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Photo by David Mark via Pixabay

Author

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Greenstate Podcast

Grades

7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Subjects

Science, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Health

Resource Type

  • Podcast, 11 minutes, 51 seconds

Regional Focus

Global, North America, United States, USA - West, Oregon, Southern Oregon

Fire Clouds

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Synopsis
  • This podcast discusses the features of pyrocumulus clouds, when these clouds form, how they're different from other wildfire-caused storm clouds, and how they affect air quality.
  • Students will learn about fire-related weather events, how these fire clouds affect human health, and how pyrocumulonimbus clouds can cause severe weather and firenados.
Teaching Tips

Positives

  • It is a brief podcast that does a good job of defining weather-related terms. 
  • This podcast discusses Oregon's Bootleg Fire from 2021 but the content applies to all fire-related clouds.

Additional Prerequisites

  • Students should know how global warming may affect the frequency of droughts and wildfires.
  • Students should understand the importance of air quality for human health.

Differentiation

  • This podcast could augment a lesson on how natural disasters impact ecosystems.
  • This podcast could supplement a lesson on how pyrocumulus clouds impact the environment and human health.
  • After listening to the podcast, the teacher could lead a classroom discussion on how global warming and climate change is leading to more wildfires.
  • This podcast could add to a classroom discussion about how governments can employ dry forest restoration in order to minimize the damage of wildfires.
Scientist Notes
This ~12 minute podcast from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is a discussion with a warning coordination meteorologist from the National Weather Service about the formation of fire clouds. Fire clouds (pyrocumulus clouds) form over wildfires, with smoke being the main ingredient of these clouds. A very interesting discussion about fire clouds and firenados is also included. This podcast would be a great addition to a classroom discussion on the effects of wildfires.
Standards

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.

  • Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
    • ESS2: Earth's Systems
      • MS-ESS2-5 Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.
      • HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
  • Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
    • Speaking & Listening (K-12)
      • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
  • National Health Education Standards
    • Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
      • 1.12.3 Analyze how environment and personal health are interrelated.
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