HANDS ON OROGENICS USING THE CASCADES AS A MODEL

Each Pair of students follows this demonstration with their own set of materials.

Using cheap materials, I found a way to teach almost anybody how orogenics involving relative humidity and dew point work. I use clear plastic cups of different sizes representing bodies of air, Styrofoam balls out of a bean bag chair, representing water vapor molecules, a can of compressed air, a bike pump, and a paper bag to collect "precipitation!" Included, in the activity, when we reach the LCL is a fun activity making a cloud in a bottle. This idea has been adopted by the American Meteorological society as one of their Datastreme activities, although they do it a bit differently. I came up with the idea when about 80% of my students failed the quiz on the idea, and in just one period, using this method, the scores reversed with 80% maxing the quiz. Simple, fun, and as the students follow my demonstration at their tables, it sinks in.