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Hurricane!!!

31 Aug

Fall is the perfect time of the year to study hurricanes.

Students interests are automatically sparked as they hear weather reports that include hurricanes. 

To introduce hurricanes, a good starting lesson is:

1.  Current forecast – We use our local tv station – WISTV to see if a hurricane is included in the daily weather forecasts

2.  From the current forecasts, hurricanes are predicted with categories – Next teach students about the Scales for Identifying hurricanes – try this link from the National Weather Service

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutsshws.shtml

3. Discuss the Damage Hurricanes can Cause – A great similation is found here:  http://weather.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=weather&cdn=education&tm=23&gps=263_229_796_277&f=00&tt=13&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.npr.org/news/specials/hurricane/ap/

4.  Hurricane Preparidness

5.  Naming Hurricanes – http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/basics/naming.shtml

6.  Teach tracking a hurricane – This lesson is good with lots of extra links – http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/Cyberia/DVE/FusionDVE/html/hurricane_lesson_plan.html

Mirror … Mirror

27 Aug

Fourth grade students use mirrors as a science tool and math tool.

Key words:  concave, convex, lens, light, reflection, flip, left, right, upside down, magnify, distort, symmetry

Giving students a mirror will automatically turn on an excitement of learning in your classroom. 

The key to student learning at this age is to help students understand that images are flipped left to right.  Only images that are symmetrical will seem to stay the same. 

TIP:  using small plastic will help students see the convex and concave lenses themselves as they have the ability to gently bend the mirror.