Weather and Climate Factors Science Games

4 games

In this series of games, your students will learn the difference between weather and climate, and the characteristics that affect them both. The Weather and Climate Factors learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Weather and climate are closely related, but they are not the same. Weather encompasses the atmospheric conditions of temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind occurring at a given place and time. Climate is the typical patterns of weather over a long period of time in a specific place. A region’s weather and climate are influenced by a wide variety of factors.

Higher latitudes (farther from the equator) receive less direct sunlight than lower latitudes. Mountains can affect rain shadows, and higher elevations mean lower air pressure and colder temperatures in a region. Ocean currents move warm and cool water around the world, affecting temperatures. Ocean water changes temperature more quickly than land.

Characteristics of the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide levels, affect how much heat stays in an area. Characteristics of the surface, like albedo, affect how much heat is absorbed by the ground. Plants and animals circulate oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water through the environment. Finally, Earth’s rotation causes the Coriolis effect, which affects the direction of wind and storms.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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Molecule Maker Estimated Duration: 25 minutes Play as an alien from a distant universe on a mission to discover the secrets of matter and its building structures on planet Earth. Learn about molecules and compounds, while also being able to relate these to notions in everyday life.

Molecule Shapes - Model Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Explore electron geometry and molecular geometry by building 3D models of molecules. Add lone pairs or single, double, or triple bonded atoms to a central atom, and observe how the shape and bond angles change. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Molecule Shapes - Real Molecules Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Investigate the electron and molecular geometry of real molecules. Compare the shape and bond angles to the values predicted using VSEPR theory. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Molecule Shapes: Basics - Model Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Build 3D models of molecules by adding single, double, or triple bonded atoms to a central atom. See the bond angles, and explore the molecular geometry. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Molecule Shapes: Basics - Real Molecules Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Explore the molecular geometry and bond angles of a selected list of real molecules. Note: Students will automatically move through this simulation after 10 minutes of playtime.

Build a Molecule - Single Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Starting from atoms, see how many molecules you can build. Collect your molecules and view them in 3D!

Build a Molecule - Multiple Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Starting from atoms, see how many molecules you can build. Collect your molecules and view them in 3D!

Build a Molecule - Playground Estimated Duration: 10 minutes Build your own molecule, and challenge yourself to build the biggest molecule you can. Find patterns in names of similar compounds, and compare their structures.

Matter Printer Estimated Duration: 15 minutes You are a new scientist on a spaceship, and with the help of your A.I. assistant, you will print matter to help a colony that is building on the planet below.

Basketball Master Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Shoot a basketball through the hoop and answer some questions along the way! The game does not have any instructional content, it simply has review questions spread throughout.

Galaxy Escape Estimated Duration: 20 minutes 10 Bright Monsters have been captured in space and they need your help to cross the galaxy jumping between platforms, finding them, and releasing them by correctly answering each question. Each monster that you release and unlock will be available to play with in the next level, in the search for the next monster. In your journey, you’ll be able to find power-ups, like ‘Double points’ and ‘Slow down’, which can be activated by finding gems, and their duration can be extended by correctly answering a question. Unlock and release the 10 different monsters and a spaceship along 10 different levels, while you make the most possible points.

Molecules and Compounds Estimated Duration: 5 minutes This video explains how all matter, from the air we breathe to the water we drink, is composed of atoms, the fundamental building blocks of the universe. Atoms, the smallest particles, combine to form molecules and compounds, creating the diverse substances we see. Elements, represented on the periodic table, are pure forms of matter that bond in countless ways. Molecules form when two or more atoms bond together, while compounds consist of atoms from different elements. This video explores the basics of atoms, molecules, and compounds, highlighting their impact on our universe and the limitless possibilities of chemical interactions. Understanding these basics helps us appreciate the complexity and beauty of the material world.

Weather and Climate Factors Science Games

Concepts Covered

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