Weather & Climate

30 Skills in Science. 25 are ready to try — three verified questions each, no account needed.

Ready to try

Ages 5–7
Dressing for the Weather
Choose appropriate clothing and equipment for different weather conditions — coat and umbrella for rain, sun hat and sunscreen for hot sun, warm layers for cold — understanding that weather affects what we do and how we prepare each day
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
Seasons & Weather Patterns
Know that weather changes with the seasons — spring brings rain and new growth, summer is warmest with long days, autumn brings cooling and falling leaves, winter is coldest with short days — and that this pattern repeats every year
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
Storm Safety
Know basic storm safety: during thunder and lightning, go indoors or into a car, stay away from trees and water; understand that storms can be frightening but there are ways to stay safe
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
Temperature & Thermometers
Understand temperature as how hot or cold something is, that a thermometer measures temperature, and use words like hot, warm, cool, and cold to describe how the air feels on different days
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
Types of Weather
Identify and describe different types of weather — sunny, rainy, windy, snowy, cloudy, foggy, stormy — and describe what the weather is like today using simple vocabulary
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 5–7
What Is Wind?
Know that wind is moving air, that it can be gentle (a breeze) or very strong (a gale), and that wind can move things like leaves, kites, flags, and even push people
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Cloud Types
Identify the three main cloud types — cumulus (fluffy, fair weather), stratus (flat layers, overcast or drizzle), and cirrus (thin wisps, high up) — and understand that clouds form when water vapour in the air cools and condenses into tiny…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Geography & Local Weather
Know that different places around the world have very different typical weather — tropical places are hot and wet all year, deserts are very dry, polar regions are freezing cold — and that geography (distance from the equator, altitude, ne…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
The Water Cycle
Understand the water cycle: the Sun heats water in oceans and lakes causing it to evaporate into water vapour, the vapour rises and cools to form clouds (condensation), and water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail (precipitation) —…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Thunder & Lightning
Know that thunder and lightning happen during thunderstorms: lightning is a giant spark of electricity that forms in clouds, thunder is the sound the lightning makes, and we see lightning before hearing thunder because light travels faster…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Using Weather Instruments
Use weather instruments to measure and record weather data: thermometers for temperature in °C, rain gauges for rainfall, wind vanes for direction, and anemometers for wind speed — and keep a weather diary over time
10 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Weather Forecasting
Know that meteorologists are scientists who study and forecast the weather using satellites, radar, weather balloons, and computer models, and that weather forecasts help people plan their activities and prepare for dangerous weather
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
Weather vs Climate
Distinguish between weather and climate: weather is what the atmosphere is doing right now or today (it can change hour to hour), while climate is the typical pattern of weather in a place over many years
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 7–9
What Causes Wind
Understand what causes wind: the Sun heats the Earth's surface unevenly, warm air rises because it is lighter, and cooler air rushes in to take its place — this movement of air is wind
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 8–9
Designing for Weather Hazards
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard such as flooding, wind damage, or extreme temperatures
27 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Climate Change Basics
Understand the basics of climate change: Earth’s atmosphere traps some of the Sun's heat (the greenhouse effect), burning fossil fuels adds extra greenhouse gases (especially CO₂), this is making Earth gradually warmer, and this warming ch…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Extreme Weather Events
Know about extreme weather events — hurricanes (spinning storms over warm ocean), tornadoes (violent rotating columns of air), floods, droughts, and blizzards — how they form, where they typically occur, and their effects on people and the…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Reading Weather Maps
Read and interpret weather maps, data tables, and graphs — identifying symbols for sun, rain, wind, and temperature; spotting trends and patterns in weather data over weeks, months, or seasons; and using data to make simple predictions
8 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Sun-Driven Weather Systems
Understand how the Sun drives weather: the Sun heats Earth's surface unevenly (land heats faster than water, equator gets more heat than poles), creating differences in air pressure that cause wind patterns, ocean currents, and large-scale…
11 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
The Atmosphere
Know that Earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere, that air has weight and exerts pressure, that the atmosphere protects us from harmful radiation and keeps the planet warm enough for life, and that weather happens in t…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 9–11
Weather-Resistant Engineering
Understand that engineers design buildings, flood defences, and warning systems to protect communities from extreme weather — hurricane-resistant roofs, flood barriers, tornado shelters, and early-warning alert systems — and evaluate the m…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–13
Global Wind Patterns
Explain that unequal solar heating drives large-scale atmospheric circulation: Hadley cells (0-30°), Ferrel cells (30-60°), and polar cells (60-90°) produce the trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies; describe how the Coriolis effec…
82 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 11–12
Greenhouse Gas Science
Describe the electromagnetic spectrum and distinguish between short-wave solar radiation and long-wave infrared radiation emitted by Earth; explain how greenhouse gas molecules (CO2, CH4, N2O, H2O) absorb and re-emit infrared through molec…
9 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–13
Hurricanes, Tornadoes & Monsoons
Explain how hurricanes form and intensify over warm ocean water (latent heat release, low-pressure spiral); describe tornado formation within supercell thunderstorms; explain monsoon mechanics driven by temperature differences between land…
5 verified questions on this shelf
Ages 12–14
Reading Ancient Climate Records
Explain how ice cores preserve ancient air bubbles, isotope ratios, and volcanic markers allowing reconstruction of temperature and CO2 going back 800,000 years; describe tree rings, ocean sediment cores, coral skeletons, and pollen record…
13 verified questions on this shelf

Being planted

These Skills are on the map, but their questions are still being written and checked.

Ages 5–7
Rain & Puddles
Coming soon
Ages 5–6
Weather Forecasting & Safety
Coming soon
Ages 9–11
Climate Zones
Coming soon
Ages 9–10
Natural resources
Coming soon
Ages 13–14
Net Zero & Energy Transition
Coming soon

Skill names and descriptions include the Marble Skill Taxonomy © Generative Spark, Inc. (withmarble.com), licensed under ODbL 1.0 (database) and CC BY-SA 4.0 (content). Practice questions are GlowGrades's own, each checked by independent verifiers that must agree before a child ever sees it.