{"id":1584,"date":"2018-01-25T16:23:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-25T16:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/meteorology\/?page_id=1584"},"modified":"2025-07-03T14:44:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T13:44:18","slug":"resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/meteorology\/research\/opportunities\/engagement-and-outreach\/resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

Year 10 Meteorology Day<\/a> | Radiosonde balloon\u00a0data<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0slides<\/a>\u00a0(2013)<\/p>\n

University of Reading Atmospheric Observatory<\/a><\/p>\n

Key Stage 3\/4 resources for environmental physics and storm research<\/a><\/p>\n

Year 3 schools weather activities (Robin Hogan)<\/a><\/p>\n

IPCC climate science updates for teachers<\/a> | Modelling Climate Change<\/a> | Links<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn about our\u00a0undergraduate courses<\/a>\u00a0including the new\u00a0BSc Physics of the Environment<\/a> (further information<\/a>)<\/p>\n

OPENER – opening up science for all<\/a> – a new NERC Public Engagement project<\/a> led by the University of Reading<\/p>\n

Unfortunately the Work Experience Programme is currently not running<\/p>\n

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How do we predict weather and climate?<\/h3>\n

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\nThe resources below were developed for an Open Day for Key Stage 3\/4 pupils during National Science and Engineering Week 2009. You can download follow-up activity sheets below and also look at\u00a0radiosonde balloon<\/a>\u00a0launch\u00a0data<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0slides<\/a>\u00a0from 2013.<\/p>\n

Classroom activities:<\/h4>\n

Meteorological observations<\/a><\/p>\n

In this activity students learn how vital observations are to understand and the predict the weather. Students learn about surface observations and measurements taken from weather balloons that give scientists information about the vertical structure of the atmosphere. <\/a><\/p>\n

Density currents<\/a><\/p>\n

In this activity, students observed and measured the properties of density currents. The aim of the activity was to teach students how fluids of differing densities interact with one another and to learn how the density of fluids can be changed.<\/p>\n

The Richardson forecast factory<\/a><\/p>\n

During a Department open day in March 2009, students were asked to imagine themselves as \u2018human computers\u2019 in a vast forecast factory. This idea was originally conceived by one of the pioneers of numerical weather forecasting, Lewis Fry Richardson. Today, most weather forecasts run along similar lines, although the computers are digital and housed in large supercomputing centres. <\/a><\/p>\n

The aim of the activity was to introduce students to the ways in which numerical weather forecasts are made using a very simple, advection equation. The real, forecasting equations are much more complex and harder to solve.<\/p>\n

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The Reading University Meteorology Observatory<\/h3>\n

The Meteorology Department Recently held a staff lunch on the Atmospheric Observatory site to celebrate the recent complete refurbishment of the Observatory site and buildings.<\/p>\n

<\/a>The Atmospheric Observatory was established at its current site on Whiteknights Campus in 1968 where continuous measurements have since been gathered daily. The site is used for routine weather observations but also increasingly for a range of research instrumentation, both for continuous monitoring and portable equipment testing for both Meteorology Department staff and collaborators from other organisations (see recent material on\u00a0Observatory<\/a>). The site is also used extensively for teaching and outreach events.<\/p>\n

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\nThe site was badly in need of repair and refurbishment by 2011, with regular flooding of the area and buildings and insufficient space for student projects. Work was started in summer of 2012 involving demolishing old buildings and building a new base and drainage for 2 new huts giving expanded work space and improved power and data connectivity including wireless across the whole site, along with extensive replacement of many of the instrument mounts. The Observatory was back in regular use early in 2013. The department is very grateful for support from the Facilities Management directorate as well as the Science Faculty for supporting the refurbishment costs, as well as the tireless efforts of the Technicians team who had to prepare and oversee the building works and get everything back into working order afterwards. With new research instruments currently being installed such as a cloud LIDAR, and plans for a larger instrument development program as part of the University’s new Environmental Physics degree (from 2014) the Observatory now has a great future ahead.<\/p>\n

See real-time measurements from our Observatory<\/a><\/p>\n

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Environmental Physics Degree<\/h3>\n

Some powerpoint slides outlining our\u00a0Physics of the Environment Degree<\/a>:
\nGeneral Information<\/a>
\nCareers slides<\/a><\/p>\n

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DIAMET schools\u00a0KS3\/4 resources<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/a>DIAMET is an atmospheric sciences research project involving the University of Reading and other UK Universities in partnership with the Met Office and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. A variety of\u00a0resources and activities<\/a>\u00a0have been produced by the project that are suitable for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 science. The resources all make use of DIAMET research, weather forecasting and our atmosphere as engaging contexts for learning.<\/a><\/p>\n

Modelling Climate Change<\/h3>\n

The\u00a0Walker Institute<\/a>\u00a0has prepared a booklet on\u00a0Modelling Climate Change<\/a>\u00a0as part of the “Innovations in Practical Work” series published by the Gatsby Science Enhancement Programme (SEP).<\/p>\n

This includes activity sheets, powerpoint presentations and computer spreadsheets which include practical experiments, simple examples of\u00a0climate modelling, and analysis of observed data and is aimed at ages 14-19.\u00a0Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n

See also these examples of high resolution climate simulations by Pier Luigi Vidale<\/a> on behalf of a University of Reading \/ NCAS \/ Met Office (HRCM\/JCWRP\/NERC)\u00a0collaboration:<\/p>\n