Do Now:

1. Print this file and Image 1, but also remain connected or log-on again to complete the Investigation.
2. Print the Weekly Water News file if you have not already done so. (Note: check the WES website during the week in the event that new water news stories have been added.)

To Do Investigation:

1. Read Chapter 2 in the Water in the Earth System (WES) text and respond to the Chapter Progress Questions in the WES Investigation Manual.
2. Go to the WES Investigation Manual to begin Investigation 2B.
3. Return here (Thursday Investigation 2B File) when instructed to do so.

WELCOME BACK: Procedure continued from Investigation Manual, Investigation 2B.

In this portion of our investigation we take a closer look at the distinction between maritime and continental climates by comparing air temperature regimes at coastal and inland locations. Places immediately downwind of the ocean experience relatively little variation in average air temperature between summer and winter; these localities have maritime climates. Places located well inland from the ocean or coastal locations where the prevailing wind is offshore exhibit less of a maritime influence and experience much greater variation in average air temperature between summer and winter; these localities have continental climates.

Image 1 shows the variation in daily mean maximum temperature through the course of the year at Brunswick, ME. Also plotted are the daily extremes, that is, the highest and lowest maximum temperatures. All temperatures are given in °F. Months are labeled along the horizontal axis marking the first day of each month.

8. At Brunswick, the daily mean maximum temperature is highest in [(mid to late July)(mid August)] and lowest in [(mid January)(late February)]. The warmest afternoons of the year occur on average about [(1)(2)(3)] month(s) after the time of peak solar radiation (about 21 June). The lowest daily mean maximum temperature occurs on average about [(1)(2)(3)] month(s) after the time of least intense solar radiation (about 21 December).

9. At Brunswick, the range in daily mean maximum temperature between July and January is about [(10)(30)(50)] Fahrenheit degrees.

10. Refer back to the "Annual Temperature Curves for Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN and Astoria, OR" that you just examined in questions 6 and 7 of your DataStreme WES Investigations Manual (page 2B-4). Plotted are mean monthly temperatures for Astoria, which has a maritime climate, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, which has a continental climate. The range in daily mean maximum temperatures over the year at Brunswick, ME is closer in value to the annual range in mean monthly temperatures at [(Minneapolis/St. Paul)(Astoria)].

11. The degree of maritime influence on climate can be measured as the difference between the July and January daily mean maximum temperature. Both Brunswick and Astoria are coastal communities. Yet our analysis of daily mean maximum temperature indicates that the climate of Brunswick is much more [(maritime)(continental)] than the climate of Astoria. The summer to winter temperature contrast is greater at [(Brunswick)(Astoria)] because prevailing winds (blowing from west to east) are directed [(onshore)(offshore)] at Brunswick and [(onshore)(offshore)] at Astoria.

12. Go to the DataStreme WES website, Atmospheric Information section, and click on "U.S. Climatology." Point and click on your home state. Then click on the climate station closest to where you live and print the climate plots. This station is ____________________. Examine the plots of the annual variation in mean maximum temperature. The difference between the highest and lowest daily mean maximum temperatures is _______ Fahrenheit degrees. Plot with an "×" this temperature difference on the scale below that represents the maritime influence on climate decreasing from left to right. For comparison, values for Astoria, Brunswick, and Minneapolis/Saint Paul are already plotted.

13. Describe in your own words the extent of maritime influence on the seasonal contrast in temperature at the station you selected compared to Astoria, Brunswick, and Minneapolis. (Note: if your station differs greatly in latitude or elevation from these, the range may not reflect only the maritime influence.)
    
    
    
    
    

Self-Assessment Revisited: Respond to the statements below. Compare your responses now with those you made at the beginning of the investigation. Has learning taken place?

Professional Practice Transfer:

Driving Question: State an additional Driving Question appropriate to your classroom that you have conceived as the result of conducting this Investigation.

Implementation: Describe how you would use what you have learned in this investigation to implement inquiry-based learning experiences for your students.

Place the answers to questions from Investigations 2A and 2B on the Investigations Response Form linked from the DataStreme WES website.

Faxing Instructions: After completing this week's investigations, fax the following pages to your LIT mentor by Monday, 6 February 2006, or as coordinated with your mentor:

1. Chapter 2 Chapter Progress Response Form from the DataStreme WES Investigation Manual, or the DataStreme WES website
2. Activities 2A and 2B Investigations Response Form , from the DataStreme WES website

You may also wish to fax the Investigation 2A plot of air-water temperature differences to your mentor if you have questions.

Back to DataStreme WES website

©Copyright 2006, American Meteorological Society