Plot Your Season

Farmers depend on the weather. They need to keep track of rainfall patterns on their farm. Things can be very different a short distance away. This is true in the city too. It can be raining on the coast but dry in other suburbs.

Get to know the weather at your school.
Make your own rain gauge or buy one from the local hardware store.

To make your own rain gauge

1. Get a straight sided container (eg a peanut paste jar).
2. Take a ruler and a waterproof texta.
3. Make marks from the bottom of the jar for every 5 millimeters (mm).

Find a safe spot in the open to place your rain gauge - away from buildings and trees.

Make a chart for recording the rainfall at your school until the end of November.

use this example to create your own rainfall chart

1. Choose a convenient day every week (eg Friday) and always check your rain gauge on that same day. Record the amount of rainfall for the last week, empty the rain gauge and add the data to your chart.
2. Compare your figures with those given for your area in the newspaper. Are your results different? Why might that be?