Stormy Weather
A WebQuest for 4th Grade Math
By Betty McInroe
| Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Credits |
As spring and summer approach, people in our area keep a watchful eye to the sky. Why? We know this is usually a stormy time of the year for us.
Texas has a history of disastrous weather, particularly in the form of tornadoes and hurricanes. Many of these storms do occur in the spring and summer, but they may come at any time of the year and in any part of our big state. In this webquest we will investigate the history and power of hurricanes and tornadoes in the state of Texas.
You have been employed as a meteorologist by a local television station. As spring approaches, viewers have requested a program on storms in Texas. The manager of the station has asked that you and three other meteorologists research tornadoes and hurricanes and present a program that will be of interest to the viewers.
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You and your team of meteorologists will be asked to research either tornadoes or hurricanes. From your research you will answer the following questions. You will write reports and make graphs or tables as needed to prepare for your presentation.
Tornadoes
1. What is a tornado? Write a short report to explain what a tornado is.
2. What time of the day is a tornado most likely to occur?
3. Make a chart to explain the Fujita Scale.
4. Has Friona ever had a tornado? If so, when?
5. Name 5 locations in Texas that have been hit by tornadoes in the past .
6, Were there any deaths from these tornadoes? If so, how many?
7. Was there property damage? If so, how much?
8. Make graphs to show your findings in numbers 6and 7.
Hurricanes
1. What is a hurricane? Write a short report explaining what a hurricane is.
2. Why do hurricanes have names? Write a short report explaining why they have names.
3. Will we ever have a hurricane in Friona? Why or why not?
4. Name 5 hurricanes that have hit Texas?
5. How many deaths, if any?
6. How much property damage, if any?
7. How many inches of rain fell in each place because of the hurricane?
8. Make graphs to show your findings in numbers 5 through 7.
http://www.fema.gov/kids/herman/beach.htm
http://www.funbrain.com/safety/tornado_facts.html
http://www.telepath.com/storms/videocaptures.htm
http://www.K5Kj.net/960525.htm
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#history
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/FTPROOT/LCH/txlate20hur.htm
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/rcsg//txtornadoes/texastornadoes.html
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/commish/hhistory.html
| Task | Possible Points | Student Assessment | Teacher Assessment |
| Accurate information | 20 points | ||
| Report | 10 points | ||
| Working cooperatively | 10 points | ||
| 3 graphs or tables | 30 points | ||
| Neatness of work | 10 points | ||
| Completed on time | 10 points | ||
| Presentation | 10 points |
Now that we have finished our stormy weather research, we should all have a better understanding of tornadoes and hurricanes. We know when and where they can occur and something of the damage they can cause.
www.usatoday.com/weather/tornado/wtwist0.htm
www.tdi.state.txus/commish/hlink.html
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