The Real Reason We Confuse Weather and Climate

Videos

Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Earth and Space Sciences, Geography

Scientist Reviewed

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What it is

This video clearly explains the differences and relationships between weather and climate.
The video explains that humans are likely to create conclusions based on their own human experiences, resulting in confusion between weather and climate.

Teaching tips

Positives

The video uses a variety of imagery, music, and text to deliver the video information engagingly.

Prerequisites

The video includes commercials. The video information begins at 7 seconds and concludes at 4 minutes, 24 seconds.

Differentiation & Implementation

This video can be used by science and geography teachers to ensure that students understand the difference between climate and weather.
Middle and high school science classes could use this video as a hook for the data collection activity Differences between Climate and Weather.
The resources Weather vs. Climate and Why Climate Change Makes Extreme Weather Worse could be used to continue to explore the topic further.

From the scientist review

One of the tropes of climate denialism is to use weather to "prove" that climate change isn't real. This video resource from PBS explains the difference between climate and weather and why no one specific day is indicative of a changing climate. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Geography
Format: YouTube Video
Language: English
Location: Earth
Provider: Hot Mess
Authors: Hot Mess
Published: April 27, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · MS-ESS3-3. + 6 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

MS-ESS3-3.MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
MS-ESS3-5.MS-ESS3-5. Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
D2.Geo.4.6-8D2.Geo.4.6-8 Explain how cultural patterns and economic decisions influence environments and the daily lives of people in both nearby and distant places.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
HS-ESS3-1.HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
D2.Geo.9.9-12D2.Geo.9.9-12 Evaluate the influence of long-term climate variability on human migration and settlement patterns, resource use, and land uses at local-to-global scales.
HS-ESS2-D.3.HS-ESS2-D.3. Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate. (HS-ESS2-6)

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