Introduction

 

Task

 

Process

 

Evaluation 

 

Conclusion

 

Teacher Page

EXTREME WEATHER

BEEP, BEEP, BEEP: SEVERE WEATHER IS FORCASTED

 

A Fourth Grade webquest

March 1, 2004

                  Created by Alison Krick kricka@shawnee.edu and Amanda Strickland stricklanda@shawnee.edu

Introduction

                                                       

One afternoon you are watching your favorite television show when it is interrupted by annoying beep, beep, beep, and it is followed by a news bulletin.  It is the National Weather Service informing you that severe weather is forecasted. You are advised to take the necessary precautions but instead you venture outside to investigate. Is this safe? Do you now enough about severe weather to know how it might affect you?

 

 

 

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Task

Your job is to inform others of severe weather so they understand the precautions one needs to take.  In order to inform others, you will be required to research either tornadoes or hurricanes, write a three page paper, prepare a power point presentation for the class to view.

      

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Process

 

Select one of the following: Tornado or Hurricane

Use the websites provided to collect your information:

Click here to get:  Tornado 

 

Click here to get:  Hurricane 

 

  

You will complete a 3 page paper on the information you acquired. Be sure to answer the following questions in your paper:

 

Hurricanes:

Where and how do hurricanes form?

What wind speeds can a hurricane have?

What are five things you need to know about hurricanes?

Name three of the biggest hurricanes.

Tell about a hurricane from our history?

Discuss a way that hurricanes are tracked.

Discuss hurricane precautions.

 

Tornadoes:

How do Tornadoes form?

What wind speed can a tornado reach?

What is a tornado watch and warning?

What is it important to do in a tornado?

Name five things you should know about tornadoes.

Who is at risk for tornadoes?

Explain the Fujita Pearson Tornado Scale.

Discuss tornado precautions.

The paper must be in grammatically correct.

Prepare a power point presentation over your research.  Upon completion, the project will be presented to the class.

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Evaluation

Students will be graded on their individual papers according to the rubrics below:

CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Internet Use
Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.
Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.
Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.
Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.
Organization
Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings.
Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs.
Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.
The information appears to be disorganized. 8)
Amount of Information
All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.
All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.
All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.
One or more topics were not addressed.
Quality of Information
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.
Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.
Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.
Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Mechanics
No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.
Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors
A few grammatical spelling, or punctuation errors.
Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Paragraph Construction
All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.
Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.
Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.
Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.

Power point presentations will be graded on the following rubrics:

 

CATEGORY
4
3
2
1
Originality
Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way.
Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in an interesting way.
Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on 1-2 cards.
Presentation is a rehash of other people's ideas and/or graphics and shows very little attempt at original thought.
Spelling and Grammar
Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.
Presentation has 1-2 misspellings, but no grammatical errors.
Presentation has 1-2 grammatical errors but no misspellings.
Presentation has more than 2 grammatical and/or spelling errors.
Content - Accuracy
All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors.
Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate.
The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.
Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error.
Effectiveness
Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the topic. It is a highly effective study guide.
Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. It is an adequate study guide.
Project is missing more than two key elements. It would make an incomplete study guide.
Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies that make it a poor study guide.
Text - Font Choice & Formatting
Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content.
Font formats have been carefully planned to enhance readability.
Font formating has been carefully planned to complement the content. It may be a little hard to read.
Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material.

 

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Conclusion

Congratulations you survived the storm and completed your task.  You have gained valuable knowledge in your study of severe weather.  We hope you have enjoyed exploring different types of severe weather.  We hope this experience has taught you why severe weather occurs and how to react to it. 

 

 

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Teacher Page

This lesson complies with academic Content Standards:  Grade four Science, Earth Systems #4

This lesson can be intergraded with Language Arts Standard writing conventions grade 4, Grammar and Usage #7 and Research grade 4,#1,2, and 6.

Work Cited Images:

Background:                                                          

Educational Technology Services

Pictures:

www.storm777.freeservers.com/ photo.html

www.swfrpc.org/preparenow/bdpc.htm

Yahoo Images:

65.165.52.204:9990/palace/media

Clip Art Images:                       Clip Art Sounds:

AG00433_.gif                                                    j0075027.wav

AG00436_.gif

Rubrics:

http://rubistar.4teachers.org

 

 

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