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Farm Forecast:

Design smarter weather tools, one instrument at a time.

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Farmers rely on the weather every day. Rainfall, temperature, wind speed, and air pressure determine when farmers take certain actions.

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Your Challenge

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Your Challenge

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How can we build a simple, accurate weather tool, prove it works, and use its data to make a real recommendation a farmer would trust?

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Weather and Data

Slide Notes

Facilitator Note: Encourage an open conversation about what students know about weather instruments (e.g., air pressure, wind speed, rainfall, temperature, or humidity). The following notes can help guide your conversation.

Ask: How do farmers use weather data in their operations?

Listen for: They use it for monitoring local weather patterns to determine timing for field work, adjusting irrigation, and protecting seedlings.

Ask: What types of weather tools might farmers use?

Listen for: There are different weather tools to measure different types of weather. (i.e., rain gauge to measure waterfall, anemometer to measure wind speed, barometer to measure atmospheric pressure, thermometer to measure air temperature, hygrometer to measure humidity).

Ask: Why do you think farmers rely on weather instruments?

Listen for: Farmers might use different types of weather instruments to get an idea of all types of weather, so they know the whole picture that could impact their crops and soils in which they are growing their crops.

Say: Farmers use many innovative tools, like weather instruments, to guide their operations daily. Smart tools lead to smart, sustainable farming practices and solutions that can support responsible agricultural decision-making.

Say: These solutions and decisions are the kind of considerations we will brainstorm as we answer our challenge question on how simple, accurate weather tools that are proven to work can create real data to recommend to a farmer they can trust to make decisions on their operation.

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Challenge Requirements

Create a functional instrument that measures a specific atmospheric condition or variable.

Record, organize, and analyze consistent, usable, and collected data over time.

Demonstrate how your data could inform agricultural decision-making.

Slide Notes

Say:

Your solution to the challenge must address the impact of weather and ag/farming practices.
To explore this solution, you will brainstorm low-cost design instruments/models that measure weather conditions using household or recycled materials to provide potential solutions to the challenge.
You will develop a detailed blueprint of your instrument, including data collection methods and success criteria. Including variables, controls, data collection, and visual data representation.
Next, you will build the instrument, calibrate, collect, and organize data.
The solution requires you to review your findings, refine your instrument, improve your model, and deepen your analysis of weather interactions and agricultural implications.
Lastly, you will present a final product (poster) that explains the relationship between weather and agricultural decision-making.

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Challenge Design Process

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Challenge Timeline

Design Process Step	Timeline
Identify	1 day
Imagine	1 day
Design	1-2 days
Create	1-2 days
Test & Improve	1 day
Share	1 day

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Step 1: Identify

Purpose of IDENTITY:

Define the problem and explore how it affects life globally, nationally, and locally.
Research and consider how others have approached solving the problem.
Describe why this problem needs a solution.
Determine constraints (e.g., time, space, resources, etc.).

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Step 1: Identify - Student Action

Answer these questions during your research:

Which weather variables most affect planting, irrigation, or harvest in our area?
Why do farmers track rainfall, wind, and air pressure?
How can local weather data guide planting and irrigation decisions?
What instruments do professionals use, and what do they care about (accuracy, placement, consistency)?
What limitations might farmers face without accurate data?
Without good data, what risks do farmers take?
What constraints do we face (time, cost, materials, location, safety)?
What instruments do professional meteorologists and farmers use?

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Step 1: Identify – Reflection Questions

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Step 1: Identify - Share Out

Time to Share Out!

How does the problem affect communities globally, nationally, �and locally?
In what ways have others addressed finding a solution?
What constraints should be considered (e.g., time, space, �resources, etc.)?

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Step 2: Imagine

Purpose of IMAGINE:

Brainstorm possible creative, low-cost design instruments/models that measure weather conditions
Consider what household or recycled materials may provide potential be used in the challenge.
Discuss the tools available and how they might be the best solution.

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Step 2: Imagine - Student Action

Answer these questions to kickstart your brainstorm:

What is your measurement scale and unit (mm of rain, rpm to mph, rising/falling pressure)?
What variables will you measure, and how will you record them?
How will you calibrate (e.g., compare with a known thermometer, use a measured cylinder to check rain gauge marks, count revolutions vs. a timed wind speed chart, or test your instrument for accuracy)?
How often will you collect data, and how will you graph it?
How can you ensure our data can be collected consistently over time?

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Step 2: Imagine – Reflection Questions

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Step 2: Imagine - Share Out

Time to Share Out!

Share your list of possible creative, low-cost instruments/models

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Step 3: Design

Purpose of DESIGN:

Develop a detailed blueprint of your instrument, including data collection materials and success criteria.
Identify the materials needed.
Write out the steps to take and expected outcomes.

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Step 3: Design - Student Action

Answer these questions to kickstart your brainstorm:

What is our measurement scale and unit (mm of rain, rpm to mph, rising/falling pressure)?
What variables will you measure, and how will you record them?
How will we calibrate (e.g., compare with a known thermometer, use a measured cylinder to check rain gauge marks, count revolutions vs. a timed wind speed chart, or test your instrument for accuracy)?
How can you ensure your data can be collected consistently over time?

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Step 3: Design – Reflection Questions

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Step 3: Design - Share Out

Time to Share Out!

Share a detailed description of the solution.

A written plan of what you plan to test
A materials list, with a budget
Directions for the model build
Expected outcomes

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Step 4: Create

Purpose of CREATE:

Build and calibrate the instrument.
College and organize data.

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Step 4: Create - Student Action

Use these steps to get started on your solution creation:

Do repeated measurements match within our tolerance (e.g. +/- 1 OC Temp)?
What adjustments improve consistency (re-marking scales, leveling gauges, smoothing pivots)?
How does placement affect readings (wind shadow, splash in/out)?
Does your instrument give consistent readings?
What patterns have you seen in your data so far?
How does this tool compare to professional instruments?
If a farmer used this data, what decision/action could they make?

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Step 4: Create – Reflection Questions

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Step 4: Create - Share Out

Time to Share Out!

Share your solution with the class.

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Step 5: Test & Improve

Purpose of TEST & IMPROVE:

Review your findings.
Refine your understanding, to improve your instrument.
Deepen your analysis weather interactions and agricultural implications.

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Step 5: Test & Improve - Student Action

Use these steps to test your solution:

What do your graphs show about changes over time?
When you compare your data to a trusted source, how close is it?
How can you improve your design for more precise measurements?
What design improvements would reduce error (shielding, leveling, sturdier mounts)?
What patterns do your graphs reveal?
Can your data predict a change in the weather?
If a farmer used this data, what decision/action could they make?

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Step 5: Test & Improve – Reflection Questions

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Step 5: Test & Improve - Share Out

Time to Share Out!

Share your records of test trials and share data with peers.
Make sure to include qualitative and quantitative data.
Share what changes have been made to improve the solution and the effect they had on the outcome.

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Step 6: Share

Purpose of SHARE:

Present your findings in a format that explains the relationship between weather and agricultural decision-making.

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Step 6: Share - Student Action

Here is how you can get started with sharing your solution:

How does the instrument measure your variable (mechanism and scale)?
What patterns did you observe, and what do they suggest about local weather?
How does your instrument work, and what condition does it measure?
What patterns did you see in your data?
How could a farmer use this information to understand better the impact of weather conditions on their crops or livestock?
What improvements would you recommend for the next iteration of this instrument?

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Step 6: Share - Share Out & Reflect

Time to Share Out!

Take a moment to reflect on all the hard work you’ve done in this project.
Present to the class!
Share your thoughts!

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YOU DID IT!

Submit for a chance to win the Purple Plow STEM Learning Challenge Prize!

Purple Plow is a special project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, made possible through the generous support of Corteva Agriscience.