TEC Lesson Plan
Contributor Information
Name: Mary Niemeyer
Date: 7/98
email address:
School: University of South Florida student
Pinellas County, Florida
Modified by: Kay Pravda
TEC writer
Standards
Sunshine State Standards
Click on the link above to see the Sunshine State Standards for this Unit of
Practice
NET Standard:
Click on the link above to see the National Educational Technology
Standards for this Unit of Practice.
Lesson Plan
Title: Weather Unit of Practice
Technology Resource Requirements:
Subject Area(s): language arts, science
Grade Level: three
Short Description:
The unit begins with a ClarisWorks Weather Presentation. Students
will learn weather vocabulary, construct a word wall for daily reference, and
have a discussion about What is Weather? Next the teacher will read a book entitled,
The Weather, by Joy Richardson.
The next day is filled with discussions about what causes changes
in weather, how clouds are formed, and what causes air to heat. The students
will create an art project that demonstrates the movement of warm and cold air
currents using color variations.
Other days are filled with learning to read a weather map, recording
daily temperatures for a spreadsheet application, and using picture clues on
the map to locate areas of precipitation. Students will learn about weather
instruments, and they will engage in a crossword puzzle activity describing
the four weather instruments discussed in class.
Finally, the teacher introduces a HyperStudio
presentation on various weather patterns. There are links to thunderstorms,
tornadoes, and hurricanes. Each day is filled with exploration and research
into the various weather patterns (e.g., students learn to design a database
of all hurricanes to hit Florida in the past 32 years, and students work in
groups to complete a project on flash floods). There are many lessons, activities,
and assessments. Students learn to research on the internet and practice basic
computer skills as they navigate through the lessons.
Approximate Time Required: 2 Weeks
Describe the procedure for conducting this activity, using the appropriate items
from the list below as a guide.
Flash Flood!
Curriculum Focus:
This lesson will look at:
Gain Attention
Flash Flood! is an interactive lesson about flash floods and other types of
floods. The lesson lets students learn about and identify different types of
floods. It has information on how to prepare for a flood, teaches about flood,
teaches about flood watches and warnings, has an online quiz to review information,
and an assignment where students will be looking for and recording flood watches.
Tasks
Task Card for the Yellow Group (Historical Aspect)
Introduction:
Create a live presentation describing the difference between floods and flash
floods, and why flash floods occur. Each group member should report on one of
the following.
A. Heavy rainfall floods
B. Slow-moving thunderstorm floods
C. Dam failure floods
D. Grand Forks, North Dakota Floods
E. Mississippi River Floods
F. Ohio River Floods in Kentucky
Directions:
Part 1:
Each group member will choose one topic. Research your topic individually or
in pairs using the internet (http://www.weathereye.wgme.com/cadet/flood/about.html).
Part 2:
Work individually to prepare a group presentation. Your script should include
a summary of your topic plus any available graphics, maps, or charts to clarify
the information.
Part 3:
Meet back as a group to share information and prepare a presentation. Be sure
the group presentation has an introduction, a body with interesting details,
and a conclusion that ties your presentation together.
Task Card for Blue Group (Types of Floods)
Introduction:
Create a live presentation describing the various types of floods. Each group
member should report on one of the following.
A. Coastal Floods
B. Flash Floods in Arroyos
C. River Floods
D. Urban Floods
Directions:
Part 1:
Each group member will choose one topic. Research your topic individually or
in pairs using the internet (http://www.weathereye.wgme.com/cadet/flood/type.html).
Part 2:
Work individually to prepare a group presentation. Your script should include
a summary of your topic plus any available graphics, maps, or charts to clarify
the information.
Part 3:
Meet back as a group to share information and prepare a presentation. Be sure
the group presentation has an introduction, a body with interesting details,
and a conclusion that ties your presentation together.
Task Card for Red Group (Flood Preparation)
Introduction:
Create a live presentation describing the various ways to protect yourself in
the event of flooding. Each group member should report on one of the following:
a. watches, warnings, and advisories
b. protection during flash flooding
c. protection during urban flooding
d. protection during river flooding
e. recommendation for a good family disaster plan
Directions:
Part 1:
Each group member will choose one topic. Research your topic individually or
in pairs using the internet (http://www.weathereye.wgme.com/cadet/flood/prep.html).
Part 2:
Work individually to prepare a group presentation. Your script should include
a summary of your topic plus any available graphics, maps, or charts to clarify
the information.
Part 3:
Meet back as a group to share information and prepare a presentation. Be sure
the group presentation has an introduction, a body with interesting details,
and a conclusion that ties your presentation together.
Task Card for Whole Class Activity
Introduction:
Now that you know about the power of flash floods, you can start looking for
them. This assignment will let you look for flood warnings and other weather
warnings. You will record the warnings you find in a weather map you’ll
make. Map graphic
A good weather map presents information very clearly. People need to be able
to look at a weather map and tell what area it is and what kind of weather will
be happening. Make sure that people can clearly tell the difference between
the different types of warnings you will mark on your map. Use color or different
kinds of marks to make each warning distinct. If necessary, add a key to your
map that explains which mark or color is which warning.
Directions:
Part 1:
Go to internet web site (http://www.weathereye.wgme.com/cadet/flood/watch_map.html)
. This page has a map of the United States. Print out a copy of this map or
use the one here, and put your name and today’s date at the top.
Part 2:
Next, visit (http://iwin.nws.noqa.gov/iwin/textversion/nationalwarnings.html).
This is a government site that lists all the severe weather warnings for North
America. Look at the Flash Floods section and see if any flood watches or warnings
are listed for today. If so, mark the areas that have a flash flood or flood
warning on your map. If there are places mentioned that aren’t on your
map, and there is a flood watch or warning, write it on the back of your map.
Part 3:
Next, visit (http://www.earthwatch.com/FCST_CTR/heavy_precip.html). This site
is a forecast for heavy precipitation over the United States. See if there are
any warnings for heavy precipitation. If there are, mark down those areas on
your map as possible places for a flood. Are the areas for heavy precipitation
the same as the areas under a floode watch?
Part 4:
Finally, visit (http://www.earthwatch.com/STORMWATCH/stormwatch.html). This
site has a map that shows the current severe weather watches and warnings in
the United States. Look at the map and find your way home. See if there are
any weather warnings for your area. Take your U.S. map and mark the areas that
have weather warnings.
When you are finished making your weather map, hand it in to your teacher.
Interactions
Working in the classroom, students will rotate between use of computer resources
and Internet resources. They may also perform research at the library, and utilize
any other resources which will help them accomplish their goals.
Students will begin by meeting in small groups to discuss and choose topics,
and to divide tasks. They will work both individually and with their group,
and they will consult with the teacher about available resources. There will
be whole class lessons about floods, flash floods, and family disaster plans.
Also they will learn about and be aware of severe weather warnings while in
a group, and they will practice visual communication and map making skills individually.
Then they will reconvene with the group to interpret weather maps.
Tools
Students will use the About Floods page (internet resource) to understand the
difference between floods and flash flood, and why flash floods occur. They
will also visit the Flood Types page to explore some of the different types
of floods that occur. Another page visited will be the Safety Rules page that
contains a list of things to do in case of a flood. They will also explore the
Flood Prep page that contains information about ways to prepare for a flood
before one takes place. The internet will also provide a map of the United States
for the in-class assignment whereby students will visit various weather web
sites and record the weather warnings on their maps, spreadsheets, and databases.
Have the students make a database with the headings of date, time, temperature,
humidity in %, wind direction, wind speed, visual conditions, type of precipitation,
batrometric pressure, types of clouds, and comments.
Have the students make a spreadsheet called Weather Statistics with the headings
of date, time, temperature, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, visual conditions,
and type of precipitation.
Students will use the HyperStudio
stack to study weather patterns.
References:
Science, Weather. Stormy Monday, Grades 2-3. School
Zone Publishing Company. P.O. Box 777, Grand Haven, Michigan 49417, USA.
1-800-253-0564. Fax: 1-800-846-6181. Web site: http://www.schoolzone.com
Weather, Thematic Unit. Grades 2-3. Mikliken Publishing Company. 1100
Research Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63132. ISBN 0-7877-0057-6.
1997 Hurricane Guide, Pinellas County. Official Guide for the Tampa Bay Region.
Web Site Addresses:
1. Beaufort Scale
Weather Page
http://www.ics.uci.edu/~truesdel/beaufort.html
2. Science Learning Network:
http://www.sln.org/resources/index.html
3. Hurricane Hazzards:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s436.htm
4. Storms of the Century:
http://www.sptimes.com/StormWatch/HF.1.html
5. Fact Sheet: Hurricane Prevention
http://www.fema.gov/fema/trop.htm
6. The Fujita
Scale:
http://www.tornadoproject.com/fujitascale/fscale.htm
7. Florida Tornadoes:
http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/fltorn.htm#top
8. The Weather Channel:
http://www.weather.com/twc/homepage
9. Storm Poem:
http://www.tornadoproject.com/misc/poetry3.htm
More great sites for students
Assessments
The Weather Map Project will be asessed according to rubrics of the requirements
outlined in each group’s assignment. There will be a quiz at the end of
the lesson that deals with information from whole class discussion.
***************************
Flash Floods!
Name:___________________
Class:___________________
Date:____________________
Read each question carefully, then print the letter of the correct answer on
the line next to the question.
1. _____ What’s the difference between a flood and a flash flood?
a. A flash flood involves less water
b. A flash flood happens quickly
c. A flash flood involves mud
2. _____ What is an Arroyo?
a. The Spanish word for “flash flood”
b. A paved street that collects rain water
c. A water-carved gully
3. _____ What is the most important thing to do in case of a flash flood?
a. Get to higher ground
b. Gather supplies for an evacuation
c. Dive into a ditch
4. _____ Is it safe to drive through moving flood waters?
a. Yes
b. Never
c. Only when you can see the ground underneath
5. _____ What sometimes causes coastal floods?
a. The sun’s rotation
b. Paved streets
c. Hurricanes
6. _____ What is the difference between a flood watch and a flood
warning
*********************
Rubric for Presentation
