The Wonders of Weather

• Introduction
• Task
• Process
• Evaluation
• Conclusion
• Credits


• Teacher Page

Process

Welcome Storm Chasers!

In order to move about this adventure safely and with the most ease, you will need to follow some simple rules:

• First you must work with one other team member because two heads are better than one
• Next, you must decide who will be the Official Storm Tracker and who will be the Official Storm Observer 
• Third, you must read the roles below for each player
• Finally, you must follow the steps to earning your ways as our next STORM CHASERS

Now, it is time to get going...we don't want to waste any time!

Standard: TX 5.05 Use patterns, relationships, and algebraic thinking. The student makes generalizations based on observed patterns and relationships. (B)use lists, tables, charts, and diagrams to find patterns and make generalizations.

Water falling from the sky as rain, snow, sleet or hail. 

How is precipitation formed & measured?

View these websites to learn about precipitation.

http://www.unitedstreaming.com/studentCenter/index.cfm?cdCode=TE773-C2BF

http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/basic.html

http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Weather/Older/Precipitation.html 

• Use the resources provided in the following practice activity to help you with your first challenge by clicking on the following link:

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/mentoring/project_ideas/Weather_p003.shtml?from=Home

• Using the information from the activy, fill in the chart below. You will need to copy and paste this chart to a word document.  You have directions for doing this in your notebooks.  

 Hint: You will use this information to answer some questions in a later challenge.

• Record the annual precipitation in the chart, as found in the above links, for three cities of your choice.

Save this information so you can use it later in another challenge...

• Once you have completed this table with accurate information, you are ready to move on to...

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Challenge Number 2

Standard:  TX 5.10 A - Perform simple conversions within the same measurement system (SI metric or customary)

To begin, you will need to first watch this short video to help you understand the difference between Fahrenheit and Celsius.

http://www.unitedstreaming.com/studentCenter/index.cfm?cdCode=TE797-1B22

    In your notebooks, write down the following six temperatures, which are expressed either in Fahrenheit or Celsius.

1.  98.6 degrees Fahrenheit =

2.  16 degrees Celsius=

3.  82.2 degrees Celsius=

4.  47 degrees Fahrenheit=

5.  33.3 degrees Celsius=

6.  118 degrees Fahrenheit=

NOW, use one of the formulas found in the websites below for converting Fahrenheit and Celcius calculations. 

Express Numbers 1-6 in the opposite system (Fahrenheit to Celsius and Celsius to Fahrenheit). You will need to write out the problems, although you may use a calculator to compute them. 

Standard TX. 5.11A- Solve problems involving changes in temperature

Consider which system you find most effective and think of some reasons to defend your answer. This will be part of a later challenge! 

 http://www.georgefcram.com/education/45_8.pdf

or

http://vathena.arc.nasa.gov/curric/weather/fahrcels.html

Once you have completed this challenge, you are ready to move one to...

Challenge Number 3

http://www.fema.gov/kids/tornado.htm

http://library.thinkquest.org/C001472/neen/tornadoes/alley.content.html

In your notebooks, make a graph representing the Fujita Tornado Damage Scale using the following link:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f-scale.html

Once you have completed this activity, you can move on to...

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Challenge Number 4

Standard: TX.

Hurricane

Click here to learn how a hurricane forms.

http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/hurricane2.html

http://skydiary.com/kids/hurricanes.html

When you finish this activity, you are ready for....

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Challenge Number 5

Winter Storms

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/winter_storms.htm

Standard:  TX 5.10C Select and use appropriate units and formulas to measure length, perimeter, area and volume. 

Storm chasers often travel great distances to get to the scene of the storm. You will need to have a good understanding of distances. Please complete the linked activity and submit to your teacher.

http://www.georgefcram.com/education/45_8.pdf

Storm chasers also must use estimation and other measurement skills. Understanding measurement is an essential key to being an accurate scientist. Please complete the linked activity following the 1st example and submit to your teacher.

http://www.teachingideas.co.uk/maths/files/areapractical.doc

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WOW! You are so close to being done...are you getting excited yet?

Congratulations!

You have made it through the first 5 challenges

 Now, we must test your critical thinking skills. This will help us decide the role you will play on our team of Storm Chasers. You are almost there...don't give up

Using the information from your Rainfall Chart and what you have learned from Challenge Number One, please answer the following questions in your notebook: 

1.  Which city had the most annual rainfall?  ________________________________

2.  Which city had the least annual rainfall?  ________________________________

3.  How much more rainfall did the city with the most rainfall have than the city with the least rainfall?  ______________________________________________________

4.  How is rainfall measured? __________________________________________

5.  What is rain called? _______________________________________________

Good Job!

Next, you learned about temperature scales. Please reconsider what you have learned and write a short paragraph (at least 5 sentences) explaining which scale (Celsius, Fahrenheit, or another scale) you feel is the best one to use in certain situations. Please explain the situations and the reasons for your decision.

We know you can do it. Please write the paragraph in a word document, save it, print it, and paste it into your notebook.    

We are looking for people who like to think about science.

Keep up the good work...

All that is left is a little exploration and reflection. We storm chasers (your are almost one of us now) really have to be able to think about what we are learning so we can always get better and safer at our jobs!

You've completed all your challenges!  Now, you must complete one final step. 

Write a 1 page narrative about what you learned from this WebQuest.  Your narrative must include what you learned regarding the math measurement standards, but may also include what you learned about weather along the way.   Please write your narrative using the Microsoft Word and email it to me.  Thank you.

Now that you have completed all of the challenges and other work, we want you to get a taste of life as a STORM CHASER. Enjoy the following videos!

View a video of a tornado.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBd0sG559aA

View a video of a hurricane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ionvwm2reN0

View a video of a winter storm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-65-QagEHR8