The Inupiat of Alaska have learned to predict weather through observation of their environment. Young men were expected to learn how to predict weather. They were usually taught by their father or grandfather. This was a crucial knowledge for hunters and travelers. They would start early in the morning and study the sky, the clouds, and wind directions. At night they would study the stars and the moon. The young man memorized what each observation meant. Each generation taught the next generation.

The students will explore ways on how to predict weather. They will learn traditional weather forecasting by observing the sky using a weather prediction chart developed by the Nome Bilingual/Bicultural Department. They will compare traditional weather forecasting with the Nome Weather Station, TV Weather Channel, Anchorage Newspaper and on the World Wide Web. The students will also learn about weather patterns in Southeast Alaska using the internet

This unit is geared towards the upper grades since it is based on the students’ knowledge of basic weather information from their previous experiences on a weather unit.