WEATHER PROJECT
Objective: To learn more in-depth knowledge about a weather concept through research,
experimentation, synthesis of Common Core connections and presentations
THE DUE DATE FOR THIS PROJECT IS A-DAY: October 9th AND B-DAY: October 10th
Introduction: You have been appointed to the State's Severe Weather Committee. The
governor has asked the committee to report on possible weather conditions that could
inflict damage on our state and affect the people who live here.
What you have to do:
1. Pick a topic about weather from below
2. Choose ONE of the five project options to learn more information about your topic.
3. Present what you have learned from your research to the class. Your presentation will be no longer than 4-7
minutes in length.
4. If your project is on a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, etc., you should include safety
tips as well as information on how to be prepared for the storm
5. You will be assessed on content knowledge, background research, creativity, visuals, and presentation skills.
6. Projects should use correct spelling and grammar
7. Group effort must be evident if you are working as a group
8. Presentation should audible
9. You will complete a peer and self evaluation. You will also receive a daily grade for your work ethic.
Project options:
Trifold/Poster Display:
1. Student will put facts, information, pictures, etc. on a trifold board or poster pertaining to their topic.
2. The trifold board must be colorful, neat and organized.
3. The information will be accurate, relevant, and show your understanding of the topic.
4. Things to include: cause/effect, how it forms or is created, are there any negative implications,
definition and real world examples, and other general, unique, or fascinating information about your topic
(just to name a few).
4. All information is typed (font style and style may vary), neatly written in marker, or using cut-out
letters
5. Should include at least 6 colorful pictures/illustrations
6. Sections are clearly labeled
PowerPoint, Glogster, or Prezi:
1. Student will create a power point presentation that displays accurate information about the research
topic.
2. Student will have a minimum of 10 slides in the presentation.
3. Slides must have custom animation schemes
4. Each slide should have at least 1 appropriate visual
5. Things to include: cause/effect, how it forms or is created, are there any negative implications,
definition and real world examples and other general, unique, or fascinating information about your topic
(just to name a few).
6. Student must turn in power point presentation on a flash drive or a CD as well as have a hard copy of
the presentation with your name(s) and block as a back up.
7. Student should make sure the power point has saved correctly on the flash drive/CD and the file can be
opened on a school computer prior to the due date.
8. The information will be accurate, relevant, organized properly, and show your understanding of the
topic.
9. A related video hyperlinked to the presentation is strongly encouraged but not required!
Brochure:
1. Student will create a brochure displaying accurate information about the research topic with facts and
colorful pictures/illustrations.
2. The brochure must be colorful, neat and organized.
3. Has a title on the cover with your name(s) and block
4. All information is typed (font style and style may vary) or neatly written in blue or black ink
5. Sections are clearly labeled
6. Things to include: cause/effect, how it forms or is created, are there any negative implications,
definition and real world examples, and other general, unique, or fascinating information about your topic
(just to name a few).
7. Brochure must be at least 4 inches by 6 inches and have borders around all sections
8. The information will be accurate, relevant, and show your understanding of the topic.
Research paper:
1. Student will write a research paper describing accurate information about the research topic.
2. The paper must be AT LEAST two pages in length at a minimum.
3. The paper must be written in 12 point font and the paragraphs should be double spaced.
4. Things to include: cause/effect, how it forms or is created, are there any negative implications,
definition and real world examples, and other general, unique, or fascinating information about your topic
(just to name a few).
5. Student will include where they found their resources (author, date, website/ book used)
6. A page(s) needs to be included with at least 4 captioned pictures
7. Research paper will be submitted in a professional manner with a cover page. The paper should be
submitted in a folder, report cover, or binder.
Storybook:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
A story book with illustrations (the size of regular paper) for a middle school-aged child
Has at least 1 colorful illustration per page
Has a title on the cover with your name(s) and block
The information should be typed or hand written neatly in black or blue ink
The book should have at least 8 pages
Things to include: cause/effect, how it forms or is created, are there any negative implications,
definition and real world examples, and other general, unique, or fascinating information about
your topic (just to name a few).
7. Neatly presented, organized, colorful, and the information must be in the form of a story
8. The book should be bound or stapled together
TOPIC IDEAS:
1. Acid Rain
2. Fronts (warm, cold, stationary)
3. Extreme Heat
4. Floods
5. Hurricanes
6. Blizzards/severe winter storms
15. Coriolis Effect & Global wind patterns
16. Monsoons
17. 5 types of precipitation (rain, hail, sleet, snow,
freezing rain)
18. 3 main types of clouds (cirrus, cumulus, stratus)
19. Anything else from Unit A in your textbook that
you might be interested in—but I need to approve of it first!!!!
7. Lake-effect snowstorms/ice storms
8. Tornadoes
9. Wildfires caused by lightning
10. Various weather instruments (radar stations, barometer, anemometer, weather balloons, satellites, etc.)
11. Severe Thunderstorms (including hail and high winds)
12. Ice Ages
13. El Nino/La Nina
14. Dust Bowls
NOTE: For the topics of hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires caused by lightning, floods, extreme heat, severe
thunderstorms, or blizzards/severe winter storms, you may choose a specific event, such as Hurricane Katrina,
Hurricane Andrew, the 1896 East St. Louis tornado, The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, or complete your
research on the disaster in general.
Some other points to remember:
1.
Presentation skills:
Avoided filler words such as “uhm” “like” “you know”
Speak loudly enough to be heard in the room
Pronounced words clearly and correctly
Looks up at the audience
Try to teach! Do not just reads word for word from the poster or power point slides
Stand up straight and appear confident and enthusiastic
2.
VISUAL AIDS:
If you do a powerpoint, use font sizes/images that can easily be seen and colors that are easy to view
3. Creativity:
SOME SUGGESTIONS COULD BE: Pictures used, models you make, dress up for your presentation, use projector
screen or dry erase board, handouts for the class, poster board design (if you use a poster or project tri-fold board), live
skit, etc.
DO NOT COPY STRAIGHT FROM THE INTERNET!! THAT IS PLAGIARISM!! YOU MUST PUT INFORMATION IN
YOUR OWN WORDS OR YOUR PROJECT WILL RECEIVE A ZERO!!!!!
Some Helpful websites/ Information
Tornadoes
1
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/tornadoes.html
2
http://green.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tornado-profile.html?source=G2306
3
http://www.wral.com/weather/story/7319970/
Tornadoes in Mecklenburg- County: MAR 10, 1992
or
MAR 27, 1994
Hurricanes
1
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/hurricane.php
2
http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/
3
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/laescae.html
4
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.1a019a978f421296e81ec89e43181aa0/?vgnextoid=e463f6909b95b210VgnVCM100
00089f0870aRCRD
Floods
1) http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/StormWater/Educational+Resources/Flooding+History+in+Mecklenburg+County.htm
2) http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/flood.shtm
3) http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/06/01/1471377/flood-warning-for-charlotte-until.html
Blizzards
1.
www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9814321
2
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/feb2010/bliz-f11.shtml
Drought
1
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/climate/drought.php
2
http://library.thinkquest.org/16132/html/droughtinfo/effects1.html
3
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html