Aspect

The way something is facing is called the aspect .
Does any part of the building get the sun for long periods of the day?
If it does this part of the school is south-facing.

What part of your school building gets the least amount of sunshine? This part is north-facing.

Aspect is important because it affects the sunshine which a place gets. A classroom with a southerly aspect is sunnier than a classroom which has a north facing aspect.

Has your classroom got a north or south facing aspect?

Parts of a building like a school which are facing south-west or which have a south-westerly aspect are usually windier than those facing east or north.

This is because Ireland's most common wind is from the south-west.

Find the windiest area of your school grounds.

Even if a playground is facing south-west it might not always be very windy. This is because buildings and walls can shelter you from winds.

Is your school sheltered from the wind? Exposed to winds?

What gives the school shelter? Walls? Trees? Hedges? Other buildings nearby?

Draw a map of your playground and show which direction the wind blows using an arrow symbol.