The Disney Group Monica Weihs Eric Francis Christina De Gaetano

 Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Application, and Analysis  Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: Logical- mathematical, visual- spatial, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic.  Children’s Literature: A Drop Around the World by Barbara McKinney

Behavioral Objectives:  To use the data from the website to create 3 spreadsheets and 3 congruent bar graphs that represents the yearly averages (mean) for precipitation, temperature, and humidity.  To describe the relationship of the collected data in reference to the water cycle. Average Monthly Relative Humidity (%) January8765 February8862 March9061 April8860 May8861 June8168 July8070 August7972 September7972 October8068 November8170 December8368 Total1, Estimated Average Yearly Percentage of Humidity (%)≈ 84≈ 66

Motivational Activity: The teacher will read aloud A Drop around the World, using an overhead projector. This book identifies each step of the water cycle with visual aids next to each explanation. After the read aloud is complete, the class will interact with a website on the Smartboard as a review. The interactive web page can be found at kids.html. This website allows the students to pick the different events of the water cycle and review different water cycle related vocabulary and why these events are important. kids.html

Procedures: (Two Periods) 1. Read-Aloud 2. I will have students turn and talk about their predictions about the book while we take a “picture walk” through the story. 3. The students will then interact with the smartboard using the website to further their comprehension of the steps of the water cycle Introduction of Strategy: I will model the creation of a spreadsheet and bar graph using Excel. The bar graph must include a title, labeled X and Y axis, and color coated legend. 5. Interactive Period: Allow students to practice using the Excel program; Address academic vocabulary by explicitly defining the mean, median, mode and range; Provide practice examples 6. Transition to Work Period: Group students together with some of the group working below grade level and some working at or above grade level 7. Students will choose a city located in a rainforest region to compare to New York City 8. Students will use the website to collect data on precipitation, temperature, and humidity for their two cities. 9. Students will input data into Excel to create their spreadsheets and congruent bar graph. 10. Students will then write down the relationship between the factors (precipitation, humidity, and temperature) to explain their findings. 11. Share Out: Each group will have the opportunity to present their spreadsheet and graph to the class using the smartboard.

Open-ended Questions:  Why would people living near the coast want to know the ocean temperature?  How do humans change the natural water cycle? Closed-ended Questions:  What does humidity mean? Answer: The amount of water vapor in the air.  What are different forms of precipitations? Answer: Rain, snow, hail

Student Based Product for Lesson #1 When the annual averages of temperature, humidity, and precipitation are graphed the processes of the water cycle become clear. When the temperatures are higher there is more moisture (humidity) in the air. These atmospheric conditions produce precipitation. The reason the averages are higher for Manaus, Brazil is because it is located much closer to the equator. For this reason, the average temperatures are higher there because of the amount of direct sunlight it receives throughout the year. The temperature, humidity, and precipitation are vital elements of the water cycle that have direct impact on the environment. Rubric

 Bloom’s Taxonomy: Knowledge, Application, and Analysis  Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences: Linguistic, Naturalist, interpersonal, Logical- mathematical Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media

 To use technology to investigate the negative and positive impacts of extreme natural events.  To create a graphic organizer that illustrates the effects of these events on humans, animals, and plants.  Using their research, the students will describe the natural event as certain, likely or impossible to occur in New York City. Behavioral Objectives: Motivation: I will use the smartboard to introduce the students to the website, environment.nationalgeographic.com. This website provides information about various natural events. As a group, the students may use this website to choose a topic to investigate.

CComputer NNotebooks MMicrosoft Word Procedures: (Two Periods) 1.Read Aloud- Students will be introduced to natural events by reading some of the information from the National Geographic website. 2.I will model for the students by choosing one event (tornadoes) and begin to create a “T” which reflects some effects this event might have on humans, plants, and animals. 3.I will provide students with a list of some websites that they may use as a reference. 4.Students will be grouped together randomly. They will choose an event that their group would like to investigate. 5.The groups will upload their graphic organizers to the class wiki for peer review. Materials:

 How will climate change affect some of these natural events?  Do you think the government should play a role in disaster relief or is it a private matter?  What is the likelihood of a tornado occurring in New York City? Open-ended Questions: Closed-ended Questions:  What natural events does the water cycle have an effect on? Answer: Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, mudslides  What can we do to prepare for these events? Answer: We can create a family emergency plan. We can keep supplies like extra food, water, and flashlights in our house.

Tornado Effects Student Based Product for Lesson #2 Chance of a Tornado in New York: It is likely that a Tornado will impact the state of New York. However, it will not be as severe as it would be in the central part of the United States. New York experiences tornadoes that have winds ranging from F0 (<73mph) or F1 (73mph–112mph). On the other hand, the central part of the United States experience winds ranging from F2 to F6 (113mph-318mph). Tornadoes are more likely to occur during the Spring and Summer seasons. New York gets at least ten recorded tornadoes from May to September. Rubric