Weather Project Menu

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Name ______________________________________ Period_ Date ____________________

It’s Your Choice…Earth’s Atmosphere Project

There’s Something for Everyone



Review

the

projects

listed

below.

All

projects

are

individual

and

involve

different

types

of

activities

to

demonstrate

your

knowledge

of

weather

and

climate.

Choose

one

project

that

best

fits

your

strengths

and

interests.

Each

project

is

worth

25

points.

Follow

the

rubric

carefully

in

order

to

get

a

good

grade.

This

is

a

summative

assessment.

Enjoy!

1.

Write a paper that would discuss what the earth would be like if Earth didn’t have an

atmosphere.

Your

paper

should

be

at

least

3

paragraphs

long.

 Include the notes you did while you were doing your research. (5 points)

 Describe 10 ways Earth would be different; support it with facts from your research (10

points)

 Explain how this change would affect you and why (5 points)

 Illustrate how you think Earth would look and write a caption (3 points)

 Create a bibliography in Noodletools with at least 2 sources of information (2 points)

2.

Draw a cartoon that uses humor to explain the causes & effects of climate change.

 Research and explain at least 3 causes of climate change (6 points)

 Research and explain at least 6 effects of climate change (6 points)

 Draw at least 6 frames that are neat and colorful ( 6 points)

Due

Date:

______________________________________________________

Deadline:

______________________________________________________

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3.

Create a 3-D model of a storm.

 Build an accurate, detailed model ( 7 points)

 Write at least 1 paragraph describing the features of the model ‐ at least 4 facts (4 points)

 Write at least 2 paragraphs describing a specific example of this feature – at least 14 facts

(7 points)

4.

Create a newspaper article or report describing a weather-related event.

 Describe what, where and when it occurred (3 points)

 Explain the effects of the event on the people and the land – at least 8 facts (8 points)

 Explain what has been done to rebuild the area or protect the area from future damage –

at least 5 facts (5 points)

 Include one picture from the event with a caption (2 points)

5.

Watch the movie Twister or The Perfect Storm. Write a movie review that’s at least 3

paragraphs long.

You

must

have

a

note

from

home

giving

you

permission

to

watch

one

of

these

movies

before

you

begin

this

project.

You

might

want

to

look

at

an

actual

movie

review

to

see

how

they’re

written.

 Research a tornado or hurricane (depending on which movie you choose) and find at

least 12 facts. Include this information in an introductory paragraph. (6 points)

 Write a movie review that is at least 2 paragraphs long. Be sure to include:

 At least 6 examples of good science supported by why it’s good science (6

points)

 At least 6 examples of bad science supported by why it’s bad science (6 points)

6.

Create a flipchart or powerpoint to highlight the weather history of an area.

Choose

a

location

that

has

had

at

least

3

extreme

weather

events

(for

example,

the

Midwest

U.

S.

and

tornadoes,

the

gulf

coast

and

hurricanes,

etc.).

 Create an introduction page with a descriptive title and an illustration (2 points)

 Create a map that shows where each of the weather events happened (2 points)

 Describe each event and include at least 8 facts (12 points)

 Incorporate at least 2 visuals with captions for each event (2 points)

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7.

Conduct a weather experiment using the Well-Designed Investigation Model.

Some

ideas

might

be:

How

does

temperature

vary

throughout

the

day?

What

is

the

relationship

between

air

pressure

and

daily

weather

forecasts?

How

does

cloud

cover

affect

daily

temperature?

What

is

the

relationship

between

daylight

hours

and

temperature?

Which

weather

forecasts

are

most

accurate?

 Materials (1 point)

 Background Research – at least 6 facts (3 points)

 Testable Question (1 point)

 Hypothesis written in correct form (1 point)

 All variables and controls identified (2 points)

 Detailed procedure (3 points)

 Data tables (2 points)

 Data analysis (3 points)

 Conclusion that refers back to testable question and is supported by data (2 points)

8.

Create a flipchart or powerpoint to highlight the weather history of an area.

Choose

a

location

that

has

had

at

least

3

extreme

weather

events

(for

example,

the

Midwest

U.

S.

and

tornadoes,

the

gulf

coast

and

hurricanes,

etc.).

 Create an introduction page with a descriptive title and an illustration (2 points)

 Create a map that shows where each of the weather events happened (2 points)

 Describe each event and include at least 8 facts (12 points)

 Incorporate at least 2 visuals with captions for each event (2 points)

9.

Create a weather game.

The

theme

of

the

game

can

be

anything

weather

and

the

game

can

be

any

style

(a

board

game,

a

card

game,

a

computer

game,

etc.).

 Provide rules for game play, how to win, how many people can play, etc. (2 points)

 Include a research reference that hass the correct answers so players know whether they

are correct or not (1 point)

 Incorporate at least 15 facts into the game(15 points)

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10.

Create a

Mythbusters

-style picture book that “confirms” or “busts” weather folklore or

myths.

Weather

folklore

has

been

around

for

centuries.

It

is

folklore

the

prediction

of

the

weather

that

has

been

passed

down

for

generations.

Do

some

research

to

see

is

some

of

these

are

really

true.

 Identify 5 weather proverbs or folklore (3 points)

 Use scientific facts to explain whether the myth is confirmed or busted(10 points)

 Create a picture for each myth and explanation (5 points)

11.

Create a travel brochure of a place and highlight the climate of that area.

 Identify the name of the place and provide a map of the location (2 points)

 Give the climate name and describe it (2 points)

 Identify 4 factors affecting the climate of that region and explain how (4 points)

 Compare/contrast the climate of the area with the climate in Maryland – at least 3 facts

(3 points)

 Include one picture from the area with a caption (2 points)

 Include 5 additional, interesting facts about the area (5 points)

12.

Do you have your own idea? See your teacher to discuss it and create a rubric!

Weather Topic

Useful Websites

Weather Channel for Kids: http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather‐ ed/weather‐encyclopedia/

FEMA for Kids: http://www.fema.gov/kids/dizarea.htm

Weather Wiz Kids: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/

Web Weather for Kids: http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/

NOAA Weather for Kids:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/kidspage.shtml

Tips for a Successful Project:

 Choose topics and products that interest you.

 Organize your information as you research!

 Record bibliography information as you work.

 Pace yourself ‐ don’t wait until the last minute.

 Ask if you have any questions.

 Revise and edit your written work.

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Weather Topic

Useful Websites

General Climate

Info– A Good

Starting Point!

Atlapedia: http://www.atlapedia.com/

Culturegrams: http://online.culturegrams.com/

DK Travel Guide: http://traveldk.com/

Fodor’s Travel Guide: http://www.fodors.com/

Frommer’s Travel Guide: www.frommers.com

World Climate Information: www.worldclimate.com

World Travels: http://www.wordtravels.com/

Tornado

NOAA Tornado Guide:

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.html

FEMA Tornado: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm

Tornado Project: http://www.tornadoproject.com/

Hurricane/Typhoon National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Hurricane News: http://www.hurricane.com/

Ice Storm/Blizzard USSARTF Blizzards: http://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm

Winter Storm Resource Center: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/winter/storms.cfm

Disaster Center: http://www.disastercenter.com/guide/winter.html

Flood

USGS Floods: http://www.usgs.gov/hazards/floods/

American Red Cross Floods:

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b 80f78a0/?vgnextoid=fdb4510f935ea110VgnVCM10000030f3870aRCRD#

Weather Folklore Weather Wiz Kids: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather‐folklore.htm

NOAA: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rnk/Newsletter/Fall_2010/folklore.html

Weather Folklore: http://www.suite101.com/content/weather‐folklore‐and‐ the‐science‐behind‐it‐a275950

Sky Watch: http://www.wilstar.com/skywatch.htm

Weather Dude: http://www.wxdude.com/proverb.html

Extreme Weather

Extreme Science: http://www.extremescience.com/zoom/index.php/weather

Weather Extremes: http://www.keno.org/vws/weather_records_2.htm

World Weather Extremes: http://www.ggweather.com/sf/extremes.html

Extreme Places:

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/extreme/html_docs/Weather.html

NOAA Weather Extremes:

Weather Project Menu

Name ________________________________________ Period_____ Date ______________________

It’s Your Choice…Earth’s Atmosphere Project

strengths

paper

Draw a cartoon that uses humor to explain the causes & effects of climate change.

Deadline:

Create a newspaper article or report describing a weather-related event.

Watch the movie Twister or The Perfect Storm. Write a movie review that’s at least 3

Create a flipchart or powerpoint to highlight the weather history of an area.

Conduct a weather experiment using the Well-Designed Investigation Model.

daylight

Create a flipchart or powerpoint to highlight the weather history of an area.

Create a weather game.

Create a

research

Create a travel brochure of a place and highlight the climate of that area.

Do you have your own idea? See your teacher to discuss it and create a rubric!

Tips for a Successful Project:

Weather Topic

Name ______________________________________ Period_ Date ____________________