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Weather InternetActivity

Credits: Steve Gandy – steve@stevegandy.com

VITAL INFORMATIONSubject Matter:Language Arts (English), Mathematics, Reading, Science, Technology

Grades:3

Software Application:Any Internet Browser:Internet ExplorerNetscape

and

Any word processor:StarOffice, AppleWorks, Microsoft Word

LESSON DESCRIPTIONSummary:This is a comprehensive unit of study for 3rd grade weather science. There are 9parts; they all integrate Internet skills with the science content. The parts are:

1. Making Bookmarks or Favorites

Developed under a grant from Sun Microsystems, Inc. Open Gateways at Mountain ViewElementary School by Steve Gandy, Technology Coordinator - www.adams12.org/mtnview/TISS© 2003 Page 2

2. Browse the Weather Sites3. Broomfield/Denver Weather4. Graph the Weather Data5. Weather Calculator6. Clouds7. Tornadoes8. Weather Glossary9. The Weather News

While the activities build on each other it is not necessary to do them all. Teachersmay choose certain parts and not others after reviewing them and their students'needs.

Links: 1. Weather Internet Activity -http://www.adams12.org/mtnview/InternetCenters/Weather/WEATHERactivityMenu.html

2. MVES Internet Activity Menu Page -http://www.adams12.org/mtnview/InternetCenters/NetCenterMenu.htmlThis is a menu of all the Mountain View Internet Center Activities: USA Geographyfor 5th grade, Colorado History for 4th grade, Weather for 3rd grade, PictureDictionary for 2nd grade, and Research for grades 2-5

State & National Standards:CO- Colorado Academic Standards• Subject : Mathematics• Standard 3: Students use data collection and analysis, statistics, and probabilityin problem-solving situations and communicate the reasoning used in solving theseproblems.Statistics are used to understand how information is processed and translated intousable knowledge. Through the study of statistics, students learn to collect, organize,and summarize information. Students also need to know how to interpret data andmake decisions based on their interpretations. Probability is part of this standardbecause statistical data are often used to predict the likelihood of future events andoutcomes. Students learn probability - the study of chance - so that numerical datacan be used to predict future events as well as record the past. A command ofstatistics and probability is important in adult life.• Grade/Level : Grades K-4• Performance Indicator 3.1: Constructing, reading, and interpreting displays ofdata including tables, charts, pictographs, and bar graphs Expectation by Grade or Topic : Third Grade• Subject : Science• Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand theprocesses and interactions of Earth’s systems and the structure and dynamics ofEarth and other objects in space. (Focus: Geology, Meteorology, Astronomy,Oceanography)• Key Idea 4.2: Students know and understand the general characteristics of theatmosphere and fundamental processes of weather• Grade/Level : Grades K-4 Performance Indicator : recognizing that the Sun is a principal source of Earth’sheat and light

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Performance Indicator : recognizing how our daily activities are affected by theweather (for example, types of clothing, travel plans, recreational activity) Performance Indicator : describing existing weather conditions by collecting andrecording weather data (for example, temperature, precipitation, amount of cloudcover)• Subject : Reading and Writing• Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiencesWriting and speaking are essential tools for learning, for success in the workplace,and for responsible citizenship. Developing a range of writing and speaking abilitiesrequires extensive study, practice, and thinking. Students need frequentopportunities to write and speak for different audiences and purposes, and they needto be able to communicate expressively, informatively, and analytically. Growth inwriting and speaking abilities occurs by applying skills to increasingly challengingcommunication tasks• Grade/Level : Grades K-4 Performance Indicator : generating topics and developing ideas for a variety ofwriting and speaking purposes (for example, telling a story, publishing a classnewsletter, writing a letter to an adult, writing or orally presenting a book report,creating and producing a play, introducing a speaker or an event, narrating apresentation); Performance Indicator : organizing their speaking and writing Performance Indicator : choosing vocabulary that communicates their messagesclearly and precisely Performance Indicator : revising and editing speech and writing Performance Indicator : creating readable documents with legible handwriting orword processing at the appropriate time• Standard 3: Students write and speakusing conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization,and spellingStudents need to know and be able to use standard English. Proficiency in thisstandard plays an important role in how the writer or speaker is understood andperceived. All skills in this standard are reinforced and practiced at all grade levelsand should be monitored by both the teacher and student to develop lifelong learningskills• Grade/Level : Grades K-4 Performance Indicator : knowing and using subject/verb agreement Performance Indicator : knowing and using correct modifiers Performance Indicator : knowing and using correct capitalization, punctuation,and abbreviations Performance Indicator : spelling frequently used words correctly using phonicsrules and exceptions• Standard 5: Students read to locate, select, and make use ofrelevant information from a variety of media, reference, and technological sourcesIn this age of information and technology, people need reading and information-retrieval skills that will enable them to access facts, images, and text from manysources. The sheer volume of data makes it necessary for information seekers to beable to wade through a maze of facts, figures, and images, and to identify what isuseful and relevant. Knowing how to locate, evaluate, and make use of an ever-increasing amount of information demands a broader repertoire of readingstrategies. This implies an expanded definition of literacy that includes reading forinformation in a technological age. Students need to become discerning consumersof information.• Grade/Level : Grades K-4

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Performance Indicator : using organizational features of printed text (forexample, page numbering, alphabetizing, glossaries, chapter heading, tables ofcontents, indexes, captions); Performance Indicator : recognizing organizational features of electronicinformation (for example, pull-down menus, icons, key word searches); Performance Indicator : using organizational features to locate media orelectronic information (for example, passwords, entry menu features, pull-downmenus, icons, key word searches); Performance Indicator : taking notes, outlining, and identifying main ideas inresource materials Performance Indicator : sorting information as it relates to a specific topic orpurpose Performance Indicator : giving credit for borrowed information by telling or listingsources

Local Standards:INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY CONTINUUMStandard #3 Telecommunications: Students use telecommunications to retrieve andexchange information which supports and enhances District 12 curriculumframeworks.3C Uses web-browsing software to access information sources using the Internet

3C.1 Uses teacher-selected Internet sites and/or links to retrieveinformation for classroom assignments3C.2 Uses search strategies to locate information3C.3 Saves and/or prints information from the Internet3D Develops skills in analyzing the accuracy and credibility of information fromelectronic resources and cites those sources appropriately 3D.1 Distinguishesamong sources of information (i.e. university, commercial and government sites)3D.2 Recognizes the difference between content and advertisements on web pages3D.3 Cites electronic sources correctly3D.4 Evaluates the usefulness of information obtained using electronic resources

Lesson Outcomes:Students will become familiar with weather science. They will learn meteorologicalvocabulary and have experiences that enhance their understanding of the earth andits weather.

Students will gain Internet research skills and have experiences that will aid theirfuture use of the Internet as a source of information.

Students will have several science related writing opportunities.

Students will construct a graph using weather data.

Assessment:Much of this lesson is experiential and not meant to be evaluated in any traditionalway. Teacher participation in the process is important in this lesson. The teachershould be an active "guide" while the students are exploring the web sites andactivities. Modeling the behaviors of discovery and problem solving are key to asuccessful experience. As the lesson progresses the teacher can then evaluate, on anindividual basis, who is mastering the science and the Internet skills content.

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However, there are parts that may get "graded". For example, parts 3,6, and 9 havethe students answering specific questions or writing paragraphs. These answerscould be evaluated for accuracy, spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. See the lessonplan: The Writing Process/Word Processing Skills for more on this.

Assessment/Rubrics:none

CLASSROOM & TIME MANAGEMENTStudent Prerequisites:Students need a signed district Internet Acceptable Use Policy on file.

Students should have participated in the Introduction to the Internet lesson plan.

Lesson Preparation:Teachers should visit all linked sites from the Weather Activity web site to ensurethat they are all still working.

Teachers may want to duplicate the worksheets in parts 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9.

Time Frame:8 class periods. 45 Min. per class.

Implementation Steps:Full directions for each of the Weather Activity parts are included online so none areneeded here. Teachers should be familiar with those directions before leading theirclass into them as there may be certain details they would want to exclude or add.Links: 1. Weather Internet Activity -http://www.adams12.org/mtnview/InternetCenters/Weather/WEATHERactivityMenu.html

RESOURCESLesson Resources:These are links to the worksheets and the Internet Activity. The file titledworksheet4.xls is a variation on directions given in part 4. Instead of having thestudents record data and construct a graph manually, a spreadsheet templatedocument is used.Attachments: 1. worksheet4.xls 2. worksheet6.doc 3. worksheet7.doc 4. worksheet9.docLinks: 1. Weather Internet Activity -http://www.adams12.org/mtnview/InternetCenters/Weather/WEATHERactivityMenu.html

Cities Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5City 1City 2City 3

Temperature Chart

Temperature Chart

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

City 1City 2City 3

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STUDENT PRODUCT(S)Product(s) Description:Various, see the individual activities.

REFLECTIONComments:We have used this lesson successfully since 1998.

Weather Activity Part 6 Worksheet:

Clouds…

Directions: After exploring the Clouds section of the USAToday web site, write a sentence describing each type ofcloud in your own words.

Fog:

Stratus:

Cirrus:

Cumulus:

Weather Activity Part 7 Worksheet:

Tornadoes…

Directions: After exploring the Tornado web site, write adescription of a tornado in your own words. Remember tohave a topic sentence at the beginning and tell at least 3different facts.

Write the description here:

Weather Activity Part 9 Worksheet:

Weather News…

Directions: After reading a weather news story at USAToday’s Weather Page or the CNN Weather Page, retell thestory in your own words. Remember to have a topicsentence at the beginning.

Write the story here: