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Catchy Title: Stormy Weather
Theme/Topic of Lesson: Weather
Time Commitment: Four 60-minute periods
Subject Area(s):
Language Arts
Science - Technology
Grade Level(s): 4,5
Standards Alignment:
Class Challenge Question: Why forecast the weather? What determines quality work?
Overview:
Since the beginning of time, people have been at the mercy of the weather. Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and blizzards are examples of devastating storms that have caused loss of life and property. When people started to keep weather records, they noticed seasonal patterns and could make predictions based on what happened in the past. As technology has become more sophisticated and accurate, meteorologists are more able to
inform people of these damaging storms and prevent or diminish losses.
Students will be working in teams to research a type of storm and create a PowerPoint presentation to share with the class. Prior to beginning the projects, students will identify the qualities of an exemplary presentation by creating a rubric that will be used to
evaluate the final projects. Each team of teacher-selected expert groups will have the responsibility of teaching the rest of the class about their type of storm. Teachers should keep these factors in mind when grouping the students: a mix of abilities, students'
personalities and their interest in the topic. Students will need to have some prior knowledge of Internet use and basic research skills. They and the teacher should have some experience creating presentations with PowerPoint. Accommodations for students with reading and writing disabilities may include the use of electronic encyclopedias that read articles to the student and using copy/paste into a document to take notes. Students should always record the sources of their information or graphics. The teacher will need to be comfortable bookmarking sites for students to use. The Internet, electronic encyclopedias, PowerPoint presentation software, and a video to model the self-
evaluation process are the technologies that will be used with this unit. During this investigation students will be creating a class presentation rubric, locating information while reading a variety of texts (both electronic and print), organizing and presenting
information about a type of destructive storm, and showing the effects of forecasting.
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Earth/Space Science
(K-12) | Maryland Content Standards Indicators
Students will use scientific skills and processes to explain the chemical and physical interactions (i.e., natural forces and cycles, transfer of energy) of the environment, Earth, and the universe that occur over time. | | Skills and Processes
(K-12) | Maryland Content Standards Indicators
Students will explain how the nature of science has affected scientific inquiry, technology, and the history of science. | | Skills and Processes
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students will explain how the nature of science has affected scientific inquiry, technology, and the history of science. | Maryland State Indicators
1.5.10
identify similarities and differences of objects, materials, concepts, and actions. (MLO 1.2.1.) | Skills and Processes
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students will explain how the nature of science has affected scientific inquiry, technology, and the history of science. | Maryland State Indicators
1.5.9
interpret and communicate find-ings (i.e., speaking, writing, and drawing) in a form suited to the purpose and audience, using developmentally appro-priate methods including technology tools and telecommunications. (MLO 1.1.8.) | Skills and Processes
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students will explain how the nature of science has affected scientific inquiry, technology, and the history of science. | Maryland State Indicators
1.5.23
demonstrate and explain that tools enable scientists and others to observe, estimate, measure, collect, communicate scientific data and information (i.e., size distance, motion). (MLO 1.4.2.) | Reading
(K-12) | Maryland Content Standards Indicators
Students examine, construct and extend the meaning of a variety of self-selected and assigned text (traditional and electronic) by applying a range of reading strategies and analytic techniques.
| | Reading
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students examine, construct and extend the meaning of a variety of self-selected and assigned text (traditional and electronic) by applying a range of reading strategies and analytic techniques.
| Maryland State Indicators
1.5.5.10
reorganize information from the text into a different form (charts, drawings, or graphic organizers) (MLO.R. 3.2.2.) | Reading
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students examine, construct and extend the meaning of a variety of self-selected and assigned text (traditional and electronic) by applying a range of reading strategies and analytic techniques.
| Maryland State Indicators
1.5.5.6
summarize text in a manner that reflects the main ideas, significant details and its underlying meaning (MLO.R. 2.1.1.) | Speaking
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations, with different audiences, purposes and formats. | Maryland State Indicators
6.5.1.1
speak clearly and with volume appropriate to the setting (e.g., partner, small group, large group discussions) | Speaking
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations, with different audiences, purposes and formats. | Maryland State Indicators
6.5.3.1
use student and teacher-generated criteria to evaluate oral presentations and discussions | Speaking
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations, with different audiences, purposes and formats. | Maryland State Indicators
6.5.1.3
select audio or visual aids and technology (e.g., props, computer graphics, lighting) to support presentations | Speaking
(4-5) | Maryland Content Standards
Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations, with different audiences, purposes and formats. | Maryland State Indicators
6.5.1.2
use verbal (e.g., pacing, timing, emphasis, volume) and non-verbal techniques (e.g., posture, eye contact, facial expressions, gesture) to enhance communication | Technology communication tools
(Gr. 3-5) | ISTE Technology Standards
4. Technology communication tools
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Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
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Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
| ISTE Technology Performance Indicators
Use technology tools
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
| Technology productivity tools
(Gr. 3-5) | ISTE Technology Standards
3. Technology productivity tools
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Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
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Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
| ISTE Technology Performance Indicators
Use technology tools
Use technology tools (e.g., multimedia authoring, presentation, Web tools, digital cameras, scanners) for individual and collaborative writing, communication, and publishing activities to create knowledge products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.
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Learning Objectives:
The Students will:
- Collaboratively create and use a presentation rubric.
- Locate, organize, and communicate information about weather phenomena using a
variety of resources. - Create and present a PowerPoint presentation about a type of potentially destructive
storm.
Assessment
Students' individual work will be assessed using the Research Organizer Checklist.
Students will use a rubric created in class to evaluate their collaborative presentation.
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Resources
| Other Technology | Scanner to scan pictures for the presentations | | Software | Electronic Encyclopedia such as Encarta | | MS PowerPoint | | http://www.microsoft.com | | Print Materials | National Audobon Society First Field Guide Weather Kahl, Jonathon D.
Scholastic, 1998. | | How the Weather Works Allaby, Michael. Reader's Digest, 1999. | Howling Hurricanes (Natural Disasters Series) Richards, Julie. Chelsea
House Publishers, 2001. | Terrifying Tornadoes (Natural Disasters Series) Richards, Julie. Chelsea
House Publishers, 2001. | Heatwaves and Drought (Extreme Weather) Burby, Liza N. Rosen
Publishing Group, 1999 | | Wild, Wet, and Windy: The Weather -- From Tornadoes to Lightning (Supersmarts) Llewellyn, Claire. Candlewick Press, 1997 | | Video(s) | Know It All "#2-Knowing What To Do" This video shows how two
students use a rubric to improve their presentation about a weather topic.
| | http://www.thinkport.org | | Internet Sites | National Teacher Training Institute All 2002 NTTI Institute lesson plans, resources, and links can be accessed at this
site. Links to the national WNET/Thirteen NTTI site and lesson plans from past
institutes are also available. | | http://thinkport.org/career/training/mpt/ntti/default.tp | | Rubistar This is a tool for teachers to create rubrics for learning projects. | | http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ | | Science Education - Weather Links for Charlotte, NC This page has many great links to pages for specific types of weather! | | http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/curry/dept/cise/sci/resources/weather_links.html | Dan's Wild Wild Weather This site has a lot of general information for students and teachers. It has specific
information about tornadoes, hurricanes, thunder and lightning, and snowstorms. | | http://www.wildwildweather.com/ | Forces of Nature, A Thinkquest 2000 Site This site has information on all of the different weather phenomena! Be sure to
take a few minutes to load Macromedia Flash on the computers before using the
site. That plug-in can be accessed directly from the site. | | http://library.thinkquest.org/C003603/ | The Franklin Institute Online - Weather Events This site includes information on many types of weather. It also has some simple
weather experiments or demonstrations. | | http://www.fi.edu/weather/events/events.html | Sky Diary: KIDSTORM Facts about hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning storms and how to stay safe will
be found here. | | http://skydiary.com/kids/ | Lightning @ National Geographic Read facts about lightning and thunderstorms. This is a good site for less able
readers. They have information about experiments and interviews with people
who have survived a lightning strike. | | http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/96/lightning/ | FEMA for Kids This site is a great resource for information! It is also a good site for less able
readers. It has downloadable books that can be printed out in English or Spanish.
There is some valuable safety information. | | http://www.fema.gov/kids/index.htm |
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Materials
Per class- Computer with Internet access
- Television and VCR
- Video Projection Device or LCD Projector
- Know It All video
- Chart paper and markers or chalkboard and chalk
- House Drawing Rubric (View)
Per student team/group of 3-4- Computer with Internet access and electronic encyclopedia, Kid Pix and
Powerpoint software installed - trade books related to the groups topic and encyclopedias
- 3.5" floppy disk
- Presentation Storyboard (View)
Per Student- Drawing paper
- Copies of the class generated rubric created during Day1
- Weather Report Prompt (View)
- Research Organizer (View)
- Notemaking Matrix (View)
Not Specified
Vocabulary
- Air Mass - a large body of air in which weather conditions are the same
- Hurricane - large, violent tropical storm in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific
oceans, also called a typhoon in the western Pacific ocean
- Meteorology - the study of weather
- Precipitation - moisture that falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow or
hail
- Tornado - a storm with a rapidly rotating column of air hanging from
cumulonimbus clouds, also called a twister
- Weather - all activities in the earth's atmosphere
Procedures
This unit has two major focuses: weather content and creating quality products. It
requires students to not just complete their work, but to reflect on the quality of it as well.
To assess students' prior knowledge of self-evaluation and self-moderation, they should
complete a journal entry describing what they do to make sure their work is their best.
Prior knowledge of weather phenomena should be accomplished through an informal
discussion. Students will construct meaning by participating in class discussions,
researching a topic using different types of resources, creating and presenting
information, and listening to classmates' presentations. The Know It All video will be
used to model students who are working on a similar task. They will work cooperatively
in small groups of 3 or 4 to create a short PowerPoint slide show. They may supplement
their slide show with computer-generated graphics using Kid Pix or scanning images and
importing them. All of the Web sites should be bookmarked so they are easily accessible
to all of the groups, as many Web sites have information for several different groups.
The Internet research and PowerPoint work will need to be accomplished in a computer
lab or mini-lab with Internet access. The LCD projector is helpful during the first day's
activities and during the team presentations. Students will be individually evaluated on
their research and will receive a team evaluation on the final presentation.
Students who have special needs may use electronic encyclopedias that read the text and
use copy/paste into a word processing document to help with research. Students who are
high achievers may add an extra slide or two that shows interesting facts or data about
their topic.
1: What is Quality Work?
Daily Challenge Question: What determines quality work? How do you know what to
do?
Set-up Directions:
Set up the television and VCR. CUE the tape to where the teacher is standing next to an overhead projector and says, "Now who can help me out?" Make sure that everything is working properly. Connect a computer with Internet access to a LCD projector in order to develop the rubric using the Rubistar site. Make sure that the site is bookmarked at http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ If the computer is not connected to a printer, have a 3.5" floppy disk available to save the class generated rubric for printing later. Chart paper/chalkboard and paper for drawing, and a transparency of the House Drawing Rubric need to be accessible.
Teacher Presentation & Motivation:
Assess their prior knowledge of rubrics by asking students questions like: "How do you know what to do when you are given an assignment?" (look back at the directions, ask
the teacher questions) and "How do you know if you did a good job?" (when you get your final grade). Pass out blank paper to the students and then give them two minutes to draw a house. Do not give them any other information. After the two minutes, show a
transparency of the House Drawing Rubric and ask them what grade they would get. Ask, "Could you have done a better job? How?" (by knowing what the criteria were before starting the drawing)
Activity 1 - Explain How a Rubric Helps to Plan, Create, Present, and a Evaluate a Project
Students will be viewing a video about two girls who are working on a science project. Then, they will be creating a rubric for their own product. The goal in this lesson is for students to list ways the girls can make their project better.
Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.
The focus for media interaction with the first segment is for students to describe what they notice about the rubric.
Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?
Teacher says, "I would like you to notice three things about the rubric in the video." PLAY the tape and PAUSE after the teacher (standing near the overhead) says, "Yes, I have some on my desk." Teacher asks, "What did you notice about the rubric?" (it looks like a chart, there are different headings, it shows you what you need to do to have a really good project). Teacher says, "We will also be working on weather projects and creating a class rubric to evaluate them. So, keep the things you liked about that rubric in mind. After the video, we will be working on our class rubric."
The focus for media interaction with the second segment is for students to list suggestions for improving the girls' presentation.
Teacher says, "I'd like you to make two suggestions that would improve the girls' presentation." RESUME the tape and STOP at a close-up on the girls after they say, "We stink!" List on chart paper or at the chalkboard some ideas the students have for improving the report they just saw. Make sure they include some ideas like: organizing their information, using a lot of sources, making it more exciting, using graphics appropriately, etc.
The focus for media interaction with the third segment is to record how the girls were able to improve their presentation. FAST FORWARD to a girl catching a basketball in front of a black
background saying, "Lindsey and I had planned on spending the weekend playing pick-up basketball." Teacher says, "As you watch this segment, observe what the girls did to improve their project. We will be checking off or adding to our suggestions after the tape." PLAY the tape and PAUSE it when you see the Sci-Tech pamphlet. Check off and add to the list of suggestions for improvement (i.e. use questions to evaluate progress, use a variety of resources).
The focus for media interaction for the fourth segment is to answer what information could the girls get to add to their presentation as they visit this place. Teacher says, "In this section, we won't be listening to the video, I want you to watch for additional information could the girls add to their presentation from their visit to Sci-Tech?" MUTE the sound and RESUME the tape. STOP when you see the girls sitting on the couch with
their parents. Add more suggestions to the list (i.e. models,
demonstrations, expert advice, etc.)
The final focus for viewing is for the students to give a thumbs up sign whenever they see the girls using one of the improvements that they listed. FAST FORWARD to the shot of the school building (right after the couch scene), there isn't any dialogue here, just music. Teacher says, "Give a thumbs up whenever you see the girls using one of the suggestions from our list." PLAY the tape and STOP when you see the screen with the rubric and hear, "We used the rubric to...." Review some of the ways the girls improved their report and list some of the reasons they gave a thumbs up sign.
Activity 2 - Culminating Activity
Turn on the LCD projector and go to the already bookmarked Web site, Rubistar, http://rubistar.4teachers.org/ . Explain that this program will help your class make a rubric for your project. Pass out the Weather Project Prompt handout to the students.
Read the prompt and note project expectations. Teacher says, "Now we will create a rubric to evaluate our projects."
Begin to create the rubric online by selecting Multimedia Project under the heading Multimedia. Then choose whether you want to have a numerical or descriptive rating scale. If you do not like their words or want to use letter grades, you can click inside the boxes and type what you want. Select a category and modify what is written in each category as necessary for the needs of your class. You do not have to select every category. The rubric will print just what you select. Have the students give ideas for parts
and the wording of phrases. Print out the rubric and make copies for yourself and the students.
Wrap Up:
Ask students to write on the back of their Weather Project Prompt some ideas they would like to incorporate into their presentations. They will find out their research teams during
the next class.
2: Research, Organize, and Plan
Daily Challenge Question: What is extreme weather?
Set-up Directions:
Have the research materials, electronic and textual, available to groups. Prepare the
handouts, Research Organizer, Research Organizer Checklist, and Storyboard
Organizer, and bookmark all research Internet sites listed in the technology resources for
students or the NTTI Stormy Weather hotlist at
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listnttistosh.html. Make sure necessary
plugins are loaded to the computers. It may be helpful to have some extra adult hands in
the room to assist groups in their research. Enlist the help of the media specialist,
technology support teacher, or volunteers. Prior to class, show the helper how to access
the sites and where encyclopedia CD-ROMs are located. When assigning the teams, try
to put students with a variety of abilities together in one group, i.e. a high, an average,
and a low ability student could make up one research team.
Teacher Presentation & Motivation:
Tell students that they will be working with their teams to research a type of extreme
weather phenomena. Teacher says, "We will use the Internet to locate information about
our weather topics." Preview the materials by showing students how to access the
electronic and textual resources and how to record information on the research organizer.
Refer to the Research Organizer Checklist. Teacher says, "Use the research organizer
checklist to help you record the information you need and the source of information.
This is important because you or someone else may have a question about your research.
Knowing your source will save lots of time if you have to find the information again."
Activity 1 - Researching the Topic and Organizing Information
Research of the chosen topic.
Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.
The focus for media interaction in this lesson is that students should locate
and record information that applies to their specific weather topics.
Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?
Distribute copies of the Research Organizer and Research Organizer Checklist to each
student. Give students a few moments to reread the prompt independently and ask for
questions. Make sure they understand what they will have to do, by asking them
questions (i.e. Does each person have to research each topic? How can you divide the
work fairly?)
Remind them that they will be using the rubric created yesterday to evaluate their final
product and they will each be graded on the research they conduct in today's class. Allow
students to work with their groups to research their topic. Circulate to make sure that
everyone is locating the information they need.
Activity 2 - Culminating Activity
Have students share some of the facts they have discovered about their group's weather
phenomenon. Highlight any statements made by students that are points addressed on the
rubric.
Wrap Up:
Ask students how often they checked their rubric to check their progress. Remind them
that the next time they meet, they will plan and create the PowerPoint presentation.
3: Planning and Creating the Presentation
Daily Challenge Question: What determines quality work? Why is accurate weather
forecasting so important?
Set-up Directions:
During this part of the project, students will be planning and putting together the PowerPoint presentation. Have teams show the completed Storyboard Organizer before starting on the computer. If there are enough computers for teams to have more than one, some students may work on creating or locating graphics for the slides. If necessary, they can scan graphics from books as long as they give credit to the source and it is not published outside the school. If the presentations will be published on a Web site, students will need to get permission from the author to use the graphic. Giving credit to sources of information may be something new for students at this age level.
Teacher Presentation & Motivation:
Remind students that today's goal is to create their presentations using the rubric to guide them. Students should have their Research Organizer and Storyboard Organizer from the earlier lesson. Model basic PowerPoint actions such as creating a slide, adding backgrounds and objects, putting the slides in order, and saving to the disk. Pass out a disk to each group. Have extra disks available.
Activity 1 - Creating and Evaluating the Team's Presentation
The focus for media interaction in this lesson is for students to work
collaboratively to create a PowerPoint presentation about a weather topic.
Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.
Students will work with their teams to create the presentation. Ask students for ideas
about how they would divide the day's work among the team. Tell them that they will
need to consult their notes and select the most meaningful pieces of information to share
with the class about their topic. Remind students that their slides are like notecards for an
oral presentation. They should not just read the slides during the presentations, but use
them to highlight the key ideas. Then, each group will complete the storyboard organizer
before working at the computer. Besides typing the information onto the slides, students
may be looking for or creating graphics for their slides. This will really depend on the
time that is available in the lab. Circulate as the groups work and troubleshoot problems
teams may have. Encourage groups to practice their slide shows together so everyone
knows what to do during the presentation.
Activity 2 - Culminating Activity
Have students explain how their rubric helped them to create the slideshow.
Wrap Up:
Ask students to save their slide shows onto their disks. Remind them that they will give
their presentations during the next class and they will be evaluated using the rubric they
created together.
4: Presenting and Evaluating the Slideshow
Daily Challenge Question: How did we do? Why is accurate weather forecasting so
important?
Set-up Directions:
Connect the LCD projector to the computer and have the 3.5" floppy disks from each
group nearby. Have copies of the scoring rubric available to evaluate each group's
presentation. Have copies of the Note-taking Matrix for students to use to record
information from each presentation.
Teacher Presentation & Motivation:
Review the rubric with students and remind them that it is important to pay close
attention to each presentation because their classmates are teaching them about the
different weather phenomena.
Activity 1 - Presenting and Watching the Slideshow
Presenting and Watching the Slide Show
Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.
The focus for media interaction in this lesson is for students to present a
PowerPoint slide show to inform their classmates about a weather topic.
Students will also need to pay attention to other groups' presentations.
Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?
The teams will load and present their slide shows to the rest of the class using the LCD
projector. Teacher says, "You will have two jobs today. You will be a teacher as you
present information about your weather phenomenon. You will be a student as you listen
to and record information about other weather phenomena. Remember to record just
words and phrases on the Note-taking Matrix. If you need more room, continue on the
back of the paper." The teacher will evaluate each presentation using the rubric.
Activity 2 - Culminating Activity
Have the students share how they felt about evaluation each other's work. (Ask: Is it an
easy job to assess each other's slideshows? What made it easy? What made it difficult?)
Have the students share new facts about weather that they learned today.
Wrap Up:
Collect the teams' storyboards and research organizers. Ask students to write a journal
entry to describe the importance of accurate weather forecasting.
Enrichment Options
Cross-Curricular Extensions
* Fine Arts
Create a visual representation of one of the weather phenomena using a variety of
media, including computer programs such as KidPix. This graphic could be
incorporated in the PowerPoint presentation. If it is not a digital graphic, it can be
scanned or a digital camera can be used to take a picture of it.
* Mathematics
Record current weather statistics and compare them to the previous years' statistics by
creating a line graph.
* Science
Construct a weather station and record weather data. Use the data to forecast the
weather. http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/weatherstation.html
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As a reflective practitioner, note how this lesson could be adjusted after its initial
implementation. How successful were the students? What did the assessment demonstrate
about the students' learning? What skills do the students need to revisit? What
instructional strategies worked and what made them successful? What will you change
the next time you use this lesson? Why?
Author: Shelley Munger
Modified by: Wanda Dietrich
Program: National Teacher Training Institute (NTTI)
Author's School System: Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Author's School: Annapolis Elementary
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