Introduction || The Task || The Process
Learning Advice || Assessment || Resources || Conclusion
Milton Town School District Site
Introduction || The Task || The Process
Learning Advice || Assessment || Resources || Conclusion
Milton Town School District Site
The weather is an important part of our lives, influencing what we wear, what activities we enjoy and even how we feel. What is weather? Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. The atmosphere surrounds and protects the earth like an ocean of air. Earth's atmosphere burns up meteors before they can reach the earth and absorbs the sun's harmful radiation. The atmosphere is a mixture of gases composed primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and carbon dioxide. Did you know that the moon has no atmosphere? Earth's atmosphere is separated into 5 distinct layers. The layer closest to the earth called the troposphere, is where most of our weather occurs.
Our weather is shaped by the sun, earth, air and water. The unequal heating of the earth causes a world-wide air movement. In the area of the equator, warm air rises, and at the North and South Poles, cool air moves toward the equator to replace the warm air. This is the beginning of the air movement that creates our weather. Weather can vary from fluffy white clouds on a sunny day to tornadoes ripping across the plains; from blinding snow storms, to wild hurricanes or gently falling rain. Depending on the influences of the sun, water, earth and air, weather conditions may become extreme.
Meteorologists are scientists who study and forecast the weather. Using a variety of weather instruments, maps and reports, meteorologists study the ever-changing weather information in order to discover trends and patterns which help them forecast the weather for the next few hours and days. Meteorologists can now give advance warning of extreme weather conditions so that communities can prepare for the worst. Hurricanes, tornadoes, hail storms, floods, thunderstorms, earthquakes, winter storms, tsunami's and typhoons are examples of extreme weather conditions.
You have been asked by Dan Dowling to join the Channel 5 Weather Team. Your job is to report on one of the extreme weather conditions. You and your partner will become a weather expert helping to educate others and to protect your community.
The goals of this WebQuest are to identify and explain the patterns and forces that shape a particular atmospheric weather phenomena; to expand your knowledge of weather forecasting, symbols and instruments; and to extend your capabilities with computers. Follow the Quest to prepare your TV presentation and to learn fun and interesting weather facts.
Your task, should you accept it, is to become a weather expert on one of the above mentioned extreme weather conditions. Some questions to think about are:
Using maps, graphics, and weather symbols, you and your partner will describe in a 6 minute weather report, the arrival of your extreme weather condition. Prepare an overhead transparency to show the pressure patterns, the position of fronts, areas of precipitation, areas of dangerous weather and patterns. You will need to prepare:
Let's get started!
The following Vermont Standards will be assessed during this WebQuest.
1.5 Writing Dimensions: Students draft, revise, edit, and critique written products so that final drafts are appropriate in terms of the following dimensions: purpose, organization, details, and voice or tone.
1.6 Writing Conventions: Students' independent writing demonstrates command of appropriate English conventions, including grammar, usage and mechanics.
1.19 Informational Sources: Students use organizational systems to obtain information from various sources (including libraries and the Internet).
7.15: The Universe, Earth and Environment-Systems. Identify and record the interrelated parts of earth systems.
Watch the local weather on any television station to see how its done. Be patient and have fun!
The majority of on-line resources that you will need are available within this WebQuest. Additional resources are available in the library and classroom. As you complete your research, remember to record the resources you use into your bibliography.
Internet Resources
Hopefully you have developed a greater appreciation for the work that meteorologists do in forecasting the weather, and a greater understanding of extreme weather conditions.
