With all of the news coverage of the recent tsunami and its aftermath in Japan, many teachers are looking for ways to explain the phenomenon to their students. Students are seeing videos and pictures of the devastation in Japan, and many of them don’t completely understand the science behind this type of weather disaster. This lack of understanding can lead to fear in students (and teachers) of all ages. Joann has been collecting resources for The Gateway to help teach students about tsunamis. The resources she is featuring in her column and social media posts this week look at tsunamis from many different angles. She has found a really nice variety of resources, and I really like the way they integrate the study of tsunamis into subjects ranging from art to science.
It was hard for me to pick out my favorite activities to use in the classroom. These are all great stand-alone resources, but there are so many different aspects of tsunamis that might spark students’ interests, I thought it would be neat to allow students to choose which angle of tsunamis they want to study. To allow this choice, I needed to figure out how to combine ideas from lots of Joann’s picks into one activity. I wanted to create an activity that could be adapted for many different age groups and that would appeal to students with a wide range of interests. It would include creative and critical thinking and it would involve students teaching others about what they learned, the best form of learning in my opinion.
Tsunami News Broadcast
In this activity, students will create news broadcasts to explain tsunamis to a selected audience. You might choose a group of younger students, other students in the class, or parents as the audience. Students could present their newscasts live, as a video, as an audio podcast, a glog, or you might want to give them the choice of creating a newspaper to present.
Choose four to six tsunami-related topics. (I did this by looking at the topics covered in this week’s featured resources on The Gateway.) Create a list of these topics to distribute to small groups of students with a few suggested links or research ideas for each topic. Explain to the students that they are a news team responsible for creating a news broadcast covering a few different aspects of tsunamis to help their viewers better understand the crisis in Japan.
I have found that it is very beneficial to let students teach one another, and this is a fun, creative way for students to do that. One strength of this type of activity is that it allows the students to make choices. If you select 6 possible topics, students could choose 4 of those topics to cover in their news broadcast. This way, they are spending their time researching things that interest them the most.
The following is a list of topic ideas for students to include in their broadcasts. There are many more possibilities, so have fun and use your imagination!
The science of a tsunami: If students understand the science behind a tsunami, their fears of a similar event occurring near them might be alleviated. Look at resources like this to find out what causes these giant waves and to get ideas for visual representations to use in a news broadcast. The NSTA also collected some good resources and here are the top 3 sites from Free Technology for Teachers.
Fact v. Fiction: Students will need to use critical thinking to determine whether the things they see in the media are true or false. Look here to help students create a section of the broadcast devoted to how to decide what is real. This is especially important when looking at the reports about the nuclear reactors. This lesson from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission explains a lot about how nuclear power works.
History of Tsunamis: There have been other major tsunamis throughout history. How do those tsunamis compare to the recent event in Japan? Here is an example of the type of resource that might be useful for this topic.
Survivor studies: A study of the stories of survivors might give them empathy for the people affected by the disaster. Look at sites like this to find some stories of survivors of natural disasters to include in a broadcast.
Making a Difference: A service project with the goal of helping tsunami victims could give people a sense of a purpose instead of fear. What can students do to help? Discuss ideas that have been implemented or that students could implement to help tsunami victims. See lessons like this and others from LearningToGive.org for some ideas.
Will it Happen To Me? Reading Rockets collected resources to help students understand tsunamis and whether or not one might occur near their home. Students might want to dedicate a section of their broadcast to this topic.
This is just a beginning of a plan. You might have some better ideas, and if you do, we would love for you to share! Join us on Facebook and Twitter to learn even more. We will share any presentations, podcasts, glogs, or pictures you share with us to inspire other teachers to discuss this important topic in the classroom.
~Peggy's Corner - 4/8/2010~
Showing posts with label Earth Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earth Science. Show all posts
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Tsunamis
The recent earthquake in Japan has vividly illustrated just how powerful natural disasters can be. Most of the horrific, widespread damage was caused not by the earthquake itself, but by the resulting tsunami. After the earthquake, residents living on the northeastern coast of Japan had only minutes to seek high ground before the waves came crashing in. Many never made it.
Tsunamis are large ocean waves of displaced water generally caused by earthquakes or volcanoes. In order to generate a tsunami, an earthquake must occur near the ocean or beneath the ocean floor. While tsunamis can occur in any ocean, the Pacific is a particularly fertile area for tsunamis because of the geologic volatility of the Ring of Fire zone, which rims the Pacific. The number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in this region are caused by the convergence of three tectonic plates, which continuously move and shift against one another. Once a tsunami is triggered, the waves can reach staggering heights – some tsunami wave heights have been recorded in excess of 100 feet. Most deep ocean tsunamis, however, rarely exceed 3 feet in height, but are characterized instead by their length. In such cases, a tsunami can measure hundreds of miles or more from wave crest to wave crest, and can neither be seen from the air nor be felt by ships, despite moving at speeds exceeding 500 miles per hour.
In science classes, the study of tsunamis has applications in geology, earth science, and physics. While students most often learn about tsunamis in science class, the study of this phenomenon can be applied to other subject areas as well. In schools where character education is part of the curriculum, learning about how tsunamis have affected communities in Japan and other areas can generate service learning projects and overall discussion of how people can help those touched by tragedy. In social studies, students can learn about the geographic regions affected by tsunamis, and how the local cultures have adapted to live with the threat of big waves. Students in Language Arts and English classes can write poems or descriptive essays about tsunamis, attempting to capture the power and violence of such force in words. In art classes, students can create artwork similar to tsunami-inspired pieces by artists Katsushika Hokusai and Sandra Hansen. Math classes, too, can use information about tsunamis to calculate wave height, speed, and the local times that various locations could be affected by walls of water.
Below are three resources on tsunamis for various grade ranges. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on tsunamis in a variety of subject areas on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please be sure to give them a look.
Tsunamis
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.0278696810
Subjects: Earth science, Physical science
Grade: K-2
Young children should understand that earthquakes can cause tsunamis, and if they live near the water, they should be prepared to go inland and uphill to high ground. In this lesson, younger students are introduced to tsunamis, and participate in hands-on activities to demonstrate the characteristics of waves. This lesson was produced by the American Red Cross, the nation’s premier emergency response organization. In addition to providing relief and community services, the Red Cross also offers educational materials on disaster preparedness and response.
Monster Waves
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.2028916312
Subjects: Geography, Earth science, Math
Grade: 6-8
In this activity, students will build a tabletop fishing village and use it to visualize the relative height and affects of gigantic waves called tsunamis. This lesson is offered by the Houghton Mifflin Education Place, where teachers and families can find K-12 education resources including lesson plans and activities.
Tsunami: Waves of Destruction
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-28.3813267750
Subjects: Math, Physical science, Geography, Earth science
Grade: 9-12
In this lesson, students use tsunami time travel maps to predict how long it will take a tsunami to reach the shore. This lesson was produced by The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), which conducts interdisciplinary research and provides advisory service to policy makers, industry, and the public. VIMS offers educational resources through The Bridge, a companion web site.
~Joann's Picks - 4/9/2011~
Tsunamis are large ocean waves of displaced water generally caused by earthquakes or volcanoes. In order to generate a tsunami, an earthquake must occur near the ocean or beneath the ocean floor. While tsunamis can occur in any ocean, the Pacific is a particularly fertile area for tsunamis because of the geologic volatility of the Ring of Fire zone, which rims the Pacific. The number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in this region are caused by the convergence of three tectonic plates, which continuously move and shift against one another. Once a tsunami is triggered, the waves can reach staggering heights – some tsunami wave heights have been recorded in excess of 100 feet. Most deep ocean tsunamis, however, rarely exceed 3 feet in height, but are characterized instead by their length. In such cases, a tsunami can measure hundreds of miles or more from wave crest to wave crest, and can neither be seen from the air nor be felt by ships, despite moving at speeds exceeding 500 miles per hour.
In science classes, the study of tsunamis has applications in geology, earth science, and physics. While students most often learn about tsunamis in science class, the study of this phenomenon can be applied to other subject areas as well. In schools where character education is part of the curriculum, learning about how tsunamis have affected communities in Japan and other areas can generate service learning projects and overall discussion of how people can help those touched by tragedy. In social studies, students can learn about the geographic regions affected by tsunamis, and how the local cultures have adapted to live with the threat of big waves. Students in Language Arts and English classes can write poems or descriptive essays about tsunamis, attempting to capture the power and violence of such force in words. In art classes, students can create artwork similar to tsunami-inspired pieces by artists Katsushika Hokusai and Sandra Hansen. Math classes, too, can use information about tsunamis to calculate wave height, speed, and the local times that various locations could be affected by walls of water.
Below are three resources on tsunamis for various grade ranges. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on tsunamis in a variety of subject areas on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Please be sure to give them a look.
Tsunamis
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.0278696810
Subjects: Earth science, Physical science
Grade: K-2
Young children should understand that earthquakes can cause tsunamis, and if they live near the water, they should be prepared to go inland and uphill to high ground. In this lesson, younger students are introduced to tsunamis, and participate in hands-on activities to demonstrate the characteristics of waves. This lesson was produced by the American Red Cross, the nation’s premier emergency response organization. In addition to providing relief and community services, the Red Cross also offers educational materials on disaster preparedness and response.
Monster Waves
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.2028916312
Subjects: Geography, Earth science, Math
Grade: 6-8
In this activity, students will build a tabletop fishing village and use it to visualize the relative height and affects of gigantic waves called tsunamis. This lesson is offered by the Houghton Mifflin Education Place, where teachers and families can find K-12 education resources including lesson plans and activities.
Tsunami: Waves of Destruction
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-28.3813267750
Subjects: Math, Physical science, Geography, Earth science
Grade: 9-12
In this lesson, students use tsunami time travel maps to predict how long it will take a tsunami to reach the shore. This lesson was produced by The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), which conducts interdisciplinary research and provides advisory service to policy makers, industry, and the public. VIMS offers educational resources through The Bridge, a companion web site.
~Joann's Picks - 4/9/2011~
Saturday, April 2, 2011
A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On?
This week we have a guest columnist, Terry Smithson the Director of Marketing for JES & Co., covering the topic of earthquakes. Peggy will be back in a few weeks.
On October 17, 1989 at 5:04 P.M., I was in the upper deck at Candlestick Park in San Francisco for game 5 of the World Series. I had a childhood friend that was visiting from North Carolina and had never seen a professional baseball game. Needless to say, he did not see this one either. The game was postponed due to a 7.1 magnitude earthquake centered on the San Andreas Fault in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Loma Prieta Peak which is about 50 miles south of San Francisco. This quake only lasted between 10-15 seconds. To put it in perspective, the recent quake in Japan lasted for just over 2 minutes.
In college, geology was one of my favorite classes. I really enjoyed learning about the different ways in which the earth can change and move, as well as the reasons behind these changes. The world is truly an amazing place, and nature's effects, such as earthquakes, leave students with many questions. Why, for example, does the ground shake during an earthquake? Why does the earth shake more in places like Japan, and less often in places like Kansas? Why are there lots of smaller earthquakes, or aftershocks, after a large earthquake? Once students start asking questions such as these about earthquakes, the floodgates are likely to open, paving the way for additional questions about this mysterious and powerful event.
Here are some really fun activity driven resources focused on answering these questions and many more.
Musical Plates
Grade: 6-12
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/1921
Earthquakes, a scientific and physical phenomenon, affect our lives in many ways. In this project, students use Real-Time earthquake and volcano data from the Internet to explore the relationship between earthquakes, plate tectonics, and volcanoes. This resource also has many links including links to seismicity maps for each state. This resource is from the Center for Improved Engineering & Science Education.
What’s Shaking?
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2008-12-10.4019663742
Grade: 6
This lesson is a mini-unit on earthquakes. Students will watch videos, complete drawings and diagrams, and work in collaborative groups as they investigate such things as faults and the causes and effects of earthquakes. Students will also learn about seismic waves and how earthquakes are measured. There are also suggestions to extend the lesson as well. This resource is from the Alabama Learning Exchange.
Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/20486
Grade: 3-12
What are earthquakes? Why do they occur? and Why can't we predict them? Although we still can't predict when an earthquake will happen, we have learned much about earthquakes as well as the Earth itself from studying them. We have learned how to pinpoint the locations of earthquakes, how to accurately measure their sizes, and how to build flexible structures that can withstand the strong shaking produced by earthquakes and protect our loved ones. The homepage of this resource has some really fun links as an exhibit map. This is how you navigate through the resource. This resource is from the Tech Museum of Innovation.
Earthquakes: A Whole Lot of Quakin’ Goin’ On
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-01-17.5080835734
Grade: 9-12
In this activity, students will delve into seismology, the study of earthquakes, learning about and contrasting two scales used by seismologists to categorize and compare these quaking forces of nature. Students will review firsthand accounts from people who experienced an earthquake, then employ one of these scales to categorize and map the earthquake's intensity. This resource is from National Geographic and includes related links and suggestions for extending the lesson.
These are just a few of the many resources available on The Gateway involving the study of earthquakes. Joann has chosen many more resources to feature throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter, so please join us there to learn more!
~Peggy's Corner (by Terry Smithson) - 4/1/2011~
On October 17, 1989 at 5:04 P.M., I was in the upper deck at Candlestick Park in San Francisco for game 5 of the World Series. I had a childhood friend that was visiting from North Carolina and had never seen a professional baseball game. Needless to say, he did not see this one either. The game was postponed due to a 7.1 magnitude earthquake centered on the San Andreas Fault in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Loma Prieta Peak which is about 50 miles south of San Francisco. This quake only lasted between 10-15 seconds. To put it in perspective, the recent quake in Japan lasted for just over 2 minutes.
In college, geology was one of my favorite classes. I really enjoyed learning about the different ways in which the earth can change and move, as well as the reasons behind these changes. The world is truly an amazing place, and nature's effects, such as earthquakes, leave students with many questions. Why, for example, does the ground shake during an earthquake? Why does the earth shake more in places like Japan, and less often in places like Kansas? Why are there lots of smaller earthquakes, or aftershocks, after a large earthquake? Once students start asking questions such as these about earthquakes, the floodgates are likely to open, paving the way for additional questions about this mysterious and powerful event.
Here are some really fun activity driven resources focused on answering these questions and many more.
Musical Plates
Grade: 6-12
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/1921
Earthquakes, a scientific and physical phenomenon, affect our lives in many ways. In this project, students use Real-Time earthquake and volcano data from the Internet to explore the relationship between earthquakes, plate tectonics, and volcanoes. This resource also has many links including links to seismicity maps for each state. This resource is from the Center for Improved Engineering & Science Education.
What’s Shaking?
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2008-12-10.4019663742
Grade: 6
This lesson is a mini-unit on earthquakes. Students will watch videos, complete drawings and diagrams, and work in collaborative groups as they investigate such things as faults and the causes and effects of earthquakes. Students will also learn about seismic waves and how earthquakes are measured. There are also suggestions to extend the lesson as well. This resource is from the Alabama Learning Exchange.
Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/20486
Grade: 3-12
What are earthquakes? Why do they occur? and Why can't we predict them? Although we still can't predict when an earthquake will happen, we have learned much about earthquakes as well as the Earth itself from studying them. We have learned how to pinpoint the locations of earthquakes, how to accurately measure their sizes, and how to build flexible structures that can withstand the strong shaking produced by earthquakes and protect our loved ones. The homepage of this resource has some really fun links as an exhibit map. This is how you navigate through the resource. This resource is from the Tech Museum of Innovation.
Earthquakes: A Whole Lot of Quakin’ Goin’ On
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2010-01-17.5080835734
Grade: 9-12
In this activity, students will delve into seismology, the study of earthquakes, learning about and contrasting two scales used by seismologists to categorize and compare these quaking forces of nature. Students will review firsthand accounts from people who experienced an earthquake, then employ one of these scales to categorize and map the earthquake's intensity. This resource is from National Geographic and includes related links and suggestions for extending the lesson.
These are just a few of the many resources available on The Gateway involving the study of earthquakes. Joann has chosen many more resources to feature throughout the week on Facebook and Twitter, so please join us there to learn more!
~Peggy's Corner (by Terry Smithson) - 4/1/2011~
Japan – Earthquakes
Earthquakes are mysterious things. We understand why earthquakes happen, but still lack the ability to predict the magnitude of a quake or when such an event might occur. Once an earthquake begins, current technology can only provide a few seconds’ warning before severe shaking arrives at a specific location. For most people, the first sign of an impending earthquake occurs only once it’s begun.
Severe earthquakes have been mentioned throughout history, with the earliest recorded quake noted in China in 1177 BC. Scientific research into earthquakes didn’t really commence until the 18th century, where one commonly accepted theory held that earthquakes were caused by subterranean air surging out of vast caves beneath the Earth’s surface. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that the notion of plate tectonics began to develop, and for scientists to begin to understand what really caused an earthquake. Earthquakes are nearly always caused by the friction and stress associated with tectonic plate movements; as plates continuously strain and push against each other, a sudden release of energy caused by one plate slipping over another can result in an earthquake.
The 21st century thus far has spawned some massive earthquakes around the globe; as of this writing, Japan alone has seen 19 earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 and above in the last ten years. The island nation is located in the infamous Ring of Fire, a volatile region that rims the Pacific Ocean for roughly 25,000 miles and is notably home to 452 volcanoes and 90% of our planet’s earthquakes. Japan lies on the edge of the junction to three tectonic plates – the Philippine, Pacific, and Eurasian Plates – which continuously shift and grind over and under one another.
Like all disasters, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami have an effect on populations far from the stricken geographic region. Millions of people around the world are moved emotionally by the tragedy, and donate to Japanese relief efforts to signify their support and human solidarity. Traces of radiation were found on planes from Japan at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, docks and vessels were destroyed on the coasts of California and Hawaii due to waves caused by the tsunami, and the destruction from the earthquake and tsunami will have economic repercussions worldwide. And according to NASA, the March 11 earthquake was powerful enough to shift the Earth’s mass so that our planet spins a bit faster, thus reducing the length of each day by 1.6 microseconds. Thus the scope of one event – an earthquake – has created a ripple effect of significant proportions throughout the world.
My picks this week focus on understanding earthquakes and their impact on local and distant communities. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so please check those pages for lots of ideas.
Table-Top Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/26190
Subjects: Geology, Earth science
Grade: K-12
Using an earthquake machine (materials list is included in the resource), the teacher can demonstrate how the machine’s sliding motion mimics the intermittent fault slippage that characterizes the earthquake fault zones. This demonstration of seismology for teachers and students can be used to expand lessons in earth science, physics, math, social studies, and geography. This activity was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, a science organization that provides all types of information to scientists, policymakers, and others. Additionally, the USGS helps to help educate the public about natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and other issues through lesson plans, maps, and data.
Building Structure Exercise: Designing Structures To Perform Well During an Earthquake
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-23.5175455774
Subjects: Engineering, Geology, Physical science
Grade: 6-12
Did you ever notice that after an earthquake some structures have a lot of damage while others have little? There are different factors that affect how structures perform during an earthquake. In this activity, students will learn about the effect of different variables on building performance during a simulated earthquake. They’ll learn about what physical forces are at work during an earthquake, and brainstorm ways to strengthen the buildings to withstand an earthquake. This activity was produced by MCEER Information Systems, a national center dedicated to the creation and development of new technologies to equip
communities to become more disaster resilient in the face of earthquakes and other extreme events.
You Don’t Need a Seismograph to Study Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/32585
Subjects: Geology, Physical science
Grade: 7-12
Earthquakes are difficult to predict, and most of our scientific investigation occurs after the event. This lesson will help students to understand earthquakes. Students will simulate p waves (longitudinal) & s waves (transverse) using a slinky and rope. They will simulate one of the three types of lithospheric boundaries and investigate plate tectonics at some select web sites. This lesson is aligned to national education standards, and was produced by PBS NewsHour, which covers national and international news. NewsHour also provides educational resources for both teachers and students.
~ Joann's Picks - 4/1/2011~
Severe earthquakes have been mentioned throughout history, with the earliest recorded quake noted in China in 1177 BC. Scientific research into earthquakes didn’t really commence until the 18th century, where one commonly accepted theory held that earthquakes were caused by subterranean air surging out of vast caves beneath the Earth’s surface. It wasn’t until the twentieth century that the notion of plate tectonics began to develop, and for scientists to begin to understand what really caused an earthquake. Earthquakes are nearly always caused by the friction and stress associated with tectonic plate movements; as plates continuously strain and push against each other, a sudden release of energy caused by one plate slipping over another can result in an earthquake.
The 21st century thus far has spawned some massive earthquakes around the globe; as of this writing, Japan alone has seen 19 earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 and above in the last ten years. The island nation is located in the infamous Ring of Fire, a volatile region that rims the Pacific Ocean for roughly 25,000 miles and is notably home to 452 volcanoes and 90% of our planet’s earthquakes. Japan lies on the edge of the junction to three tectonic plates – the Philippine, Pacific, and Eurasian Plates – which continuously shift and grind over and under one another.
Like all disasters, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami have an effect on populations far from the stricken geographic region. Millions of people around the world are moved emotionally by the tragedy, and donate to Japanese relief efforts to signify their support and human solidarity. Traces of radiation were found on planes from Japan at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, docks and vessels were destroyed on the coasts of California and Hawaii due to waves caused by the tsunami, and the destruction from the earthquake and tsunami will have economic repercussions worldwide. And according to NASA, the March 11 earthquake was powerful enough to shift the Earth’s mass so that our planet spins a bit faster, thus reducing the length of each day by 1.6 microseconds. Thus the scope of one event – an earthquake – has created a ripple effect of significant proportions throughout the world.
My picks this week focus on understanding earthquakes and their impact on local and distant communities. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages, so please check those pages for lots of ideas.
Table-Top Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/26190
Subjects: Geology, Earth science
Grade: K-12
Using an earthquake machine (materials list is included in the resource), the teacher can demonstrate how the machine’s sliding motion mimics the intermittent fault slippage that characterizes the earthquake fault zones. This demonstration of seismology for teachers and students can be used to expand lessons in earth science, physics, math, social studies, and geography. This activity was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, a science organization that provides all types of information to scientists, policymakers, and others. Additionally, the USGS helps to help educate the public about natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and other issues through lesson plans, maps, and data.
Building Structure Exercise: Designing Structures To Perform Well During an Earthquake
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-23.5175455774
Subjects: Engineering, Geology, Physical science
Grade: 6-12
Did you ever notice that after an earthquake some structures have a lot of damage while others have little? There are different factors that affect how structures perform during an earthquake. In this activity, students will learn about the effect of different variables on building performance during a simulated earthquake. They’ll learn about what physical forces are at work during an earthquake, and brainstorm ways to strengthen the buildings to withstand an earthquake. This activity was produced by MCEER Information Systems, a national center dedicated to the creation and development of new technologies to equip
communities to become more disaster resilient in the face of earthquakes and other extreme events.
You Don’t Need a Seismograph to Study Earthquakes
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/32585
Subjects: Geology, Physical science
Grade: 7-12
Earthquakes are difficult to predict, and most of our scientific investigation occurs after the event. This lesson will help students to understand earthquakes. Students will simulate p waves (longitudinal) & s waves (transverse) using a slinky and rope. They will simulate one of the three types of lithospheric boundaries and investigate plate tectonics at some select web sites. This lesson is aligned to national education standards, and was produced by PBS NewsHour, which covers national and international news. NewsHour also provides educational resources for both teachers and students.
~ Joann's Picks - 4/1/2011~
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Japan: Disaster Relief
Millions of people around the globe have been thunderstruck and horrified by the devastating earthquake, tsunami, and resulting nuclear crisis that have unfolded in Japan in recent weeks. Stark images of the utter destruction left in the tsunami’s wake replay continuously on news reports, leaving viewers wondering how the affected communities can possibly rebuild after such a tragedy. Where does one start? The sheer scope of the destruction seems overwhelming.
Many older students will likely remember Hurricane Katrina, the deadly hurricane that ripped through the American Gulf Coast in 2005, causing over $81 billion dollars in damage and killing over 1,800 people. Katrina ranks as the most costly natural disaster in American history, and one from which the Gulf states are still struggling to recover. Depending on their ages, students may react to the news of disasters such as the earthquake in Japan and Hurricane Katrina in different ways. Younger students look for reassurance of their own personal safety and that of their families, while older students want to understand how such catastrophes occur, what can be done to prevent them, and how they can help the affected communities.
Last fall, Peggy and I wrote columns on natural disasters, specifically on how to prepare for one and how to respond should a disaster occur. In my column, I offered resources on safety preparations, community rebuilding, and how the human body physically reacts in response to traumatic events such as a natural disaster. In Peggy’s companion column, she offered excellent ideas on how to tackle this often difficult topic in the classroom. I encourage you to take a look at them both.
This week, I’m featuring all-new resources for all ages on disaster relief and emergency management in the wake of a natural disaster. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages, all focusing on disaster relief and how such disasters affect our communities. Finally, on behalf of the entire Gateway team, I’d like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to everyone in Japan. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Be Disaster Safe: Emergency Management
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-18.6119251528
Subjects: Health, Safety, Government
Grade: 3-5
In this lesson, students learn that communities have systems in place and that agencies cooperate to take care of the community’s needs during emergencies and disasters. This lesson was produced by the American Red Cross, the nation’s premier emergency response organization since 1881. In addition to providing international and national emergency relief services, the Red Cross also offers safety information resources for parents, teachers, and students.
Dealing with Disasters
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.3870913061
Subjects: Geography, Earth science, Civics
Grade: 6-8
In this lesson, students will study potential natural hazards in their community, report on local hazards in small groups, and discuss community preparation and response for one or more of these forces of nature. This lesson is a product of National Geographic Xpeditions, part of the National Geographic Society. The site offers all kinds of lesson plans, daily global news, and interactive games that focus on geography and foreign cultures. This lesson is aligned to U.S. national geography standards.
Disaster Relief – Power, Generosity and Leadership
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.8590214576
Subjects: Economics, Civics, Character Education
Grade 9-12
Students will research problems caused by a natural disaster and cite examples of aid provided in an effort to help those devastated populations. They will investigate the role of the four economic sectors in responding to the needs. They will participate in a collection campaign or other service project and learn about organizations to which they can contribute their philanthropy. Students carry out the project, track their results, advocate for the cause, and reflect on their participation. This lesson was produced by Learning to Give, the curriculum arm of The LEAGUE, which is a school-based system that combines lesson plans with community service events. This lesson is aligned to national, state, and some international education standards.
~Joann's Picks - 3/25/11~
Many older students will likely remember Hurricane Katrina, the deadly hurricane that ripped through the American Gulf Coast in 2005, causing over $81 billion dollars in damage and killing over 1,800 people. Katrina ranks as the most costly natural disaster in American history, and one from which the Gulf states are still struggling to recover. Depending on their ages, students may react to the news of disasters such as the earthquake in Japan and Hurricane Katrina in different ways. Younger students look for reassurance of their own personal safety and that of their families, while older students want to understand how such catastrophes occur, what can be done to prevent them, and how they can help the affected communities.
Last fall, Peggy and I wrote columns on natural disasters, specifically on how to prepare for one and how to respond should a disaster occur. In my column, I offered resources on safety preparations, community rebuilding, and how the human body physically reacts in response to traumatic events such as a natural disaster. In Peggy’s companion column, she offered excellent ideas on how to tackle this often difficult topic in the classroom. I encourage you to take a look at them both.
This week, I’m featuring all-new resources for all ages on disaster relief and emergency management in the wake of a natural disaster. Throughout the week, I’ll be featuring many additional lessons and activities on our Facebook and Twitter pages, all focusing on disaster relief and how such disasters affect our communities. Finally, on behalf of the entire Gateway team, I’d like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to everyone in Japan. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Be Disaster Safe: Emergency Management
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-18.6119251528
Subjects: Health, Safety, Government
Grade: 3-5
In this lesson, students learn that communities have systems in place and that agencies cooperate to take care of the community’s needs during emergencies and disasters. This lesson was produced by the American Red Cross, the nation’s premier emergency response organization since 1881. In addition to providing international and national emergency relief services, the Red Cross also offers safety information resources for parents, teachers, and students.
Dealing with Disasters
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.3870913061
Subjects: Geography, Earth science, Civics
Grade: 6-8
In this lesson, students will study potential natural hazards in their community, report on local hazards in small groups, and discuss community preparation and response for one or more of these forces of nature. This lesson is a product of National Geographic Xpeditions, part of the National Geographic Society. The site offers all kinds of lesson plans, daily global news, and interactive games that focus on geography and foreign cultures. This lesson is aligned to U.S. national geography standards.
Disaster Relief – Power, Generosity and Leadership
http://www.thegateway.org/browse/dcrecord.2011-03-16.8590214576
Subjects: Economics, Civics, Character Education
Grade 9-12
Students will research problems caused by a natural disaster and cite examples of aid provided in an effort to help those devastated populations. They will investigate the role of the four economic sectors in responding to the needs. They will participate in a collection campaign or other service project and learn about organizations to which they can contribute their philanthropy. Students carry out the project, track their results, advocate for the cause, and reflect on their participation. This lesson was produced by Learning to Give, the curriculum arm of The LEAGUE, which is a school-based system that combines lesson plans with community service events. This lesson is aligned to national, state, and some international education standards.
~Joann's Picks - 3/25/11~
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Global Warming – How can it fit in YOUR classroom?
This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children a world where the oceans rise and famine spreads and terrible storms devastate our lands. ~Barack Obama
This week on The Gateway to 21st Century Skills, Joann is highlighting resources about mass extinctions. The relationship between mass extinctions and global warming makes it a surprisingly relevant topic in students’ lives. The topic can be tailored to work with many age groups, and you can use elements from the theme in all different subject areas. Lessons and activities about extinction can lead classes to investigations into other areas such as global warming, understanding the scientific method, community service, math, and debate skills. Extinction investigations like the ones we are featuring this week might truly resonate with your students and pique their interest. If you are like many teachers, your year is so packed with required topics, standards to cover, and tests to take it’s hard to include lessons on things that aren’t directly related to those requirements.
It can be a real trick to find a way to incorporate activities into your existing curriculum without just piling extra activities on top of it. When you discover a theme (such as extinction) that you think will be successful in your classroom, there are a few ways you can make it a part of your curriculum while still teaching all of the standards you need to cover during the year and preparing your students for the standardized tests they will be taking.
If you know what standards are covered in a particular lesson, it’s much easier to find a perfect place for it in your school year. Figuring this out can be a very time-consuming task when you have to look up standards for every lesson you want to do. You may find that the new lesson will be a perfect replacement for one you have used every year. A great tool for this type of discovery is the standards suggestion tool on The Gateway. When you find an activity you like, make sure you view the full record of the activity by selecting the “View, Share, Comment” button. Choose your state and subject at the bottom of the record and click “View Standards.” This will give you a head start on figuring out where to use the lesson in your class.
Another thing to consider as you try to incorporate new themes like this is that you don’t have to teach everything about the topic to use it successfully in your classroom. You aren’t creating experts on every topic you teach, you are using the topic to create interest and to teach the particular skills your students need to learn during the school year. If you are a science teacher, you might want to focus on the science behind global warming or meteor strikes. Social studies teachers can bring out the historical aspects of the topic. Math teachers can use extinction data to teach students to analyze data, graph results, and make predictions about the future. English classes might debate possible causes of past mass extinctions or the probability of future ones.
Some teachers I know have been very successful at including a variety of topics to meet the needs of the varied types of learners in the class by assigning a few home learning assignments throughout the year. You can select a list of possible topics with activities that you find on The Gateway, and let your students fly with the rest. You will be sure that the appropriate standards are being covered, and the students will have a feeling of freedom and responsibility for learning the topics they chose themselves. If mass extinction is a topic you want to include in your class, check out the resources Joann featured in her post as well as the following 3 that I found on The Gateway this week.
Climate Change Kids Site from the Environmental Protection Agency - games, links, animations, and related teacher materials for teaching students about global warming.
Creative Climates activity from National Geographic Xpeditions – a simulation where students head up a climate observation post and create a climate map of the different climate zones.
Mercury Rising: Bearing Witness to Climate Change from Fusionspark Media– a virtual expedition of the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. You can use this with your students to see how the earth responds to global warming.
~Peggy's Corner - 12/3/2010~
This week on The Gateway to 21st Century Skills, Joann is highlighting resources about mass extinctions. The relationship between mass extinctions and global warming makes it a surprisingly relevant topic in students’ lives. The topic can be tailored to work with many age groups, and you can use elements from the theme in all different subject areas. Lessons and activities about extinction can lead classes to investigations into other areas such as global warming, understanding the scientific method, community service, math, and debate skills. Extinction investigations like the ones we are featuring this week might truly resonate with your students and pique their interest. If you are like many teachers, your year is so packed with required topics, standards to cover, and tests to take it’s hard to include lessons on things that aren’t directly related to those requirements.
It can be a real trick to find a way to incorporate activities into your existing curriculum without just piling extra activities on top of it. When you discover a theme (such as extinction) that you think will be successful in your classroom, there are a few ways you can make it a part of your curriculum while still teaching all of the standards you need to cover during the year and preparing your students for the standardized tests they will be taking.
If you know what standards are covered in a particular lesson, it’s much easier to find a perfect place for it in your school year. Figuring this out can be a very time-consuming task when you have to look up standards for every lesson you want to do. You may find that the new lesson will be a perfect replacement for one you have used every year. A great tool for this type of discovery is the standards suggestion tool on The Gateway. When you find an activity you like, make sure you view the full record of the activity by selecting the “View, Share, Comment” button. Choose your state and subject at the bottom of the record and click “View Standards.” This will give you a head start on figuring out where to use the lesson in your class.
Another thing to consider as you try to incorporate new themes like this is that you don’t have to teach everything about the topic to use it successfully in your classroom. You aren’t creating experts on every topic you teach, you are using the topic to create interest and to teach the particular skills your students need to learn during the school year. If you are a science teacher, you might want to focus on the science behind global warming or meteor strikes. Social studies teachers can bring out the historical aspects of the topic. Math teachers can use extinction data to teach students to analyze data, graph results, and make predictions about the future. English classes might debate possible causes of past mass extinctions or the probability of future ones.
Some teachers I know have been very successful at including a variety of topics to meet the needs of the varied types of learners in the class by assigning a few home learning assignments throughout the year. You can select a list of possible topics with activities that you find on The Gateway, and let your students fly with the rest. You will be sure that the appropriate standards are being covered, and the students will have a feeling of freedom and responsibility for learning the topics they chose themselves. If mass extinction is a topic you want to include in your class, check out the resources Joann featured in her post as well as the following 3 that I found on The Gateway this week.
Climate Change Kids Site from the Environmental Protection Agency - games, links, animations, and related teacher materials for teaching students about global warming.
Creative Climates activity from National Geographic Xpeditions – a simulation where students head up a climate observation post and create a climate map of the different climate zones.
Mercury Rising: Bearing Witness to Climate Change from Fusionspark Media– a virtual expedition of the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica. You can use this with your students to see how the earth responds to global warming.
~Peggy's Corner - 12/3/2010~
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Paper Trails
As I finish making copies for the week for four first grade classrooms, I look down at the pile of worksheets and I am astounded by the sheer amount of paper these students will use and eventually throw away during a typical school week. Add school newsletters, announcements, and fundraising pamphlets and the paperwork coming home each day in students’ backpacks can become overwhelming. For families with multiple children in the same school, the problem is only compounded. As “going green” gains popularity, it only makes sense to tackle the topic of reducing waste with our students. Hopefully, allowing students to witness a problem and design solutions will help them become more aware and responsible citizens.
Are there ways to reduce the amount of paper we use every day in the classroom? For in-class work, you can try giving each student a small whiteboard. I cut a class set of white boards from shower board I bought at a home improvement store, and they work great for a lot less money than buying individual boards. If you have access to computers or a computer lab, there are lots of free games and activities available online that students can use for repetition and practice. Interactive whiteboards can be a great tool for learning in a less paper-intensive environment as well, although many of us aren’t lucky enough to get those, yet! For more structured work that is best practiced on worksheets, you might be able to save a little paper by doing double-sided copying.
After students learn more about the problem, they may start their own recycling or re-use programs. Some enterprising kids started collecting paper waste for recycling or re-use and made a deal with their teacher to have a party in class when they had collected a certain weight of paper. They created the plan and timeline and presented their ideas to their teacher. As the amount of paper they collected increased, they earned intermediate prizes, including the chance to hold a paper-airplane contest (created with recycled paper, of course), and a “recycled” art contest, where students were challenged to create artwork entirely from things that were meant to be thrown away. To help reduce the amount of paperwork created in the first place, one parent volunteer at my school offered to mark the classroom mailboxes of siblings so that only the oldest sibling in each household would get copies of school notes, saving a lot of paper over the course of a year.
Is too much trash really a problem? What’s wrong with throwing away garbage? When stuff goes into the trash, it gets buried so we don’t have to deal with again, right? This may be true, but lots of garbage doesn’t end up in landfills, and the garbage that does get buried can take a really long time to decompose. One class created a mini-landfill in a plastic container with all different kinds of trash in it. They left it outside all year to see what would happen to the trash. How long do you think it would take a diaper to start decomposing in your own mini-landfill?
If you need to get your class moving, try this landfill game from PE Central. Kids can start thinking about issues with trash and recycling while they run around and let off a little steam. For a very different approach, Waste Management partnered with Discovery Education to create lessons about trash and recycling. You might find some useful ideas for your class in their Buried Treasure activities and lesson plans.
A great visual example of the damage uncontained waste is doing to earth is the pacific garbage patch, a huge mass of trash collecting in the Pacific Ocean. You can find lots of pictures and explanations of this phenomenon online. There is a detailed description of this and a couple of other major environmental issues in a free webinar from Maps101. Depending on the age of your students, you might want to show parts of it in your class or just use the information in your teaching. This blog entry is also very informative on the topic. It was neat to learn so much about garbage, a topic I didn’t know a whole lot about. That’s one of the best parts about being a teacher…learning with your students!
For a fun and interesting conversation-starter, watch this “mockumentary” that details the journey of a plastic bag from a parking lot to the open ocean, contributing to the mass of debris in the pacific garbage patch. The movie follows the bag as if it’s an endangered animal as it makes its way out into the ocean.
For more ideas in environmental education, be sure to visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Education page. This page has a section for elementary, middle, and high school students. Their Kids Club has a great section on garbage and recycling with activities, science experiments, and more. I also really like their interactive game, Recycle City. It’s got a detailed introduction to the topic, an online game, and related activities.
We always like to collaborate and share ideas with other organizations we associate with on our social networking sites. Keep an eye on the National Environmental Education Association’s Facebook page for tips and ideas. Also, the Teaching Ideas site has an extensive collection of activities related to different themes. We discovered these collections through their Facebook page. Be sure to check the site in November for their theme “Saving the Planet.” Good luck, and have fun going green with your students.
~Peggy's Corner - 10/28/2010~
Are there ways to reduce the amount of paper we use every day in the classroom? For in-class work, you can try giving each student a small whiteboard. I cut a class set of white boards from shower board I bought at a home improvement store, and they work great for a lot less money than buying individual boards. If you have access to computers or a computer lab, there are lots of free games and activities available online that students can use for repetition and practice. Interactive whiteboards can be a great tool for learning in a less paper-intensive environment as well, although many of us aren’t lucky enough to get those, yet! For more structured work that is best practiced on worksheets, you might be able to save a little paper by doing double-sided copying.
After students learn more about the problem, they may start their own recycling or re-use programs. Some enterprising kids started collecting paper waste for recycling or re-use and made a deal with their teacher to have a party in class when they had collected a certain weight of paper. They created the plan and timeline and presented their ideas to their teacher. As the amount of paper they collected increased, they earned intermediate prizes, including the chance to hold a paper-airplane contest (created with recycled paper, of course), and a “recycled” art contest, where students were challenged to create artwork entirely from things that were meant to be thrown away. To help reduce the amount of paperwork created in the first place, one parent volunteer at my school offered to mark the classroom mailboxes of siblings so that only the oldest sibling in each household would get copies of school notes, saving a lot of paper over the course of a year.
Is too much trash really a problem? What’s wrong with throwing away garbage? When stuff goes into the trash, it gets buried so we don’t have to deal with again, right? This may be true, but lots of garbage doesn’t end up in landfills, and the garbage that does get buried can take a really long time to decompose. One class created a mini-landfill in a plastic container with all different kinds of trash in it. They left it outside all year to see what would happen to the trash. How long do you think it would take a diaper to start decomposing in your own mini-landfill?
If you need to get your class moving, try this landfill game from PE Central. Kids can start thinking about issues with trash and recycling while they run around and let off a little steam. For a very different approach, Waste Management partnered with Discovery Education to create lessons about trash and recycling. You might find some useful ideas for your class in their Buried Treasure activities and lesson plans.
A great visual example of the damage uncontained waste is doing to earth is the pacific garbage patch, a huge mass of trash collecting in the Pacific Ocean. You can find lots of pictures and explanations of this phenomenon online. There is a detailed description of this and a couple of other major environmental issues in a free webinar from Maps101. Depending on the age of your students, you might want to show parts of it in your class or just use the information in your teaching. This blog entry is also very informative on the topic. It was neat to learn so much about garbage, a topic I didn’t know a whole lot about. That’s one of the best parts about being a teacher…learning with your students!
For a fun and interesting conversation-starter, watch this “mockumentary” that details the journey of a plastic bag from a parking lot to the open ocean, contributing to the mass of debris in the pacific garbage patch. The movie follows the bag as if it’s an endangered animal as it makes its way out into the ocean.
For more ideas in environmental education, be sure to visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Education page. This page has a section for elementary, middle, and high school students. Their Kids Club has a great section on garbage and recycling with activities, science experiments, and more. I also really like their interactive game, Recycle City. It’s got a detailed introduction to the topic, an online game, and related activities.
We always like to collaborate and share ideas with other organizations we associate with on our social networking sites. Keep an eye on the National Environmental Education Association’s Facebook page for tips and ideas. Also, the Teaching Ideas site has an extensive collection of activities related to different themes. We discovered these collections through their Facebook page. Be sure to check the site in November for their theme “Saving the Planet.” Good luck, and have fun going green with your students.
~Peggy's Corner - 10/28/2010~
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Rock me like a Hurricane
As a recent transplant from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi to Northern California, I am fascinated by the science surrounding hurricanes. I suppose this interest in natural disasters will soon grow to include earthquakes and wild fires…more on that in a future post. Living in southern Mississippi, I saw the lingering aftermath of the powerful storms that can make landfall and devastate entire regions. The most interesting thing about hurricanes to me is the science behind the predictions of where the storm will make landfall and how strong it will be. Unlike many other weather events, people have a lot of warning before a hurricane reaches land. Meteorologists use all kinds of different skills and tools to make these predictions as accurate as possible. No matter where you live, you can harness your students’ interest in these weather phenomenons to teach many aspects of science and math. Let them become amateur meteorologists to really gain an understanding of these storms.
There is some great information available on the web for teachers wanting to explore hurricanes in the classroom. The Weather Wise Kids site has a good overview of hurricanes and the science behind them. It uses kid-friendly language and graphics, so it shouldn’t be too overwhelming for younger kids. I also really liked the lesson plans she included at the end, many of which are already catalogued on The Gateway as well. These activities, including an online hurricane creation simulation, a tool to “aim” a hurricane using weather conditions, and a reading comprehension activity would work great along with the activities Joann suggested in her post. My favorite science demonstration they suggested can help you introduce the concept of air pressure to your students. If you can get your hands on a glass bottle with an opening big enough for a hard boiled egg to almost fit in, you are all set. You HAVE to try this one, its fun! If you haven’t seen the experiment before, you can get a basic idea by watching this news clip from TeacherTube.
A lot of the science behind tracking hurricanes and predicting their paths comes from the data collected by the Hurricane Hunters , an Air Force Reserve squadron based at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Their website is very informative for kids and adults interested in how they fly into hurricanes and other storms to collect important weather readings. One of my favorite parts of the site is their Hurricane Hunters Cyberflight, where you can see what happens during a typical mission into a storm.
If you are looking for other links and information about hurricanes, Weather Underground is a great place to start. I spent a fair amount of time on the site during the hurricane seasons, tracking tropical storms and hurricanes as they made their way across the ocean. They have a huge collection of online links including storm footage, blogs, historical storm data, and much more. If you do one of the storm surge activities Joann recommended in her post, I highly recommend that you show your students what a storm surge has done in past hurricanes. This is a really complete blog on Weather Underground that details the storm surge destruction all along the gulf coast during Katrina. I choose this particular post because the author includes some video footage of the storm surge during Katrina and lots of pictures of the destruction.
Last but not least, search for the keyword hurricane on The Gateway. If you haven’t found a hurricane activity that will work for you in Joann’s or my post, you should be able to find one that meets your needs with a simple search of the site. Don’t forget that we have a new state standards suggestion tool. Once you find a lesson you like, click on the green “View, share, comment” button below the description of the activity. At the bottom of the detailed description, you will be prompted to enter your state, subject, and grade level. When you click on the “Suggest Standards” button, you will get a list of standards that you can cover with that activity. It’s that easy! After you try the tool, we would love if you would take the short survey to see how we can make it more useful for teachers.
Let a fun and educational hurricane activity push your students out of a rut in their science and math studies this month! I hope you are able to spark some new interest in the science of weather. It’s going on all around us.
~Peggy's Corner - 9/25/2010~
There is some great information available on the web for teachers wanting to explore hurricanes in the classroom. The Weather Wise Kids site has a good overview of hurricanes and the science behind them. It uses kid-friendly language and graphics, so it shouldn’t be too overwhelming for younger kids. I also really liked the lesson plans she included at the end, many of which are already catalogued on The Gateway as well. These activities, including an online hurricane creation simulation, a tool to “aim” a hurricane using weather conditions, and a reading comprehension activity would work great along with the activities Joann suggested in her post. My favorite science demonstration they suggested can help you introduce the concept of air pressure to your students. If you can get your hands on a glass bottle with an opening big enough for a hard boiled egg to almost fit in, you are all set. You HAVE to try this one, its fun! If you haven’t seen the experiment before, you can get a basic idea by watching this news clip from TeacherTube.
A lot of the science behind tracking hurricanes and predicting their paths comes from the data collected by the Hurricane Hunters , an Air Force Reserve squadron based at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. Their website is very informative for kids and adults interested in how they fly into hurricanes and other storms to collect important weather readings. One of my favorite parts of the site is their Hurricane Hunters Cyberflight, where you can see what happens during a typical mission into a storm.
If you are looking for other links and information about hurricanes, Weather Underground is a great place to start. I spent a fair amount of time on the site during the hurricane seasons, tracking tropical storms and hurricanes as they made their way across the ocean. They have a huge collection of online links including storm footage, blogs, historical storm data, and much more. If you do one of the storm surge activities Joann recommended in her post, I highly recommend that you show your students what a storm surge has done in past hurricanes. This is a really complete blog on Weather Underground that details the storm surge destruction all along the gulf coast during Katrina. I choose this particular post because the author includes some video footage of the storm surge during Katrina and lots of pictures of the destruction.
Last but not least, search for the keyword hurricane on The Gateway. If you haven’t found a hurricane activity that will work for you in Joann’s or my post, you should be able to find one that meets your needs with a simple search of the site. Don’t forget that we have a new state standards suggestion tool. Once you find a lesson you like, click on the green “View, share, comment” button below the description of the activity. At the bottom of the detailed description, you will be prompted to enter your state, subject, and grade level. When you click on the “Suggest Standards” button, you will get a list of standards that you can cover with that activity. It’s that easy! After you try the tool, we would love if you would take the short survey to see how we can make it more useful for teachers.
Let a fun and educational hurricane activity push your students out of a rut in their science and math studies this month! I hope you are able to spark some new interest in the science of weather. It’s going on all around us.
~Peggy's Corner - 9/25/2010~
A Mighty Wind
A confession: I’m sort of a weather junkie.
Much to the annoyance of my children, I can happily watch The Weather Channel for hours on end.
“It’s the same thing over and over,” says my son. “It’s boring.”
“They’re not even showing our weather!” my daughter splutters. I tell her that even though we’re not presently in Barcelona, I still care about their weather.
I’m not exactly sure why I like watching weather-related events so much, but I do. Maybe it’s a reminder that, even in the 21st century where we’ve bent so many aspects of the natural world to our collective human will, the forces of nature remain a power that can’t always be controlled despite our best efforts. It truly is bigger than us.
It’s currently hurricane season, which in the Atlantic lasts from June 1 through November 30. In the Eastern Pacific, the season starts a bit earlier, on May 15. The term “hurricane” is actually a regional term given to tropical cyclones that occur in the Atlantic, the Northeast Pacific, and the Southeast Pacific oceans. The term “typhoon” is given to those tropical cyclones that occur in the Northwest Pacific, while “tropical cyclone” is used for just about everywhere else. They are mighty storms, born from a recipe of warm ocean water, warm moist air, and areas of low air pressure. To be classified as a hurricane, the storm must have winds of at least 74 miles per hour, while the strongest storms – Category 5 hurricanes – have winds that reach 156 miles per hour and above.
Hurricanes can obviously wreak terrible destruction; New Orleans and other areas affected by Hurricane Katrina five years ago are still struggling to recover from the devastation. Fortunately, most hurricanes are more benign storms, and understanding the science behind them is a fascinating melding of earth science and physics. My picks this week all focus on hurricane resources, and we’ll be featuring many more lessons, activities, and information during the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
The Surge of the Storm
Subjects: Earth Science, Measurement, Meteorology, Physical sciences
Grade: 5-12
In this hands-on activity, students investigate how a hurricane’s storm surge affects the low-lying areas of coastal regions. Students determine the distance inland that the storm surge will reach and simulate the destructive force of a storm surge. This lesson was created by SEACOORA (Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association), which gathers coastal and ocean observing data and information in the Southeast United States. They offer lesson plans and activities, as well as tons of information about coastal areas and the ocean. Lessons are aligned to national education standards.
Researching Hurricanes with Technology
Subjects: Earth science, Meteorology, Physical sciences
Grade: 9-12
In this lesson, students learn about the formation, power, and history of hurricanes. The lesson also integrates Internet research and the use of several different types of technology. This lesson is offered by ALEX, a project of the Alabama Learning Exchange, an award-winning education portal that provides lesson plans, education-related podcasts, best practices, and Alabama professional development activities. Lessons are aligned to Alabama Content Standards.
Hurricane!
Subjects: Earth science, Meteorology
Grade: 6-8
Students in this hands-on activity discover the effects of wind speed and water depth on the height of waves during a hurricane. The activity includes adaptations for older students, discussion questions, suggested readings and extension activities, a grading rubric, and more. This lesson is offered by Discovery Education, which provides digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of making educators more effective, increasing student achievement, and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning. The activity is aligned to McREL standards.
~Joann's Picks - 9/25/2010~
Much to the annoyance of my children, I can happily watch The Weather Channel for hours on end.
“It’s the same thing over and over,” says my son. “It’s boring.”
“They’re not even showing our weather!” my daughter splutters. I tell her that even though we’re not presently in Barcelona, I still care about their weather.
I’m not exactly sure why I like watching weather-related events so much, but I do. Maybe it’s a reminder that, even in the 21st century where we’ve bent so many aspects of the natural world to our collective human will, the forces of nature remain a power that can’t always be controlled despite our best efforts. It truly is bigger than us.
It’s currently hurricane season, which in the Atlantic lasts from June 1 through November 30. In the Eastern Pacific, the season starts a bit earlier, on May 15. The term “hurricane” is actually a regional term given to tropical cyclones that occur in the Atlantic, the Northeast Pacific, and the Southeast Pacific oceans. The term “typhoon” is given to those tropical cyclones that occur in the Northwest Pacific, while “tropical cyclone” is used for just about everywhere else. They are mighty storms, born from a recipe of warm ocean water, warm moist air, and areas of low air pressure. To be classified as a hurricane, the storm must have winds of at least 74 miles per hour, while the strongest storms – Category 5 hurricanes – have winds that reach 156 miles per hour and above.
Hurricanes can obviously wreak terrible destruction; New Orleans and other areas affected by Hurricane Katrina five years ago are still struggling to recover from the devastation. Fortunately, most hurricanes are more benign storms, and understanding the science behind them is a fascinating melding of earth science and physics. My picks this week all focus on hurricane resources, and we’ll be featuring many more lessons, activities, and information during the week on our Facebook and Twitter pages.
The Surge of the Storm
Subjects: Earth Science, Measurement, Meteorology, Physical sciences
Grade: 5-12
In this hands-on activity, students investigate how a hurricane’s storm surge affects the low-lying areas of coastal regions. Students determine the distance inland that the storm surge will reach and simulate the destructive force of a storm surge. This lesson was created by SEACOORA (Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association), which gathers coastal and ocean observing data and information in the Southeast United States. They offer lesson plans and activities, as well as tons of information about coastal areas and the ocean. Lessons are aligned to national education standards.
Researching Hurricanes with Technology
Subjects: Earth science, Meteorology, Physical sciences
Grade: 9-12
In this lesson, students learn about the formation, power, and history of hurricanes. The lesson also integrates Internet research and the use of several different types of technology. This lesson is offered by ALEX, a project of the Alabama Learning Exchange, an award-winning education portal that provides lesson plans, education-related podcasts, best practices, and Alabama professional development activities. Lessons are aligned to Alabama Content Standards.
Hurricane!
Subjects: Earth science, Meteorology
Grade: 6-8
Students in this hands-on activity discover the effects of wind speed and water depth on the height of waves during a hurricane. The activity includes adaptations for older students, discussion questions, suggested readings and extension activities, a grading rubric, and more. This lesson is offered by Discovery Education, which provides digital resources to schools and homes with the goal of making educators more effective, increasing student achievement, and connecting classrooms and families to a world of learning. The activity is aligned to McREL standards.
~Joann's Picks - 9/25/2010~
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