How a Weather Forecast Is Made, Order the Steps

Watch or read a forecast together and ask your child which tool or pattern the forecaster used. Then look out the window and see which clues from the sort page you can spot today.

Read how forecasters gather measurements and look for patterns, then order the 5 forecast steps. A measurement is a number that tells how much, such as how warm it is. The directions on the page read: Read the passage. Look for the words that tell the order of the steps. Then, turn the page and fill in the flow chart. On page 2: Write the steps from the Step Bank in boxes 1 to 5 in order. Then, circle the letter of the best answer for question 6 and write the answers to questions 7 and 8 on the lines. The answer key covers the questions on page 2.

Yes, both. We made it for 3rd Grade weather and climate, and the page works the same whether it lands on a kitchen table or a center rotation. At home, most families go through it together and talk the answers out loud, and that talking is where most of the learning happens with weather forecasting. In class it runs well as independent work while you pull a small group. Print one copy or thirty, whichever the day needs.

Weather forecasting teaches students how scientists use tools and data to make predictions about upcoming weather conditions. Third graders learn to identify common weather instruments, understand what each measures, and interpret basic forecast symbols and charts. It bridges everyday weather observation with the systematic process of scientific prediction.

Weather forecasting is typically introduced in Grade 3 earth science alongside weather patterns and reading weather data. At ages 8-9, students are curious about real-world applications of science, and meteorology is a concrete, relatable example. The topic often pairs with hands-on activities like building simple weather instruments.

Watch a TV weather forecast or open a weather app together and challenge your child to explain what the symbols and numbers mean using what they learned on the worksheets. The instrument identification activities are straightforward for independent work, while the forecast interpretation activities benefit from a quick conversation. Making the connection to real forecasts your child sees every day cements the vocabulary.

3 printable worksheets, all free to preview. Downloads are included with a ClassWeekly free trial, and every page prints on standard 8.5 x 11 paper.

These are written for 3rd Grade students, roughly ages 8-9. Many teachers also use them a grade up for review or a grade down as an extension, so use the preview to judge the fit for a particular child.

Yes. Each one shows the NGSS code it covers on its own page, so you can check the alignment yourself rather than taking our word for it.