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What Is Climate

Interactive passage with audio narration, comprehension questions, and printable PDF.

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Format: Interactive (Online), Printable (PDF)
Grades: 5678
Subjects: sciencereadingela
Standards: MS-ESS2-6
Languages: English, Spanish

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What's included

Reading passage

Reading comprehension

Audio narration

With word word highlighting

Comprehension quiz

Auto-graded

Writing activity

Open-ended response

Glossary & flashcards

Vocabulary practice

Differentiated version

Adapted for varied levels

Spanish translation

Bilingual support

About this reader

This comprehensive middle school science passage explores the fundamental concept of climate and how it differs from daily weather. Aligned with NGSS standard MS-ESS2-6, students learn that climate represents the average pattern of weather a place experiences over many years, typically measured across decades. The passage uses relatable comparisons between different climate types, such as hot, dry deserts versus cool, rainy regions, to help students understand that every place has its own climate personality. Students discover how climate is shaped by long-term patterns in the atmosphere, oceans, and geography working together as interconnected Earth systems. The audio-integrated passage includes vocabulary development with key science terms, real-world examples, and engaging activities including multiple-choice questions, writing prompts, and graphic organizers to reinforce understanding of climate concepts and their importance to life on Earth.

Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks

Sample passage and quiz content

CONTENT PREVIEW

"Climate Map of the Philippines (1951-2010)" by Impact Assessment and Applications Section, Climatology and Agrometeorology Division, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) / Wikimedia Commons

Climate is the average pattern of weather a place experiences over many years. Scientists usually measure climate across at least 30 years. If weather is what's happening outside your window today, climate is what a place is generally like throughout the year. Think of it this way: weather is your mood right now, but climate is your personality.

Every region on Earth has its own climate. Some places have hot, dry climates like deserts in Arizona. Other regions have cool, rainy climates like the Pacific Northwest. Climate includes typical temperatures, seasonal patterns, and how much precipitation falls as rain or snow. Scientists observe these patterns over decades to understand what is normal for each location.

Climate forms through interactions among Earth's major systems. The atmosphere carries heat and moisture around the planet. Oceans absorb and release heat slowly, which affects nearby land temperatures. A region's geography also matters. Mountains can block rain clouds, creating dry areas on one side. Distance from the ocean influences how much moisture reaches an area. These factors work together over long periods to create each region's climate.

Evidence shows that climate affects nearly everything in a region. Plants and animals adapt to their local climate over many generations. Humans build homes and grow crops based on expected climate conditions. For example, the Midwest has a climate with warm summers and cold winters. Farmers there plant corn in spring because they can predict when frost will end. Understanding climate helps communities plan for the future and prepare for typical weather patterns.

Interesting Fact: Scientists have found evidence that Earth's climate has changed many times over millions of years. Ice core samples from Antarctica contain tiny air bubbles that reveal what the atmosphere was like up to 800,000 years ago.

What is climate?

The weather happening right nowThe average pattern of weather over many yearsThe temperature on a single dayOnly the amount of rain that falls

How long do scientists typically measure climate patterns?

One weekOne yearAt least 30 yearsFive years

What does the word 'precipitation' mean in the passage?

The temperature of the airThe speed of the windWater that falls as rain or snowThe amount of sunlight

According to the passage, what does the word 'geography' refer to?

The study of rocks onlyThe physical features of a placeThe types of animals in an areaThe history of a region

Why can mountains affect climate?

They make the air warmerThey produce their own rainThey can block rain cloudsThey attract more sunlight

Based on the passage, how does understanding climate help farmers in the Midwest?

It helps them predict when frost will end so they can plant cropsIt tells them exactly what the weather will be tomorrowIt helps them change the temperatureIt allows them to control precipitation

Which Earth systems work together to create climate?

Only the atmosphereThe atmosphere, oceans, and geographyOnly the oceansOnly mountains and rivers

What can scientists learn from ice core samples in Antarctica?

What the atmosphere was like hundreds of thousands of years agoWhat tomorrow's weather will beHow to create more iceThe exact temperature today

True or False: Weather and climate are exactly the same thing.

TrueFalse

True or False: Every region on Earth has its own climate pattern.

TrueFalse