DESTINATION: STORMY WEATHER

THE BIG QUESTION: What are the causes, effects, and dangers of natural disasters and how can families prepare for stormy weather?

 

  • STATION 1: WHERE IN THE WORLD?
  • STATION 4: MEASURING TORNADOES AND HURRICANES
  • STATION 2: BE A REPORTER
  • STATION 5: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
  • STATION 3: POWERPOINT
  • STATION 6: TEST YOUR SKILLS

EXIT TICKET 

PRINT CERTIFICATE

STATION 1: WHERE IN THE WORLD?

 

WHERE IS TORNADO ALLEY?

WHERE ARE HURRICANES?

WHERE ARE EARTHQUAKES?

WHERE ARE MONSOONS?

 

STATION 2: BE A REPORTER

You will need: Story Cube activity, pencil 

Read some of the news articles written in the Grand Island Independent during the first week after the storm.  Notice the 5 W's in each article and the author's word choices.  A news article is a quick-reading article with lots of interesting facts. 

You will write your own newspaper article.

1) Write a non-fiction article about a time when you had to make a quick decision and you were scared OR

2) Write a fiction article from your imagination about someone who had to make a quick decision and was scared.

To earn an A, your article:

  • Includes all parts of header (names, date, headline, subheading, byline)
  • Has at least one problem and resolution with lots of suspense
  • Very descriptive
  • Effective use of paragraphing
  • Contains few mechanical errors (grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc.)
  • Includes pre-writing organizer

1) Prewriting: Organize your thoughts for writing by making notes on the STORY CUBE. Print.

2) Use your prewriting thoughts to complete a rough draft using the PRINTING PRESS. Choose the first option with 1 article.

3) Choose 1 student to peer edit your article.

3) After you have edited your rough draft, submit your final article to the 'press'.

STATION 3: POWERPOINT

Each group will create a powerpoint presentation about your assigned natural disaster. Using pictures and the template from this site, work with your group to make a presentation for the class. 

GROUPS: earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods

SLIDE 1: Title and Your Names SLIDE 5: picture, warning signs
SLIDE 2: picture, definition/cause SLIDE 6: picture, what not to do
SLIDE 3: picture, characteristics SLIDE 7: picture, what to do
SLIDE 4: pictures SLIDE 8: How to Prepare for a (...)

RUBRIC

STATION 4: MEASURING TORNADOES AND HURRICANES


 TornadoFujita Scale of Tornado IntensityTornado

SCALE WIND SPEED POSSIBLE DAMAGE  Fujita Scale
F0 40-72 mph Light damage: Branches broken off trees; minor roof damage EFO  65-85 mph
F1 73-112 mph Moderate damage: Trees snapped; mobile home pushed off foundations; roofs damaged EF1   86-110 mph
F2 113-157 mph Considerable damage: Mobile homes demolished; trees uprooted; strong built homes unroofed EF2  111-135 mph
F3 158-206 mph Severe damage: Trains overturned; cars lifted off the ground; strong built homes have outside walls blown away EF3  136-165 mph
F4 207-260 mph Devastating damage: Houses leveled leaving piles of debris; cars thrown 300 yards or more in the air EF4  166-200 mph
F5 261-318 mph Incredible damage: Strongly built homes completely blown away; automobile-sized missiles generated EF5  over 200 mph

Hurricane Saffir-Simpson Hurricane ScaleHurricane

Category Winds (MPH) Pressure (Millibars) Pressure (Inches) Storm Surge
(Feet)		 Damage
1 74-95 <980 <28.94 4'-5' Minimal
2 96-110 979-965 28.91-28.50 6'-8' Moderate
3 111-130 964-945 28.47-27.91 9'-12' Extensive
4 131-155 944-920 27.88-27.17 13'-18' Extreme
5 >155 <920 <27.17 >18' Catastrophic

How do meteorologists forecast the weather?

STATION 5: EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

You will need: backpack, survival items, Disaster Supply Kit    worksheet   

What's a natural disaster?    Watch some of the videos then see if you can Identify the Natural Disasters

Natural disasters happen with little or no warning.  However, you can be better prepared by planning ahead.  This activity helps you plan a backpack survival kit that could save your life.

1) Think about items that Dan used in the story or items he wished he had

2) Think about items that you use everyday (drink, food, meds, phone, clothes, etc)

3)  Make a list  of everything you think you would need for 24-72 hours

4) Look at the center display. 

5) Choose items from your list and 'pack' the backpack

6) Did you forget anything?  Add it to your list. Now's the time to plan ahead. 

  • REMEMBER: Everything has to fit in a backpack

When you're at home, ask your parents to look at these sites and begin helping you prepare an emergency backpack using your list.  Hopefully, you'll NEVER need it but you never know.

SAFETY AWARENESS

STATION 6: TEST YOUR SKILLS

Comprehension Skills: How much do you remember? 

Vocabulary Skills