TEACHER RESOURCE BOOKLET

MAKING A WEATHER FORECASTING VIDEO

Developed by: Jose I. Pareja (UM-St. Louis) - 1 -

OVERVIEW OF WEATHER PROJECT

GOAL OF THIS MODULEStudent should be able to:1. Understand the main concepts of weather: precipitation, temperature, humidity, etc.2. Work collaboratively within groups and as a class to achieve a final product (Final project)3. Learn how to use Excel extensively according to the competencies.4. Learn how video cameras could be used in education

Week 1: (Internet) Show Video of FOX 2 News/ Discuss issues viewed in the video Introduce the Video Project (Anchor)/ discuss the need to refresh weather

concepts. Talk about the final prize. Allow them to form their groups. The importance to learning about weather. (Video from United Streaming) (Inspiration) Brainstorming Activity/ Sort stormed areas and talk about them. (Word/ Internet) Web Activity: Finding information about how to measure

weather factors. Recap class findings

Week 2: (Power point/ Word) Jeopardy: Our knowledge of the world!! (Excel) Working with data and graphs. (Sorting/ Formulas/ etc)

Week 3-4: (Power point/ Word) Jeopardy: Our knowledge of the world and Instrument for

weather!! (Excel) Map Activity Present Videotape one more time to refresh the idea of weather forecast project

before spring BreakWeek 5-7:

(Word/ Video Camera) Students work writing the script of the video and practicing on guidelines

Week 8-9: Students’ stage to present the video each group will come forward.

NOTE:At all times try to video tape the participants working towards accomplishing the project goal. If video is not ready try taking digital pictures of students at work.

Developed by: Jose I. Pareja (UM-St. Louis) - 2 -

WEBSITE:Files that have a (T) are only for the teacher and (S) are for students.

Week 01- A Critical Decision... Becoming a MeteorologistBEFORE THE CLASS:

Get familiar with the Website Materials for the Weather and Climate Project Make sure the Quick time video (Video Forecast L and S) versions can play in your

computer. If not record a 5-7 minute of the weather forecast from the morning news using a VHS or a DVD recorder.

Send agenda for the day Make sure your Video Camera has been recharged and you have all the equipment that

you need (Main: Tripod, DV Cassette, Video Camera, Add: External Mics and Headphones)

Tape recorder or speakers for the computer to play the Jambo Bwana Song. (Jbwana Cards need to be created or re-used)

Revise the lesson

DURING CLASS Administration

i. .-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SETTING THE STAGE (5 minutes)1. Move the kids towards the central part to see smart board.2. Set-up the digital camera on a tripod away from the students, but close enough for them to

see it. Make sure you have a tape inside so that you can record step 1 (Watching the news). This will get the attention of the students. (3:00 minutes)CAUTION: Be careful with the equipment it is expensive.

SHOWING THE VIDEO (20 minutes)3. Open the lesson by showing the News Video: duration (7:14 mins)

You may want to talk about what happened in the news (optional.) (3:00 –5:00 mins)4. Ask them why do they think we are watching the daily news?

a. They might talk about comparing news between Nairobi and Kenya, or they might actually mention weather forecasting, etc.

5. Tell them about the real reason for watching the video, i.e. The Video Project. a. Video Project: The students will be producing a video clip (3-5mins) resembling a

weather forecast for an imaginary News Channel. (We will edit this tapes in I-movie) The class will be voting on the best video produced, and with the help of the instructors a winning video will be chosen to represent our centers in a statewide competition.

b. DIGITAL MEDIA FESTIVAL at the TLC: http://tlc.umsl.edu/. Show the website as proof of what you are saying. * This video will be representing the STC project and if the video happens to win, then the price (whatever it is) is going to be handed to the Center. Last year they handed and i-pod and digital cameras. (Show images Appendix 2)

6. From here make the link: that in order to make the video as real as possible we would need to get familiar with what we mean by weather and climate or climate or is it just weather, anyhow it is the same… Is it? (Act confuse like if it was the same thing, which to an extent it is but it is an interesting misconception).

Developed by: Jose I. Pareja (UM-St. Louis) - 3 -

7. Tell them to make their groups (3-4 students/ group). They will have to hand a list of the group members. What’s in paper stays in paper (NOTE: All the other activities done in the class will be done with members that are from another group )

(OPTIONAL) BRAINSTORMING #18. Why is it important to talk about Weather? Brainstorm using inspiration.Because weather affects what we eat, what we drink, what we wear, how we behave, and what our homes look like. It also affects the kind of animals that live in our climate, plants, etc. Examples of how weather affects people in our society are:

Sport: It might rain during Wimbledon tennis final. Recreation: People may not be able to go to the beach on a certain day. Occupations: A builder may not be able to work during heavy rain. Travel: Aeroplanes might not be able to take off during a bad storm. Clothing: Weather affects what people choose to wear each day.

Examples of how climate affects people in society: Tourism: People may visit a place to go to the beach or to go skiing depending on

the climate. Farming: Bananas are grown in tropical climates. Settlement: We choose to live in a certain place because of the climate.

ACTIVITY X: Optional Activity of Climate and Weather?How we affect weather? Global Warming, Ozone Depletion

See Appendix C

HOW TO EARN $20,000-30,000 IN A GLIMPSE by DEVELOPING OUR METEOROLOGIST EXPERTISE: A CRASH COURSE BY MR. PAREJA, MS. RUFFIN, MR. AKURA.

BRAINSTORM#2 (10-15 minutes)9. Open inspiration. Talk a little bit about inspiration so that the students get familiar with the

software. Start brainstorming what do the students think when we talk about weather? What factors are related to weather?

a. Weather is: an atmospheric state with regard to: temperature, air pressure (see barometer), wind, humidity, cloudiness, and precipitation.

b. Ask students to sort what they have brainstormed. (SEASONS, CLIMATES, FACTORS INFLUENCING WEATHER, INSTRUMENTS to MEASURE WEATHER, NATURAL HAZZARDS.) If they need help give them a hand to sort this out. Make a print out for all your students to safe in their folders.

(NOTE: If you need help sheets look at Appendix 1A&B: Example of a brainstorming activity)URL: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/weather/A0851700.html

10. WEB ACTIVITY #1 (30 minutes)- Once the factors that influence weather have been outlined and sorted by the kids proceed to do a web quest: Searching for instruments that will help of MEASURE this factors, what units do meteorologist use to measure this factors and what a high number represents and what a low number represents? (Activity#1C Sheet)

Developed by: Jose I. Pareja (UM-St. Louis) - 4 -

Factors:

a. PRECIPITATION; something that falls from the sky (Rainfall, Snow, Hail, Sleet, drizzle, mist, fog, dew, frost)

b. Windc. Humidity (Mist, Fog)d. Cloudinesse. Temperaturef. Pressure.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY IF SPARE TIME11. WEB ACTIVITY #2- Take two main areas brainstormed in the inspiration session and

find concise information about your two topics. (PICTURE, TYPES, WHAT ARE THEY?) Do not chose the weather factors so far selected. They will show this to the class and the teacher will put together this in a PowerPoint to present next class as a recap to the previous lesson. (Two slides maximum)

12. SCIENCE THAT DEALS WITH WEATHER (Meteorology- Meteorologist)

13. Where do Meteorologist Work?

TASKS TO ACCOMPLISHALL technologies at practice:-

InternetPowerpointWordExcelVideo Cameras (i-movies)Inspiration

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GENERAL RESOURCESThe Köppen Climate Classification Systemhttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/climate.htmhttp://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/uwsp_lectures/climates_toc.html

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APPENDIX 1A : Possible Brain Storming Session with Students

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APPENDIX 1B : Possible arrangement of Brain Storming Session with Students

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SEASONS

CLIMATES

WEATHER FACTORS & Symbols

Weather Hazards

Activity X: WEATHER or CLIMATE

Student Sheet

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Activity X: WEATHER or CLIMATE

Teacher Sheet

From: http://www.learn.co.uk (© Learnthings Ltd 2005 )

Developed by: Jose I. Pareja (UM-St. Louis) - 9 -