Web Quest

Web Quest: Hurricanes

Louise Helbling

Aim: Students will learn about hurricane emergency procedures and damage prevention

INTRODUCTION:

Show students pictures of hurricane damage of houses and buildings. Ask the students to make observations of the pictures and hypothesize what caused the damage. Guide the students to the correct answer. Once the kids evaluated the photos create a scenario. "Imagine you were in the house at the time of the hurricane what would have done and what could prevent the house from being damaged so much?" The teacher can fill out a T-square as students give suggestions.

TASK:

You will have to create and present a Power Point Presentation and a lab report on the topic of hurricane safety and damage prevention. For either project you will have to use the 6-step public policy approach:

1. Define and describe the problem (damage of houses, insurance for families, government intervention)

2. Gather evidence for this problem

3. Identify causes for this problem

4. Describe and evaluate the existing policy (law) for this problem

5. Develop solutions/alternative policies for the problems for this existing policy

6. Select the best policy for this problem

PROCESS

Use the following guidelines for the completion of both products.

Guidelines:

Research the sources listed below in order to respond to all of the following questions

Use the 6-step public policy analysis work sheets before writing your report

www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS.htm

After you complete your six worksheets, begin writing a first draft of your report

Create a power point slide presentation that supports your position as expressed in your report

Submit your report and present your power point slide presentation

Research Questions

1) How are hurricanes formed?

2) Where are hurricanes normally found?

3) What direction does a hurricane turn?

4) How are hurricanes different from tornadoes?

5) How are hurricanes classified in to different types?

6) What are 5 characteristics of a hurricane?

7) What are some names of past hurricanes?

8) List the cost damage that some hurricanes caused?

9) Explain why hurricanes have different names?

10) Explain how hurricanes get their names.

11) What can you do to protect yourself and your family in the event of a hurricane?

12) What is the government doing to help the public about hurricane disasters?

13) What causes the a hurricane to move in certain directions?

14) What causes a hurricane to decrease in intensity or to die out?

16) How is the public made aware of an on-coming hurricane?

17) Who are the people that gather information about hurricanes called?

18) If you are caught in a hurricane, what should you always have with you?

19) If you must evacuate your home or town because of a hurricane what should you do?

20) What is the center of a hurricane called?

21) What kind of scientific instruments are used to monitor hurricanes?

RESOURCES:

Texts

Text Book pages 23-28

Web Sites

Hurricane Information - www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Emergency Procedures - www.fema.gov/kids/

Background Information - www.cotf.edu/ete/main.html

Tropical Hurricanes - www2.gobeach.com/hurr.htm

Hurricane Hunters - www.hurricanehunters.com

Inside a Hurricane and weather instruments - www.miamisci.org/hurricane/

Disaster Services - www.redcross.org/disasters/safety/hurricane.html

Hurricane Fact Sheet - www.fema.gov/library/hurricaf.htm

Disaster/safety Measures - www.disasterrelief.org

Tropical Weather: Hurricanes - www.wunderground.com/tropical/

Hurricanes - www.weather.com (Tropical Storms--Special Reports)

Hurricanes - www.discovery.com (weather--hurricanes)

TIPS Public Policy Analyst - http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal

NYC Office of Emergency Management - www.ci.nyc.us/html/oem/home.html

NY State Office of Emergency Management - www.gop.com/weather/storm/

General Search Engines

Ask Jeeves For Kids - www.ajkids.com (What are hurricanes?)

Netscape

AltaVista

Yahoo

EVALUATION

You will be judged on both parts of your project: the Power Point Presentation and the 3-page typed report.

Guidelines for your Power Point Presentation

Four presenters for each slide show
All your slides must be original
Your presentation must consist of at least 6 slides and 1 list of credits slide
Your slides must be based on the 6 step public policy analysis
You must provide additional information which address all the details of your research through a carefully prepared presentation

Guidelines for your 3-page typed report

Your three page typed lab report must be based on the 6 step public policy analyst format
Your report must focus on the government policy that addresses hurricane disaster relief and safety measures
You may include graphics in addition to the typed 3 pages
You must use paragraphs and follow the conventions of standard written English

A cover sheet with your name, class, date, and title of your report is necessary

Rubric

	BEGINNING 1	DEVELOPING 2	ACCOMPLISHED 3	EXEMPLARY 4	Score
Power Point Presentation	-exhibits no knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents a minimum amount of data to support the proposed policy	-exhibits little knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents audience with several sources of data in a logical format to support the proposed policy	-exhibits an acceptable amount of knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents the audience with enough data in a logical, creative, and organized format to support the proposed policy	-exhibits a superior knowledge of the uses of P.P. -presents the audience with an exceptional amount of data to support the proposed policy
Web Sites Research	-too few links relevant to the proposed policy	-enough links but few support the proposed policy	-many links that support the proposed policy	-excellent use of a variety of links in which all support the proposed policy
Written Report 3-pages with MLA style references	-incomplete but follows the 6 step PPA format -does not use the conventions of standard written English	-complete with too few analyses of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits a weak usage of the conventions of standard written English	-complete with sufficient analyses of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits an acceptable usage of he conventions of standard written English	-complete with a superior understanding of the PPA format for this topic -exhibits a strong use of the conventions of standard written English
Use of other Sources	-does not use any other sources besides the web sites	-use few of the other sources besides the web sites	-use some of the other sources besides the web sites	-uses many of the other sources besides the web sites

Grades and Due Dates

All 3-page written reports are due within 4 weeks.
All Power Point Presentations must be completed one week after the submission of written report.
This project is worth 400 points.
The following percentages correspond to the rubric number:

1 = 60 points

2 = 70 points

3 = 80 points

4 = 90 points

N.B. Everyone will receive an additional ten points for each rubric category for their participation, enthusiasm and cooperation!