"Z" is for Zulu

or What Time is it on a Weather Map?

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Background Information

• DataStreme Supplemental Informational File 9/10/96
• North American Time Zones and GMT

Objectives

• The students will be able to look at a weather map and convert from "Z" time or Universal Converted Time (UTC) to Eastern Daylight or Standard Time.
• The students will be able to create a spreadsheet to record the converted times.

Procedures

• Complete a K-W-L chart about the time zones.
• Color the different North American time zones on a map of the continental U.S.
• Discuss why there are different time zones and how they were created.
• Practice converting from one time zone to another.
• Generate a list of everyday events that are affected by the differences in time across North America
• Discuss why there is a need for a universal time when collecting and exchanging weather information.
• Create a spreadsheet on a computer to make a conversion chart for Universal Converted Time (UTC), Z time, and the various North American time zones.
• Work in groups to convert assigned "time zone" times to UTC and Z time.
• Fill in data on the conversion chart the class created on the computer.
• Use the class-created conversion chart to identify the time on various weather maps.

Materials

• Map showing the different time zones
• Information for students to read about the time zones
• An outline map of North America
• "How to" directions for creating a spreadsheet using ClarisWorks
• Conversion directions for the North American time zones for each group
• A collection of weather maps downloaded from the Internet at various Z times.