7. Where should you place a rain gauge to get an accurate rainfall measurement: in an open area away from trees and building roofs, or directly under a tree?
In an open area away from trees and building roofs
Trees and roofs block or funnel rainwater, distorting the measurement.
8. Which airport and marina instrument uses a striped fabric cone on a pole to show both wind direction and approximate wind strength: a windsock or a sundial?
Windsock
A windsock fills and extends horizontally when strong winds blow.
9. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years
Weather changes hour by hour; climate describes long-term regional averages.
10. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
To shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely
A Stevenson screen ensures the thermometer measures true air temperature in the shade.
11. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Cumulonimbus clouds
Cumulonimbus clouds are deep convective storm clouds associated with thunderstorms.
12. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Anemometer
An anemometer counts rotations to measure how fast the wind is blowing.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What causes the loud sound of thunder during a thunderstorm: lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave, or clouds bumping together?
What causes the loud sound… · Weather instruments & clouds
2. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument p… · Weather instruments & clouds
3. Why do you see the flash of lightning before you hear the clap of thunder from a distant storm: light travels much faster than sound in air, or lightning happens ten minutes earlier?
Why do you see the flash o… · Weather instruments & clouds
4. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the low, flat, un… · Weather instruments & clouds
5. On a sunny afternoon at the coast, land heats up faster than the sea, drawing cool air inland from the water. What is this breeze called: a sea breeze or a land breeze?
On a sunny afternoon at th… · Weather instruments & clouds
6. What lines on a weather map connect places that have the exact same atmospheric pressure: isobars or contour lines?
What lines on a weather ma… · Weather instruments & clouds
7. Where should you place a rain gauge to get an accurate rainfall measurement: in an open area away from trees and building roofs, or directly under a tree?
Where should you place a r… · Weather instruments & clouds
8. Which airport and marina instrument uses a striped fabric cone on a pole to show both wind direction and approximate wind strength: a windsock or a sundial?
Which airport and marina i… · Weather instruments & clouds
9. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
“weather” · “climate” · Weather instruments & clouds
10. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
Why are weather station th… · Weather instruments & clouds
11. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the tall, towerin… · Weather instruments & clouds
12. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Which weather instrument h… · Weather instruments & clouds

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What causes the loud sound of thunder during a thunderstorm: lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave, or clouds bumping together?
Lightning rapidly heats the air, causing it to expand explosively as a shock wave
A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air channel to ~30,000 °C, creating a sonic shock wave (thunder).
2. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Wind vane (weather vane)
A wind vane pivots so its arrow points into the oncoming wind.
3. Why do you see the flash of lightning before you hear the clap of thunder from a distant storm: light travels much faster than sound in air, or lightning happens ten minutes earlier?
Light travels much faster than sound in air
Light travels at ~300,000 km/s, whereas sound in air travels at ~340 m/s (about 1 km every 3 seconds).
4. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Stratus clouds
Stratus clouds form a low horizontal grey layer across the sky.
5. On a sunny afternoon at the coast, land heats up faster than the sea, drawing cool air inland from the water. What is this breeze called: a sea breeze or a land breeze?
Sea breeze
Warm air rises over the heated land and cooler air flows in from the sea as a sea breeze.
6. What lines on a weather map connect places that have the exact same atmospheric pressure: isobars or contour lines?
Isobars
Isobars join points of equal barometric pressure; closely spaced isobars indicate strong winds.
7. Where should you place a rain gauge to get an accurate rainfall measurement: in an open area away from trees and building roofs, or directly under a tree?
In an open area away from trees and building roofs
Trees and roofs block or funnel rainwater, distorting the measurement.
8. Which airport and marina instrument uses a striped fabric cone on a pole to show both wind direction and approximate wind strength: a windsock or a sundial?
Windsock
A windsock fills and extends horizontally when strong winds blow.
9. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years
Weather changes hour by hour; climate describes long-term regional averages.
10. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
To shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely
A Stevenson screen ensures the thermometer measures true air temperature in the shade.
11. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Cumulonimbus clouds
Cumulonimbus clouds are deep convective storm clouds associated with thunderstorms.
12. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Anemometer
An anemometer counts rotations to measure how fast the wind is blowing.

12 questions · Seed 46 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification