KEEPING WEATHER RECORDS

Hi Bulb Buddies! Congratulations on completing the last task! You really are Super Scientists! In this next task, we will be planning your investigation.

Planning your Investigation. Before you start any investigation it’s important to think things through before you start. Remember, we are trying to find out: ‘How changing spring temperatures are affecting flowering times in daffodil and crocus bulbs’. What will you actually do? Read-on for a little help. OK, this is how it works: You will be collecting information on clipboards (CLICK) from the living laboratory. (CLICK) You will then enter information onto the web (CLICK) (CLICK) Which will then be used by Museum Experts (CLICK) (CLICK) to answer some very important questions (CLICK) about our world (CLICK). There are lots of other schools across Wales taking part in this experiment, so this morning I’m going to train you up on how to be a scientist in this mini laboratory. Leading questions: Who can look at our information when it’s on the internet? (CLICK)

Good questions to ask when planning an investigation…. What do we expect to happen? What information should we collect? How will we collect it? What equipment will we use? How will we make it a fair test? Will there be any risks or hazards?

What information do we need to collect? Temperature? Number of leaves marked by pests? Rainfall? Number of insect pollinators? (bees or flies) Number of Elephants? Plant height? Flowering date? Number of leaves? Maximum number of Flowers? Colour of pencil?

We only need to collect… Temperature? Number of leaves marked by pests? Rainfall? Number of insect pollinators? (bees or flies) Number of Elephants? Plant height? Flowering date? Number of leaves? Maximum number of Flowers? Colour of pencil?

What equipment and units should we use for recording? Measurement Equipment Units Temperature? Rainfall? Plant height? (on flowering date) Flowering date?

Professor Plant suggests: Measurement Equipment Units Temperature: Thermometer Celsius (°C) Rainfall: Rain gauge Millimetres (mm) Plant height: (on flowering date) Ruler Flowering date: Calendar By date (01/02/06)

Recording Rules The way we collect information is very important to ensure a fair test. Please follow my recording rules. From November until March - please keep weather records. From January until April please keep flowering records.

Equipment you need to keep weather records 1 Rain gauge 1 Thermometer 1 Ruler 1 School weather chart

Making weather records From November until March, keep daily records of temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm). See your school weather chart for details. Please record in the afternoon at a regular time - that suits your class. At the end of each week log-in to the website http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/spring-bulbs/ to send your records to Professor Plant. You will need to know your class username and password.

Practice First If you can, practice making weather records: Put some water in your rain gauge. In turn, ask each person in the class to write down the measurement. Does everyone come up with the same answer. If not, why? Make sure everyone is reading accurately. Practice with the thermometer too. Send your stories and pictures to our bulb-blog and follow Professor Plant on Twitter! www.twitter.com/Professor_Plant

Study and compare (https://museum.wales/spring-bulbs/) Once you send in your data the website will create a weather chart and plot your school on the spring bulb map. Study your schools weather chart and compare it with the weather being recorded in other schools.

Keep weekly records for the chance to win a class prize!

Prize for schools in Wales includes: A free coach and a day of facilitated nature activities for one class. A winner from South Wales will visit St Fagans: National Museum of History or a winner from North Wales will visit the National Slate Museum. The Edina trust will organise prizes for winning schools taking part in the Edina extension projects. See: www.edinatrust.org.uk

To have a chance of winning: Make sure you send your weekly weather records to the website by 29th March. The winner will be announced the week of 23rd April and the trip will be arranged by 22nd May 2018. All pupils that send in their records will receive Super Scientist certificates, pencils and sunflower seeds. Important: If for some reason you can’t send in your data please contact Professor Plant: scan@nmgw.ac.uk

Hopefully, you now understand: How to record the weather. The equipment you must use. The methods for collecting information. Congratulations on completing this task! You really are Super Scientists!