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The Weather Outside is Frightful

Team Members: Kendra Carroll, High School Science
Terry Sullivan, Technology Coordinator
Debbie Akers, High School Mathematics

Shiloh CUSD #1, Hume, Illinois
Table of Contents:
  1. Overview
  2. Objectives
  3. Materials and/or Software Required
  4. Prerequisites
  5. Module Description
  6. National Standards Addressed
  7. Assessment Techniques
  8. Areas of Focus
  9. Appropriate Grade Level(s)
  10. Relevant Links and Related Resources

Overview:

Students collected weather data on a city of their choice. Data included temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, conditions, wind direction, wind speed and expected high and low. The data was entered on a spreadsheet and selected information was graphed using chart wizards. Students used both PC’s and Mac’s. Students were also to find the latitude, longitude and elevation of the city. Students were allowed to pick any city at a distance of more than 200 miles away from Hume.

Objectives:

The purpose of the project was to introduce the students to: 1. gathering data on the internet. 2. entering data into a spreadsheet. 3. formatting the spreadsheet to accommodate the data. 4. graphing different parts of the spreadsheet with appropriate graphs.

Materials:

Computers with spreadsheets

Prerequisites:

Knowledge of spreadsheets and graphing

Module Description:

Students chose any city in the world to gather weather data. At the beginning of each class period data was collected and recorded on a table. After several months of collecting data, students entered data onto a spreadsheet. A line graph was created using temperature over time; a column graph was created with humidity over time; and a pie graph was created with conditions. Graphs were discussed with respect to accuracy and effectiveness. Some graphs were changed to be misleading and some were changed to be more effective. Changes were discussed.

National Standards Addressed:

Technology Technology research tools o Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. o Students use technology tools to process data and report results. Mathematics Standard 5: DATA ANALYSIS, STATISTICS, AND PROBABILITY Mathematics instructional programs should include attention to data analysis, statistics, and probability so that all students — • pose questions and collect, organize, and represent data to answer those questions; • interpret data using methods of exploratory data analysis; • develop and evaluate inferences, predictions, and arguments that are based on data; STANDARD 8 : COMMUNICATION Mathematics instructional programs should use communication to foster understanding of mathematics so that all students — • organize and consolidate their mathematical thinking to communicate with others; • express mathematical ideas coherently and clearly to peers, teachers, and others;

Assessment Techniques:

Spreadsheets were graded on organization and completeness of data. Graphs were graded on accuracy, effectiveness, appearance and completeness. All graphs were required to have a specific title, axes subtitles and labels, and a legend (when appropriate.) Graphs were to be appropriate with respect to the data displayed.

Areas of Focus:

Physical Science, Data Anaylsis

Appropriate Grade Level(s):

7-12

Relevant Links and Related Resources:

www.weather.com
www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?

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