Name Date CHAPTER

Concept Map

Changes in Weather
Complete the concept map with information that you
learned about the events in the water cycle. Some
information has been written for you.

1. The Sun
heats
water, causing it to
evaporate
from Earth’s lakes,
rivers, and oceans.

2. When water 5. Precipitation,

evaporates, it forms such as rain,
tiny drops called
snow ,
water vapor , or sleet, falls into
The Water Cycle
which cannot be Earth’s
seen.
oceans, rivers, and

lakes .

3. Water vapor 4. Clouds form

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

when water vapor

rises
into the condenses
around tiny
atmosphere .
dust
particles in the air.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather

Reading and Writing
125
 LESSON Name Date
Outline

Weather
Use your textbook to help you fill in the blanks below.

What is weather?

1. Weather is what the air is like in the

lowest layer of the atmosphere at a certain time and
place.

2. Air is a(n) gas that takes up space and

can move things.

3. The air that surrounds Earth makes up part of

the atmosphere .

4. Earth’s atmosphere consists of layers of gases

and some dust .

5. The measure of how hot or cold something is can be

found by taking its temperature .

How can you describe the weather?

6. Weather is described in terms of amounts of

precipitation and wind , as well as
air pressure
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

and air temperature.

7. Water that falls from the atmosphere to the

ground is called precipitation.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 1

126 Reading and Writing Weather
 Name Date LESSON
Outline

8. Two forms of precipitation are rain

and snow .

9. Air that moves is called wind .

10. The weight of air pressing down on Earth is

called air pressure .

How do we predict weather?

11. Scientists collect data about the atmosphere by

using weather balloons .

12. To observe weather from above Earth, satellites

are used.

13. Data from maps , balloons, and satellites

are used to predict weather.

Critical Thinking

14. What information would you need to collect to

describe the weather in your town every day
for a week?
Possible answer: I would need to know the temperature every
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

day. I would also need to know the air pressure, the wind speed,

and the wind direction. I would have to note any precipitation

and record it as rain, hail, sleet, or snow.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 1

Reading and Writing Weather
127
LESSON Name Date
Vocabulary

Weather
Match each word from the box to its definition.

a. atmosphere c. precipitation e. temperature g. weather

b. hail d. sleet f. thermometer h. wind

1. d a type of precipitation that involves mixed states

of matter

2. c water that falls to the ground from the atmosphere

3. e the measure of how hot or cold something is

4. g what air is like at a certain time and place

5. a the layers of gases and tiny bits of dust that

surround Earth

6. b lumps of ice that fall during a thunderstorm

7. f a tool that measures temperature

8. h moving air
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 1

128 Reading and Writing Weather
 Name Date LESSON
Cloze Activity

Weather
Use the words in the box to fill in the blanks below.

air pressure moves speed weight

atmosphere precipitation temperature wind
direction rain thermometer

Weather forms in the lowest layer of gases that

surround Earth. This layer makes up part of Earth’s

atmosphere . Scientists use a tool called a(n)
thermometer to measure the temperature of

air. Air takes up space and has weight . The

weight of air as it presses down on Earth is called

air pressure .

Air also moves . This movement is called

wind . There are tools that measure the
direction and speed of wind.
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Occasionally, precipitation falls from the

atmosphere to Earth. Precipitation may be in the form

of sleet, snow, or rain . These are all

different forms of water.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 1

Reading and Writing Weather
129
 LESSON Name Date
Outline

The Water Cycle

Use your textbook to help you fill in the blanks below.

What are clouds?

1. A collection of tiny drops of water or ice that can be

seen in the air is a(n) cloud .

2. Low, flat layers of clouds covering most of the sky

are stratus clouds.

3. On a sunny day, it is possible to see white, puffy

clouds with flat bottoms, or cumulus clouds.

How do clouds form?

4. A stratus cloud that forms near the ground is fog .

5. Liquid water evaporates and becomes a(n)

gas when the Sun shines on it.

What is the water cycle?

6. The path that water takes between Earth’s

surface and the atmosphere is called the

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

water cycle.

7. The Sun causes the evaporation of water by

heating it.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 2

130 Reading and Writing The Water Cycle
 Name Date LESSON
Outline

8. Clouds form as water condenses on tiny specks of dust

in the air and returns to Earth as precipitation ,

continuing the cycle.

What are some kinds of severe weather?

9. A storm that forms over an ocean and brings heavy

rain and strong winds is a(n) hurricane .

10. A powerful storm shaped like a tall funnel that forms

over land is a(n) tornado .

11. A blizzard has strong winds, snow, and cold temperatures .

How can you stay safe in severe weather?

12. During most severe storms, stay inside

a building. During a tornado, go to a(n) basement

or lie flat in a(n) low place .

Critical Thinking

13. How are clouds related to the water cycle

and storms?
Clouds form as part of the water cycle. Heat from the Sun
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

causes water to evaporate from Earth’s surface. Water vapor

rises and condenses around pieces of dust, forming clouds. The

water that falls from clouds may be part of a thunderstorm,

blizzard, or hurricane.
Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 2
Reading and Writing The Water Cycle
131
LESSON Name Date
Vocabulary

The Water Cycle

What am I?

Choose a word from the box below that answers each

question. Write its letter in the space provided.

a. cloud d. hurricane g. water cycle

b. cumulus clouds e. stratus clouds
c. evaporation f. tornado

1. I am white and puffy with a flat bottom. What am I? b

2. I form over the ocean and come with strong winds

and heavy rain. What am I? d

3. I form when water vapor rises and cools around tiny

dust particles. What am I? a

4. I have a long funnel and cause damage on land.

What am I? f

5. I am made of low, flat layers of clouds. What am I? e

6. I am the path that water takes from Earth to the

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

atmosphere and back again. What am I? g

7. I am the process by which a liquid changes to a gas.

What am I? c

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 2

132 Reading and Writing The Water Cycle
 Name Date LESSON
Cloze Activity

The Water Cycle

Use the words in the box to fill in the blanks below.

clouds precipitation water cycle

dust Sun water vapor
evaporation tornado

Every day, water moves from Earth to the

atmosphere and back again. This process is called the

water cycle . During the water cycle, the
Sun heats water on Earth’s surface. This

causes the evaporation of water, changing it to

a gas. The water vapor rises and condenses

around dust particles in the atmosphere,

forming clouds . Water that falls from

clouds is precipitation .

Hurricanes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

blizzards are all types of severe weather. During a(n)

tornado
, it is best to find shelter in a

basement or to lie flat in a low area. People must be

aware of the dangers of extreme weather.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 2

Reading and Writing The Water Cycle
133
 LESSON Name Date
Outline

Climate and Seasons

Use your textbook to help you fill in the blanks below.

What is climate?

1. Every day, the weather changes.

2. The pattern of weather in a certain place over a long

time is its climate .

3. The climate of a certain place is described by

its average temperature and amount of precipitation .

4. Earth is shaped like a ball, or a(n) sphere .

5. Earth spins around its axis , a(n) line

through the center of a spinning object.

6. Earth’s axis is tilted slightly.

7. Places on Earth with warm climates are

hit directly by the Sun’s rays.

8. When the Sun’s rays strike Earth at a(n) slant ,

energy is spread out more, so the areas that receive
these rays have colder climates.

What affects climate?

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

9. The climate becomes colder in areas that

are high in the atmosphere.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 3

136 Reading and Writing Climate and Seasons
 Name Date LESSON
Outline

10. Mountains next to an ocean can block moist air from

going inland and force that air upward ,

causing precipitation.

11. On the ocean side of a mountain, the climate is often

wet , and on its opposite side, the

climate is often dry .

What are seasons?

12. Times of year with different weather patterns

are seasons .

13. The four seasons are summer , fall ,

winter, and spring.

Critical Thinking

14. How are climate and weather different?

Weather is what the air is like at a certain time and place.

Weather changes from day to day. Climate is the pattern of

weather in a certain place over a long time. Climate does not

change every day.

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 3

Reading and Writing Climate and Seasons
137
LESSON Name Date
Vocabulary

Climate and Seasons

Match the word with its definition.

a. axis c. mountain e. seasons g. sphere

b. climate d. ocean f. slant h. weather

1. f the direction in which the Sun’s rays strike Earth,

causing energy to be spread out

2. b the pattern of weather in a certain place over a

long time

3. g the shape of Earth

4. e times of the year with different weather patterns

5. d a landform that keeps the air temperature of nearby

land from becoming too hot or cold, producing a
milder climate

6. a the real or imaginary line through the center of a

spinning object

7. c affects how wet a climate is by blocking moist

air from some places

8. h changes every day

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 3

138 Reading and Writing Climate and Seasons
 Name Date LESSON
Cloze Activity

Climate and Seasons

Use the words in the box to fill in the blanks below.

axis milder slant

climate ocean temperatures
colder precipitation warmer

Weather changes every day. The climate

stays the same. The yearly temperatures and

precipitation of an area describe the climate.

The Sun also affects climate. Earth spins on a slightly

tilted axis . Because of this, the Sun’s

rays strike some places on Earth directly. These places

get much more of the Sun’s energy and have

warmer climates. In other places, the Sun’s

rays strike an area on a(n) slant . These

areas get less of the Sun’s energy, so the climate is

colder . Land that is near a(n) ocean
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

or large lake has a(n) milder climate. Land

on the far side of mountains near an ocean tends

to be dry.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 3

Reading and Writing Climate and Seasons
139
 Name Date Chapter
Test A

Changes in Weather
Write the word or words that best complete each sentence
in the spaces below. Words may be used only once.

atmosphere hurricane sphere weather

axis precipitation tornado
clouds season water cycle

1. Water that falls to the ground from the

atmosphere is called precipitation .

2. What the air is like at a certain time and place is

the weather .

3. The layers of gases and tiny bits of dust that

surround Earth are called the atmosphere .

4. The path water takes between Earth’s surface and

the atmosphere is called the water cycle .

5. Earth is shaped like a ball called a(n) sphere .

6. A(n) hurricane is a storm with strong

winds and heavy rains that forms over the ocean.

7. Cirrus, cumulus, and stratus are all types of clouds .

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

8. Winter is the coldest season of the year.

9. Earth spins on its axis .

10. A(n) tornado is a powerful storm that

forms over land.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Chapter 7

Assessment
81
 Chapter Name Date
Test A

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

11. All of the following are 13. Which is the warmest
examples of precipitation season of the year?
except A winter
A hail. B spring
B rain. C summer
C lightning. D fall
D snow.
14. What powers the water
12. What is the term used for cycle?
the weight of air pushing A the Sun
down on Earth?
B the Moon
A temperature C Earth’s rotation
B air pressure D wind speed
C humidity
D wind 15. A storm that buries cars
and buildings in snow is a
A blizzard.
B hurricane.
C tornado.
D flood.
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Chapter 7

82 Assessment
 Name Date Lesson 1
Test

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

1. What is the measure of 3. What is a tool for
how hot or how cold measuring wind speed
something is? called?
A boiling point A barometer
B air pressure B weather vane
C thermometer C thermometer
D temperature D anemometer

2. What is the freezing point 4. Which of the following

of water? is not a form of
precipitation?
A 12°F
B 10°F A snow
C 32°F B sleet
D 0°F C hail
D wind

Critical Thinking Study the chart below. Which city

might be best for building a snowman? Why?

Average Average Yearly

City Temperature
Precipitation
in January
Albany, NY 22.2°F 38.6 inches
Austin, TX 50.2°F 33.65 inches
Denver, CO 26.1°F 8.99 inches
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Reno, NV 33.6°F 7.48 inches

Albany might be the best because its average temperature

is below freezing in January and gets the most precipitation.

Denver’s average is also below freezing, but it gets less

precipitation.
Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 1
Assessment Weather
85
 Lesson 2 Name Date
Test

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

1. Stratus clouds that form 3. What is condensation?
near the ground are called A a type of cloud
A steam. B changing of a gas
B water vapor. to a liquid
C fog. C the path water takes
D cumulus clouds. D changing of a liquid
to a gas
2. What is water vapor?
4. What is another name for
A water in its gaseous
white, puffy clouds with
form
flat bottoms?
B heated water
C water in its liquid form A stratus clouds
D cooled water B fog
C cirrus clouds
D cumulus clouds

Critical Thinking What role does condensation

play in the water cycle, and how is this role
important?
Condensation causes clouds to form when water droplets collect

on dust. Without clouds, rain would not fall and Earth would run

out of water, ending the water cycle.

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 2

86 Assessment The Water Cycle
 Name Date Lesson 3
Test

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

1. The pattern of weather 3. Which describes climate?
at a certain place over a A temperature and
period of time is called its precipitation
A temperature. B precipitation and
B climate. seasons
C precipitation. C seasons and
D seasons. temperature
D snow and sun
2. What happens to places
on Earth where the Sun’s 4. Which city is most likely to
rays strike at an angle? be the coldest?
A They are rainy. City Elevation
B They are dry. Austin, TX 501 feet
C They are warmer.
Billings, MT 3,124 feet
D They are cooler.
Cheyenne, WY 6,067 feet
New Orleans, LA 11 feet

A Austin, TX
B Billings, MT
C Cheyenne, WY
D New Orleans, LA

Critical Thinking Imagine you are traveling east

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

from the Pacific Ocean and you have just crossed

over a mountain range. What do you think the
climate will be like on the eastern side of the
mountains? Why?
The climate will be dry, because the mountains will block the

moist ocean air and rain clouds.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Lesson 3

Assessment Climate and Seasons
87
 Chapter Name Date
Test B

Changes in Weather
Write the word or words that best complete each sentence
in the spaces below. Words may be used only once.

atmosphere hurricane sphere weather

blizzard precipitation tornado
cloud seasons water cycle

1. A(n) cloud is a collection of tiny water

drops or ice crystals in the air.

2. Snow, sleet, and rain are examples of precipitation .

3. A(n) sphere has a ball-like shape.

4. The air temperature is one characteristic of weather .

5. Water moves from Earth’s surface into the atmosphere

and back again in a process called the water cycle .

6. Times of the year with different weather patterns

are seasons .

7. A(n) blizzard is a long, severe snowstorm.

8. The air that surrounds Earth is part of the atmosphere .

9. A funnel cloud is a distinct characteristic of a(n)

© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

tornado
.

10. When a(n) hurricane moves from the

ocean onto land, its strong winds and heavy rains
can cause severe damage.

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Chapter 7

88 Assessment
 Name Date Chapter
Test B

Circle the letter of the best answer for each question.

11. Where do hurricanes form? 14. Which of the following
affects climate?
A over land
B over mountains A sand and rocks
C over oceans B windsocks and air
D over lakes C weather vanes and
balloons
12. Which of these tools D oceans and mountains
measures air pressure?
15. A powerful storm that
A an anemometer
forms over land and looks
B a rain guage
like a funnel is a
C a weather vane
A hurricane.
D a barometer
B twister.
13. What is precipitation? C tornado.
D blizzard.
A a collection of tiny water
drops seen in the air
B water that falls to
the ground from the
atmosphere
C layers of gases and dust
that surround Earth
D the measurement of how
hot or cold something is
© Macmillan/McGraw-Hill

Chapter 7 • Changes in Weather Use with Chapter 7

Assessment
89