Coastal Weather Issues: Planning for a Hurricane

The unit is designed for seventh grade students who have been studying Earth and its atmosphere. In this sequence, students are faced with the realistic issue of personal and social decision-making when planning for hurricane strikes, which includes classification, tracking, and monitoring hurricanes, as well as planning for evacuations. The inquiry-based approach involves a WebQuest in which the learner will assume the role of an emergency management team member who must create a preparation plan for the community.

A lesson plan for grade 7 English Language Arts and Science

By Karen Greene

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Learning outcomes

Goal:
The goal for the instructional unit is for the learners to use available technologies (Internet resources and various software applications) to gather, analyze, and interpret hurricane data. Moreover, the student will encounter personal and social decision-making as they explore the real issues mankind addresses when encountering a hurricane strike.

Terminal Objective:
Given a desktop publishing program and access to the Internet, the student will generate a public information booklet that will be used as a guide for the community to use when preparing for a hurricane strike. The student will use Internet resources to learn about the following information included in the guide:

• Stages of Hurricane Formation
• Classification of Hurricanes
• Using a Tracking Map
• Warning/Watch Information
• Overview of Four Main Hurricane Hazards (High winds, storm surge, heavy rains, tornadoes)
• Preparedness Tips (Preparing home and yard for a hurricane strike, evacuation supplies/food and cost, evacuation shelters, issues with pets)

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

10-12 days

Materials/resources

* Computer lab with access to the Internet for all students.
* Access to computer hard drive or network for saving files.

Technology resources

* Software applications:

• Desktop Publishing (e.g. Microsoft Publisher or Presswriter)
• Spreadsheet (e.g. Microsoft Excel)

* Internet Access
* WebQuest files - You will need to unzip the files (WebQuest.zip)

Pre-activities

Students: The students need to have an understanding of the composition, properties and structure of the atmosphere.

Teachers: Instructors should have knowledge of:
* Spreadsheet creation and use of formulas
* Desktop Publishing

Activities

* Lesson Activity One - Focus Lesson: Hurricane Catalogue Project (Allow one, forty-five minute class period)

Materials
- WebQuest assignment handout (task.rtf)
- Computer with Internet access to WebQuest files
- Grading rubric (eval.htm)

Procedure
1. Inform the students of the project goals.
2. Show the WebQuest site and explain contents.
3. Distribute Project Assignment worksheet (task.rtf)
4. Discuss assignment
5. Distribute grading rubric (eval.htm)

* Lesson Activity Two (Allow two, forty-five minute class sessions)

Objective
Given a computer with a spreadsheet program (Microsoft Excel),
- Entering labels
- Entering value
- Creating a column
- Inserting formulas that calculate subtotal, tax and total

The file will be named budget.

Materials
- Computer with spreadsheet program (one computer per student)
- Worksheet with spreadsheet specifications (ssguide.rtf)
- Grading rubric (rubricss.htm)
- Floppy disk for each student

Web sites
Shopping Online:
http://www.harristeeter.com
Spreadsheet Basics at
http://www.baycongroup.com/excel.htm
http://www.bcschools.net/staff/ExcelHelp.htm
Spreadsheet assessment at
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listcomputernl.html

Procedure
1. Teacher will open spreadsheet file, budget, use projection device.
2. Inform the students that cell contents can be labels, values or formulas.
3. Demonstrate to the students how to create formulas.
4. Demonstrate to the students how to enlarge columns.
5. Demonstrate to the students how to format a column for currency.
6. Each student should complete the assignment attached (ssguide.rtf) and may refer to the tutorial sites for further assistance.
7. Use the rubric to assess. (rubricss.htm)

* Lesson Activity Three (Allow four, forty-five minute class sessions)

Objective
Given Microsoft Publisher, a computer, and access to the Internet, the student will demonstrate generating a three-column brochure by inserting text, graphics and charts in the file and saving the file.

The file will be named brochure.

Materials
- Computer with Microsoft Publisher
- Internet access
- floppy disk (or access to hard drive for saving)
- Assignment worksheet with grading rubric (pubguide.rtf)

Web sites
Microsoft Publisher Help Online
http://www.bcschools.net/staff/PublisherHelp.htm

Procedure
1. Have students open web browser and review copyright issues.
2. Review the use of search engines.
3. Demonstrate to the students how to save an online graphic.
4. Have students open Publisher.
5. Allow them to select a brochure template that is at least three columns in length.
6. Demonstrate to the students how to toggle from one page to another.
7. Demonstrate to the students inserting text.
8. Demonstrate to the students inserting graphics and clip art.
9. Demonstrate to the students about appropriate use of Word Art.
10. Distribute to the students assignment worksheet and rubric (pubguide.rtf)

* Lesson Activity Four - WebQuest (Allow 8-10, forty-five minute class sessions)

Objective
Given a desktop publishing program (Microsoft Publisher) and access to the Internet, the student will generate a public information booklet that will be used as a guide for the community to use when preparing for a hurricane strike. The student will use Internet resources to learn about the following information that is included in the guide:

• Stages of Hurricane Formation
• Classification of Hurricanes
• Using a Tracking Map
• Warning/Watch Information
• Overview of Four Main Hurricane Hazards (High winds, storm surge, heavy rains, tornadoes)
• Preparedness Tips (Preparing home and yard for a hurricane strike, evacuation supplies/food and cost, evacuation shelters, issues with pets)

Materials
Computer with Internet access
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft Excel
WebQuest files (WebQuest.zip)
Assignment scenario (task.rtf)
Evaluation rubric (eval.htm)

Procedure
1. Launch the web sites below to engage in an interactive review of the concepts associated with hurricanes (highs, lows, factors that affect formation, tracking the storm)
http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow6/may99/May%20Project/createhurr.html
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow6/may99/May%20Project/Crossword%20Java/hurricanecw.html
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml
http://www.hurricanehunters.com/

Days Two and Three

1. Start a Microsoft Publisher file by selecting a template that is at least 4 pages long.
2. Save the file.
3. Launch the Hurricane Development web sites below to gather information on the stages of hurricane development.
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
http://deved.meted.ucar.edu/hurrican/strike/htcmenu.htm
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hurr/stages/home.rxml
4. Use the information gathered, and begin a Hurricane Development section in the brochure.

Days 4 and 5

1. Launch the Classification of Hurricanes web sites below to gather information on the scale of hurricane intensities for the brochure
http://www.wwlp.com/wx/hurricane/saffir.html
http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow6/may99/May%20Project/mainhurricane.html
http://www.fema.gov/kids/
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
2. Update brochure by including information learned from this section.
3. Launch the Warning and Watch Information web sites below to gather information on what action should be taken when a warning or a watch is issued
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
http://www.nhcgov.com/EM/EMhurrInfo.asp
4. Update brochure by including information learned from this section.
5. Visit the online clip art web site for weather clip art
http://kevinsweathericons.homestead.com/

Day 6

1. Launch the Using Tracking Map sites below to find a graphic of a tracking chart. Include a section that explains how to plot latitude and longitude
http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hurricane/index.shtml
2. Visit the online saving graphics tutorial for help saving online graphics.
http://dizzy.library.arizona.edu/rio/web9.html
3. Update brochure by including information learned from this section.

Day 7

1. Launch the Overview of the Four Main Hurricane Hazards sites to develop a section in the brochure that describes the hazards and how to prevent injury.
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hurr/damg/home.rxml
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
2. Update the brochure by including information learned from this section.

Day 8 and 9

1. Launch the Preparedness Tips sites to develop a section in the brochure that describes the necessary hurricane supplies, evacuation procedures and pet issues.
2. Develop a budget using Excel of the supplies a family of four will need to survive three nights without electricity and water. Insert the chart into the brochure.
http://www.fema.gov/kids/
http://www.nhcgov.com/EM/EMmostrequested.asp
http://www.nhcgov.com/EM/EMsupplyKit.asp
http://www.nhcgov.com/EM/EMshelterInfo.asp
http://www.nhcgov.com/EM/EMpetPlan.asp
http://www.fema.gov/kids/k_srvkit.htm
http://www.harristeeter.com

Evaluation: (eval.htm)

Additional Notes for the Teacher:

§ Time frame for each lesson may vary
§ Preview each web site before using. Sometimes links change and reading level may not be appropriate.
§ Peers in peer assessments may use rubrics.
§ Make sure students have a copy of the rubric when the activity is assigned.
§ Content information may be found at http://www.globe.gov
§ NC Standard Course of Study information may be found at http://www.learnnc.org

Assessment

* Rubric for the brochure (eval.htm)

* Additional rubrics for lead in lessons (rubricss.htm)

Supplemental information

Spreadsheet Basics at
http://www.baycongroup.com/excel.htm
Microsoft Publisher Help Online
http://www.bcschools.net/staff/PublisherHelp.htm

Related websites

The WebQuest page http://webquest.sdsu.edu/
Rubric Development http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/assess.html

Comments

This module is problem-based, realistic and relevant to students who live in North Carolina.

The student will encounter personal and social decision-making as they explore the real issues mankind addresses when encountering a hurricane strike.