Extreme Weather

Introduction

Good morning, second graders! Today, we're going to explore the many types of extreme weather. Weather influences many parts of our lives, from the activities we do to the clothing we wear. It's important that we understand the types of weather, particularly extreme weather that can be harmful or destructive.

 

Task

Today, you will become one type of extreme weather. Your choices are a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, or thunderstorm. You will create a booklet outlining your history. Your history will include how you were created, where you travelled, interesting information, pictures, and your demise.

Your PowerPoint should include the following pages, though you may include other information as well!

  • Your birth
  • Important events
  • Location
  • Wind speed (in miles per hour)
  • Pictures or sketches at each stage of life
  • Damage created
  • Human safety precautions
  • Your death
Process

This webquest will include two parts: information gathering and PowerPoint creation.

Stage 1: Information Gathering

  1. Choose and define your weather extreme
  2. What conditions are needed for your weather to occur?
  3. How does this weather form?
  4. Where does this weather form?
  5. How is this weather measured?
  6. Why does this weather type lose power?
  7. What precautions/safety measures should humans take against this particular type of extreme weather?

Stage 2: PowerPoint Creation

When you create your PowerPoint, make sure you include at least 8 slides that contain all of the following information:

  • Your birth
  • Important events (or important changes that have taken place during your life)
  • Location (or areas of the country where this type of weather occurs)
  • Wind speed, in miles per hour (or another form of measurement)
  • Pictures or sketches at each stage of life
  • Damage created (include pictures)
  • Human safety precautions
  • Your death

 

Resources

Tornado

Scholastic http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/tornadoes/index.htm

Weather Whiz Kids http://www.weatherwizkids.com/tornado.htm

NSSL http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/

Sky Diary http://skydiary.com/kids/tornadoes.html

Powerful Storms http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/storms.html

Thunderstorm

Weather Whiz Kids http://www.weatherwizkids.com/lightning1.htm

NSSL http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/thunderstorms/

NSSL Lightning http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/lightning/

NSSL Damaging Winds http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/wind/

Sky Diary http://skydiary.com/kids/lightning.html

Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/

In the Clouds http://www.inclouds.com/index.html

Powerful Storms http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/storms.html

Blizzard

Weather Whiz Kids http://www.weatherwizkids.com/winter_storms.htm

NSSL http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/winter/

Scholastic (includes Blizzard timeline) http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/winter_storms/index.htm

Rocky Mountain Research Station http://www-wwrc.uwyo.edu/wrds/rmfres/index.html

Ice and Snow http://www.learner.org/exhibits/weather/iceandsnow.html

Hurricane

Scholastic http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/wwatch/hurricanes/index.htm

Weather Whiz Kids http://www.weatherwizkids.com/hurricane1.htm

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

Tropical Twister http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/hurricane/damage.html

Horrific Hurricanes http://whyfiles.org/073hurricane/index.html

Miami Hurricane http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/

NSSL Flooding http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/floods/

Evaluation

Exceeding Expectations

  • More than 8 slides

  • 8 or more graphics or sketches

  • 8 or more interesting facts 

Meeting Expectations

  •  8 Slides

  •  5 - 7 graphics or sketches

  • 5 - 7 more interesting facts 

Acceptable Expectations (Progressing)

  • 6 Slides

  • 3 - 4 graphic or sketches

  • 3 - 4 interesting facts 

Novice Expectations (Needs Improvement)

  • 4 Slides

  • 2 or less graphic or sketches

  • 2 or less interesting facts

Conclusion

While researching information about the extreme weather you chose, what interesting facts did you learn? Did you learn about that weather forms birth and life, or the type of damage it can cause? Do you now understand how it is measured or what sorts of precautions humans need to take to stay safe? If you have, than congratulations! You are now an expert on extreme weather!

Credits