Hurricane Visualizations: Modeling Conceptual Change ESPIRIT II: SV Saturday, March 7 th, 2009

Phase 1: Brainstorm – 5 minutes Individually, describe the formation and characteristics (e.g., size, season, features, movement, etc.) of Atlantic basin hurricanes using text descriptions and diagrams on the notepad provided Please print your name in the upper corner of the notepad

Phase II: Collaboration – 5 minutes Self-aggregate into groups of 3 or 4 based on grade level or content area Using phase I product, develop a mutually acceptable group representation of hurricane development and characteristics Select one group member’s notebook to record your understanding – Label as Phase II

Phase III: Web-based Visualizations Multiple Grade Levels – impact selection ◦ weather/hurricanebasics.swf weather/hurricanebasics.swf ◦ f f ◦ cane_explainer/flash.htm cane_explainer/flash.htm ◦ es/framesource_flash.html es/framesource_flash.html ◦ ◦

Phase IV: Modification – 5 minutes As a group, supplement, delete or modify your Phase II product on a new page in the notebook Record in the Phase II notebook and label as Phase IV

Phase V: Target Model Example Grade Level – intro undergrad Formation ◦ Warm water - >80/81/82 to depth 100 m/200 m  unstable air Coriolis Force – 5 degrees N and S of Equator ◦ spin Weak Vertical Wind Shear ◦ humid air aloft Organizational Trigger ◦ airmass front, easterly wave, ITCZ convection

Phase V: Target Model Example Stages ◦ Tropical depression - numbered  <38 mph (<33 kt) ◦ Tropical storm - named  mph (34-63 kt) ◦ Hurricane  > 73 mph (64 kt) Structure ◦ Eye  Avg 300 miles wide, miles, calm ◦ Eyewall  Dense convection, highest winds ◦ Spiral bands  dense bands of thunderstorms ranging from a few miles to tens of miles wide and 50 to 300 miles long

Phase V: Target Model Example Season: June 1-November 30 Movement - hurricane's speed and path depend on complex ocean and atmospheric interactions, complexity of the flow makes it very difficult to predict the speed and direction of a hurricane. ◦ Trade winds, Westerlies, STH, Fronts Conditions ◦ Hurricane-force winds can extend outward to about 25 miles in a small hurricane and to more than 150 miles for a large one. Tropical storm-force winds can stretch out as far as 300 miles from the center of a large hurricane ◦ Worst impacts – right side

Phase V: Target Model Example Categorization – Saffir-Simpson More…min, max, history…

Phase V: Target Model Example – 5 minutes As group assess your Phase IV product with Target Model on new page in notebook Label page Phase V

Phase VI: Selection Criteria and Implementation Considerations – 10 minutes Based on this experience, individually, develop global criteria for selecting visualizations for use during instructional Record criteria in your notebook and label page Phase VI Lastly, consider pedagogical implications for the use of visualizations in your classroom ◦ Record positive and negative implications for use