Hurricanes

//Curriculum Links:// Geography and Earth Science
 * Hurricanes **

//Objectives:// Students will create a paper hurricane and learn about its spiral effects.

//Materials://
 * a printed copy of "Hurricane Spiral #1"(see resources)
 * a printed copy of "Hurricane Spiral #2"(see resources)
 * a pencil with a sharp point
 * scissors
 * brad paper fastener
 * colored pencils or crayons
 * K-W-L chart for each student
 * K-W-L chart (large)

Teacher Tube Hurricane Resources: http://www1.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=224974

//Time:// 1 period

//Scope and Sequence:// Show teachertube video on Hurricane Katrina. Explain that today we are going to learn about hurricanes. Ask students to fill out what they already know about hurricanes. Share a few ideas and record in K column. Then have them fill out what they wonder. Share a few ideas and record in W column. Now we are going to make a hurricane spiral so we can better understand what a hurricane is and how it works.
 * 1) CUT OUT each "Hurricane Spiral" on the outside black circle.
 * 2) COLOR each to look similar to the "Hurricane Radar Circle" below. Do you remember what the different colors represent?
 * 3) With a sharpened pencil point, PUNCH A HOLE through the entire black dot in the center of each circle.
 * 4) CUT OUT all four areas on "Hurricane Spiral #1" as indicated.
 * 5) PLACE "Hurricane Spiral #1" on top of "Hurricane Spiral #2".
 * 6) PUSH the brad fastener through the center of the black dot on each circle.
 * 7) FLIP your Hurricane Spiral over and OPEN the fastener.
 * 8) SPIN the wheel to make sure it moves freely.
 * 9) MOVE the top section of your Hurricane Spiral COUNTER-CLOCKWISE to see the spiral movement of a hurricane.

Explain:

 * A hurricane is a powerful storm** that measures several hundred miles in diameter. Hurricanes have two main parts. The first is the **eye** of the hurricane, which is a calm area in the center of the storm. Usually, the eye of a hurricane measures about 20 miles in diameter, and has very few clouds. The second part is the **wall of clouds** that surrounds the calm eye. This is where the hurricane's strongest winds and heaviest rain occur.

Inside a Hurricane

 * Hurricanes are born over warm, tropical oceans.** Hurricanes are fueled by water vapor that is pushed up from the warm ocean surface, so they can last longer and sometimes move much further over water than over land. The combination of heat and moisture, along with the right wind conditions, can create a new hurricane.

Understanding a Radar Image

 * The colors in hurricane radar images indicate the amount and size of rain** falling in a given area (see above, right). Each raindrop reflects the energy from the radar. Therefore, the more raindrops in a certain area, or the larger the drops, the brighter the color in the radar image of that area. Composition also has a strong effect; ice covered with liquid water gives the strongest reflection. The radar image above is really measuring the amount of moisture in the air. The bright red color around the eye indicates the area of heaviest rainfall. The green colored area has a moderate amount of rain, while the blue areas represent the least amount of rain.

//Supplementary Materials:// Hurricanes! by [|Gail Gibbons] Hurricane & Tornado (DK Eyewitness Books) by [|Jack Challoner] The Magic School Bus Inside A Hurricane by [|Joanna Cole], Bruce Degen and Bruce Degan ** [|Hurricanes] ** by Seymour Simon

//Assessment of Students:// Students will fill in the L column of their K-W-L charts. Are they able to explain what they learned about hurricanes?

//Evaluation of the Lesson:// Were students engaged in creating hurricane spirals? Did the current events connection make them more interested in the topic? Students will fill in the L column of their K-W-L charts. Are they able to explain what they learned about hurricanes? //HOME//