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There is something fascinating about enormous, destructive hurricanes that makes it very difficult to look away. Vicki Cobb helps your students understand the reasons these enormous storms occur. |
English/Language Arts
Explore text structure: problem/solution
The lead sentence states that “Earth has a problem.” This is an ideal Minute to use as a mentor text to explain and explore the dynamics of a problem/solution text structure. Check out the ideas at Better Lesson Plans and get your kids writing.
Explore writing prompts: writing for the senses
Your students may not have personally experienced a hurricane, but they have all experienced a frightening storm or two in their lives. Use this Minute to explore some creative writing by asking kids to activate their readers’ senses by writing a descriptive paragraph or story that takes place before, during, or after a hurricane.
Explore reading comprehension strategies - re-reading
This Minute provides the perfect quick assessment for comprehension. Read the last sentence of this Minute. Can you ask your students ‘why’ and can they answer? If they read the Minute and understood it, then there should be no problem. If they are having trouble answering the question, remind them of the strategies they have in their tool box to help them understand what they read. Have them re-read the Minute specifically looking to answer why global warming increases the frequency and intensity of storms.
Social Studies
Explore geography
Get out the globe and take a closer look at the North Pole, the west coast of the African continent, and the geographical relationship between the oceans and the continents.
STEM
Explore cause and effect
Author Cobb tells us that most hurricanes originate off the coast of west Africa. Why? Challenge your students to come up with a good hypotheses about why most hurricanes originate there, and then come up with ideas to test their hypotheses.
Explore collecting information
Hurricanes are a big deal because of the amount of potential devastation they can cause, Because of that, scientists collect a lot of information in order to increase their ability to predict when and where they will occur. Help your students find the kinds of information that is collected in these efforts, and learn how to read the charts and graphs. Can this information be displayed other ways? Better ways? Ask the questions and challenge them to find some solutions.
Research Skills
Explore government websites
Take a close look at the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site, and using the expanding tool bar on the left, let students explore. Have them type “volcano” into the search bar on the top right. Take a look at the deep ocean volcanoes and hydrothermal vents that are cooling the earth.
Explore text structure: problem/solution
The lead sentence states that “Earth has a problem.” This is an ideal Minute to use as a mentor text to explain and explore the dynamics of a problem/solution text structure. Check out the ideas at Better Lesson Plans and get your kids writing.
Explore writing prompts: writing for the senses
Your students may not have personally experienced a hurricane, but they have all experienced a frightening storm or two in their lives. Use this Minute to explore some creative writing by asking kids to activate their readers’ senses by writing a descriptive paragraph or story that takes place before, during, or after a hurricane.
Explore reading comprehension strategies - re-reading
This Minute provides the perfect quick assessment for comprehension. Read the last sentence of this Minute. Can you ask your students ‘why’ and can they answer? If they read the Minute and understood it, then there should be no problem. If they are having trouble answering the question, remind them of the strategies they have in their tool box to help them understand what they read. Have them re-read the Minute specifically looking to answer why global warming increases the frequency and intensity of storms.
Social Studies
Explore geography
Get out the globe and take a closer look at the North Pole, the west coast of the African continent, and the geographical relationship between the oceans and the continents.
STEM
Explore cause and effect
Author Cobb tells us that most hurricanes originate off the coast of west Africa. Why? Challenge your students to come up with a good hypotheses about why most hurricanes originate there, and then come up with ideas to test their hypotheses.
Explore collecting information
Hurricanes are a big deal because of the amount of potential devastation they can cause, Because of that, scientists collect a lot of information in order to increase their ability to predict when and where they will occur. Help your students find the kinds of information that is collected in these efforts, and learn how to read the charts and graphs. Can this information be displayed other ways? Better ways? Ask the questions and challenge them to find some solutions.
Research Skills
Explore government websites
Take a close look at the Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration site, and using the expanding tool bar on the left, let students explore. Have them type “volcano” into the search bar on the top right. Take a look at the deep ocean volcanoes and hydrothermal vents that are cooling the earth.
© Karen Sterling, 2018 - May be used for educational purposes without written permission
