Gary's Favorite Weather Books
These are the books which you can catch a glimpse of on the set in
the studio, the titles of which you can read on the spines during the telecasts!
They range from teacher resources to trade books for students. Have you got a
favorite book you'd like to share? Drop me some e-mail and let me know, and we'll
share your ideas!
Bohren, Craig F. Clouds in a Glass of Beer - Simple
experiments in Atmospheric Physics. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1987.
- Bohren, Craig F. What Light Through Yonder Window
Breaks? - More experiments in Atmospheric Physics. John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., 1991.
These two books are interesting teacher reading. The text (as
you might guess from the titles!) is very readable and the activities clever
and thought provoking. Are you interested in dabbling a bit further in the physics
of weather on your own? - try these books:
Braus, Judy, Ed. Ranger Rick's NatureScope: Wild About
Weather. National Wildlife Federation, 1988.
I have not yet found a Naturescope guide that I didn't like.
This one is great and for the money it is one of your best values. The activities
extend across a range of grade levels and the reproducible masters are very
good. There's a lot packed in these 60 or so pages.
Cosgrove, Brian. Eyewitness Books - Weather. Dorling
Kindersley, 1987.
As we have mentioned before, the Eyewitness Books are wonderful.
They combine eye-catching graphics with concise text to create an engaging taste
of science. Many of the concepts illustrated in this book reinforce and extend
concepts from the TEAMS Science Weather module. The antique weather instruments
depicted illustrate weather concepts often more clearly than modern "black box"
instruments where the working parts cannot be seen.
Farndon, John. Dictionary of the Earth. Dorling
Kindersley Publishing, Inc., 1994.
This is a great reference for both teachers and students. The
entries are arranged thematically and include wonderful illustrations and photos
which nicely present the concepts. I use this book quite a bit.
Farndon, John. How the Earth Works. The Reader's
Digest Association, Inc., 1992.
Can you tell I like these "How the ______ Works" books? They
include great photos and illustrations, often of kids doing the activities.
The books include clear explanations and interesting things to try. As you (kids
or adults) flip through this book you will certainly be motivated to try some
of the activities.
Forrester, Frank H. 1001 Questions Answered About the
Weather. Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.
This is a handy reference for a variety of weather questions
which are arranged in topical groups for easy reference. Within the topics there
are questions posed and answered in an easy to read, concise manner.
Freier, George D. PhD. Weather Proverbs. Fisher
Books, 1992.
Although I have only just browsed this book, it is a fascinating
reference. The book explores how some 600 entries can be used to accurately
explain and predict the weather. You'll want to pick this book up often and
browse through the sayings, proverbs and explanations.
Lee, Albert. Weather Wisdom - Facts and Folklore of Weather
Forecasting. Congdon and Weed, Inc., 1976.
This is one of my favorite weather books. A wide range of weather
folklore is explored to determine if it is based on science or superstition.
The results are often surprising. Along the way you'll come to understand the
workings of weather much better.
VanCleve, Janice. Earth Science for Every Kid.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1991.
Like other books in the "..for Every Kid" series, this book
is great for upper elementary school kids. Although it covers earth science
in general, it includes a number of good weather investigations. It includes
descriptions of activities using everyday materials. The descriptions of what
is going on are short and clear.
Williams, Jack. The Weather Book. Vintage Books
(Random House), 1992.
Although this book may have been written to adults, the graphics
are so valuable that kids will enjoy this book a great deal as well. Produced
by the folks at USA Today, it's worth looking for.
Wyatt, Valerie. Weatherwatch. Addison-Wesley Publiching
Company, Inc., 1990.
This is a nice kids paperback. The text is humorous and inviting
with engaging illustrations. Includes factual information and background presented
within the context of hands-on activities.
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