NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
February 5th • Science & Communication
National Weatherperson's Day
A day to honour the hard-working scientists and presenters who predict the unpredictable—the weather. Whether they are warning us about a life-threatening hurricane or telling us why it's raining on our wedding day, meteorologists play a vital role in society. This lesson explores the accuracy of modern forecasting, the impact of climate change on our daily lives, and whether we should trust a human or a computer to tell us the forecast.
Speaking Discussion
- How much do you actually trust the daily weather forecast? Do you think technology has made it significantly more accurate in the last decade?
- Why are humans so obsessed with talking about the weather? Is it just small talk, or is it something deeper in our psychology?
- How has a completely wrong weather forecast ever affected your plans or your life in a major way? What happened?
- In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of being a professional weather presenter? Is it the complex science, or the public's reaction?
- Do you think AI and supercomputers will eventually make human meteorologists obsolete, or will we always need a human filter?
- How can we better communicate the complex probabilities of weather (e.g., a 30% chance of rain) so the general public understands them better?
- If you could live in any climate in the world (e.g., tropical, arctic, desert), where would you choose and why?
Activity 1: The forecaster Challenge
The Task: You are a Weather Presenter for a major TV station. You have to announce that a massive snowstorm is coming during the middle of summer. How do you explain this impossible event to the viewers?
from the sidebar.
Activity 2: Rapid Fire Sentences
Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.
- "The most extreme weather I have ever experienced was..."
- "I think predicting the future is..."
- "In my opinion, the most beautiful type of weather is..."