Be a Weather Detective: Solving the Mysteries of Cycles, Seasons, and Elements
Be a Weather Detective: Solving the Mysteries of Cycles, Seasons, and Elements
“How is hail formed?
Hmmm … Let’s look closely and find out.
Hail forms from frozen raindrops in clouds. When they start to fall, they are often tossed upwards by strong winds several times, causing layers of ice to form. They partially melt and then refreeze, or layers of water stick and freeze. Eventually, these frozen balls are so heavy they fall to the ground as hail.
Hail is not the same as sleet. Sleet is the result of partially melted snowflakes hitting a thick layer of freezing air near the ground, and freezing into ice balls before landing. Sometimes sleet is called ice pellets. ”
Be a Weather Detective is the sixth edition to the “Be a Nature Detective” series, following Be a Wilderness Detective,
Be a Beach Detective, Be a Pond Detective, Be a Night Detective, and Be a City Nature Detective. Taking an inquiry-based approach to science, each chapter explores a meteorological phenomenon. Thirteen questions, written on what looks like orange sticky notes, are posed in child-friendly language: “Is every snowflake different?”; “What are clouds made of?”; “What is the actual shape of raindrops?” The repeated refrain of “Hmmm … Let’s look closely and find out” invites a thoughtful examination. Other topics presented include acid rain, the greenhouse effect, thunder and lightning, the changing seasons, rainbows, the meaning of weather sayings, wind, hail, hurricanes, and animal behaviour that signals changing weather.
The answers are clearly and matter-of-factly written. Each explanation has a conversational tone, and relatable tidbits like, “Because light travels faster than sound, we see lightning before we hear thunder. After you see the flash, count the seconds until you hear thunder. Every three seconds equals one kilometre. So if thunder comes right after the flash, watch out – the lightning is very close!” Every chapter ends with the satisfying closing remark of “Mystery solved!”
Kochanoff’s realistic watercolour scenes show wind turbines in an open field, frogs enjoying a rain shower, and a little girl catching snowflakes on her tongue. “Did you know?” sidebars and spot illustrations look like they have been taped into a notebook. Labelled diagrams, maps and cross sections help to explain the concepts presented.
Back matter includes a glossary of terms bolded in the text, including “Dentrite”, “Renewable Energy”, and “Transpiration”. Simple extension activities are offered, like making a rain gauge out of drinking glass and a ruler, and an experiment to test for water pollution. Somewhat limited in its usefulness is the list of six selected print references. Readers will have a hard time finding available copies because most of them are older, out of print editions. Curiously, a 2004 edition of Eyewitness Weather is recommended even though there is an updated 2016 edition in print.
Like the previous books in the series, Be a Weather Detective is an enjoyable and informative classroom resource.
Linda Ludke is a librarian in London, Ontario.