This is a partially developed activity description. It is included in the collection because it contains ideas useful for teaching even though it is incomplete.

Initial Publication Date: February 11, 2008

Will I need an umbrella?

Lynn Blaney and Tim Slater
Topic: Weather
Course Type: intro: grades 3-5

Description

In the first part of this activity students will use data set visualizations to determine if rains more in Phoenix, AZ or Seattle, WA. During this portion, students with guidance from their teacher, will use pre-set paramaters to develop visualizations of rainfall. Then using the developed skills, they will compare rainfall in their home town to that of a location outside of their state (student's pick). Students will share their results (graphs and/or animations) and present their conclusion or recommendation for including an umbrella in their suitcase. The amount of information provided by the teacher depending on the grade level and pre-existing knowledge.

Goals

Using rainfall datasets students will:
recognize that the amount of rain fall varies from place to place and begin to explore the factors affecting rainfall amounts...climate, etc.

Assessment

Do the graphs or animations support their conclusion?

References