Caveat Academy course · Grades 8 to 12

Meteorology

A semester of weather science: what the atmosphere is made of, how clouds and rain form, why the wind blows, how fronts and storms develop, what drives thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes, and how forecasts are made. Six modules at your own pace, with real numbers to work in every lesson and a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
Buy · $19

Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the High school electives library, $119 for 66 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 13 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: The atmosphere and its energy

    Explain the composition, layers, pressure and energy balance of the atmosphere, and compute temperature change with height.

    • What the air is made of and how it is layered
    • Air pressure
    • Energy from the Sun and the seasons
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Moisture, clouds and precipitation

    Compute relative humidity and cloud-base height, and explain how clouds and each type of precipitation form.

    • Humidity and dew point
    • How clouds form
    • Rain, snow, sleet and hail
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: Wind and global circulation

    Analyze wind from pressure maps using the pressure gradient, Coriolis and friction forces, and relate global and local winds to uneven heating.

    • What makes the wind blow
    • Global circulation
    • Local winds
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Air masses, fronts and storms of the middle latitudes

    Identify air masses and fronts from observations, and predict the weather around a midlatitude cyclone from its track.

    • Air masses
    • Fronts
    • The life of a midlatitude storm
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Severe weather

    Explain how thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes form, and evaluate safe actions for lightning, tornado warnings and floods.

    • Thunderstorms and lightning
    • Tornadoes
    • Hurricanes and flooding
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Forecasting and climate

    Decode station models and forecast probabilities, and distinguish weather from climate using evidence.

    • Observing the atmosphere
    • Weather maps and computer forecasts
    • Weather, climate and staying safe
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 5 · Thunderstorms and lightning

Worked example: how far away was that strike?

  1. You see a flash and count 15 seconds until the thunder.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · High SchoolAlso for Enrichment · STEM Explorations$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of meteorology: you can explain the layers and energy of the atmosphere, compute relative humidity and the height of a cloud base, read wind from a pressure map, identify air masses and fronts from observations, explain how thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes form and what to do in each, decode a station model and a percent chance of rain, and tell weather from climate with evidence. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 8 to 12 who are curious about weather and storms, are preparing for an earth science, meteorology or environmental science class, or are thinking about atmospheric science as a career; homeschool families who want a complete semester unit. For real warnings, always follow the National Weather Service and local emergency officials.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 13 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the High school electives library ($119) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The High School space in Caveat Academics; also listed for the STEM Explorations space in Caveat Enrichment (the same course serves the Meteorology & Extreme Weather title).
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. NOAA National Weather Service, JetStream: an online school for weather: noaa.gov/jetstream
  2. NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, Severe Weather 101: nssl.noaa.gov
  3. NOAA National Hurricane Center, the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale: nhc.noaa.gov
  4. NOAA SciJinks, weather and satellite explainers: scijinks.gov
  5. NASA, Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet: science.nasa.gov

Meteorology is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester meteorology elective but does not replace a school course or award credit. The safety lessons give general guidance; in a real emergency, follow the National Weather Service, local officials and 911. Example observations and forecasts in lessons are labeled as examples. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.