Category Archives: Backyard Science

Simple observations or experiments you can do in your backyard or at your school.

Hail and Thunderstorm Updraft Strength

This blog was written just before departing for the GLOBE Learning Expedition meeting in South Africa. I’ll be posting some additional blogs about the meeting in the coming weeks. In the meantime, after you read this blog, check out the … Continue reading

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science | 2 Comments

“Fropas”

One of the most exciting weather phenomena is the passage of a front, called a “Fropas” (FROH-pah) by meteorologists. Especially a strong cold front. A front is simply the boundary between a large mass of cold air and a large … Continue reading

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science, GLOBE Protocols | Leave a comment

Watching Clouds

In the last blog, I looked down – at a puddle. But most of the time, I look up: to see what birds are overhead, and to watch clouds. Figure 1. Picture of fair-weather cumulus clouds east of Beloit, Wisconsin, … Continue reading

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Part 5. Postscript to Missouri Puddles Blog

(If you are interested in the Pole to Pole videoconference, just scroll down – it’s just below this one. I’m finishing up the puddles blog so that I can write a blog or two on inquiry, using the puddles as … Continue reading

Posted in Backyard Science, General Science, Hydrology, Watersheds | Leave a comment

Puddles and Soil Temperature, Part 4: Cool soil in the summertime

During the summer, abundant sunshine during the long days heats up the ground near the surface. I’ve seen surface temperatures on dry ground up to 50°C in the south-central Great Plains of the United States. If you’ve dug a hole … Continue reading

Posted in Atmosphere, Backyard Science, Hydrology, Land Cover, Soil | 1 Comment