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Practical 1

Clouds and Weather

Cloud

Clouds are formed when water vapour in air becomes saturated due to adiabatic cooling.
They are classified on the basis of shape, appearance and height of formation. There are
three main classifications of clouds based on their altitudes:

1. High ( from 5 to 13 kilometres in the sky)

a. Cirrus
b. Cirrocumulus
c. Cirrostratus

2. Middle ( 2 to 7 kilometres)

a. Altocumulus
b. Altostratus
c. Nimbostratus

3. Low ( 0 to 2 kilometres)

a. Stratocumulus
b. Stratus
c. Cumulus
d. Cumulonimbus

By studying clouds you may be able to find out about the weather on a certain day. You can
also study about their patterns and thus organise your activity effectively.

Procedure:

 Find out more about clouds from any textbooks or internet.


 Choose a suitable location and observe the types of clouds available in that area
for a period of two weeks. You are to make your observation at a fixed time
everyday.
 Record your observations including any climatic changes (including whether it
rains or not)
 Analyse and interpret your data.
 Write your report including photographs, tables, charts, references etc. to support
your discussion.
 By using power point, present your findings in class.
 What are the implications of your findings to your daily live? Explain.

Assessment Requirement

1. Introduction that includes the location, date, time and duration of observation,
what is observed and how data are collected.
2. Observation data (pictures of the clouds, temperature, humidity etc.)
3. Analysis and interpretation of data that are related to research on the subject
discussed.

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Practical 2

Identifying Rocks

Rocks are classified into three different types: igneous rock, sedimentary rock and
metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed by the cooling and formation of magma;
sedimentary rock is formed by precipitation of materials in the sea, river or lake or by
deposition of minerals particles transported by water, wind or ice. Igneous and sedimentary
rocks will in turn change into metamorphic rocks when exposed to high temperature or
pressure or both.

In the following practical, you are required to classify the different types of rocks available in
your own neighbourhood.

Procedures:

1. Bring rock samples from your neighbourhood.


2. Discuss the differences in the rocks by using Table 1 below.
3. You are able to find the densities of the rocks using the mass/volume relationship.
4. From the data you collected find out if you could name the rocks
5. You can also include other techniques to classify or name the rocks.

Types of Colour mass volume sheen hardness layers texture pattern


rocks

Table 1

Assessment Requirement

1. Introduction that includes some information and useful data on rocks.


2. Observation data and some sample calculations.
3. Analysis and interpretation of data.
Practical 3
The Rising of the Sun

We have been taught the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. But does the sun rise at
the same position and at the same time everyday of the year? How fast does the sun rise
everyday? What does it mean when the position and time of rise of the sun changes
everyday? What makes these changes to occur? In this practical you will observe the rising
of the sun to answer the questions above and discover about the effects of the relative
movement of the sun around the earth.

Procedure2
 Find a suitable place to observe sunrise for a period of time over two weeks.

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 Draw a sketch of the landscape that you are observing.
 Record your naked-eye observation (sketches on the movement of the sun, azimuth,
altitude, time etc).
 Analyse and interpret data.
 Write a report of your field observation with tables, charts or diagrams as appropriate
and relate your data with research on the relative movement of the sun around the earth
and its effect on earth.

Assessment Requirement

1. Introduction that includes the location, date, time and duration of observation,
what is observed and how data are collected.
2. Observation data (sketches on the movement of the sun, azimuth, altitude, time
etc).
3. Analysis and interpretation of data that related to research on the relative
movement of the sun around the earth.
4. Implications of the movement of the sun around the earth.

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Practical 4

Movement of the Stars/Moon Phases

Sometimes when we look up the sky, we see some stars. Have you wondered what those
stars are or whether the stars stay at the same position the whole night? What about the
next night, will the same star be at the same position at the same time? Do we see the same
stars all the year round? What does the movement of the stars tell us about the movement of
the earth?

We are familiar with the moon. We usually see them at night. But we sometimes see the
moon in the morning as well. When do we see the moon at night and when during the day?
How is moon rise and moon set related to the phases of the moon and the position of the
moon relative to the earth and sun?

In this practical you can choose to observe the movement of the stars or the moon and
answer the questions above.

Procedure
 Research on the night sky to prepare for field night (rising and setting time,
magnitude, moon phase, altitude, azimuth, star chart, extra objects, pathfinders,
special events).
 Use computer programs to identify the stars or positions of moon for viewing.
 Identify at least two stars that are close to one another or a constellation viewable
at night.
 Observe the stars/constellation/moon over a period of time for two weeks.
 Record naked-eye observations during the field night (star/constellation/moon
movements, sketches, hand and fist observations using azimuth and altitude,
location of South and/or North etc).
 Display use of telescopes and/or binoculars on the field night (sketches of
objects).

Assessment Requirement

1. Introduction that includes the location, date, time and duration of observation,
what is observed and how data are collected.
Research data in preparation for field night (rising and setting time, magnitude,
moon phase, altitude, azimuth, star chart, extra objects, pathfinders, special
events).
2. Observation data (star/constellation/moon movements, sketches, hand and fist
observations using azimuth and altitude, location of South and/or North etc).
3. Analysis and interpretation of data.
4. Display use of telescope and/or binoculars (sketches of objects).

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