Extreme Weather and Climate Exploration
Created byAlayna Mantei
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Extreme Weather and Climate Exploration

Grade 3ScienceEnglishArt3 days
This Grade 3 project-based learning experience focuses on understanding extreme weather and climate by engaging students in hands-on activities and research. Students explore different weather patterns, learn to predict weather conditions, and design safety strategies for extreme weather events. They also research global climate differences and communicate their findings through various media, including art, while considering human impacts on climate change. The project aims to promote awareness and safety in communities by equipping students with knowledge and skills to understand and respond to extreme weather impacts.
Extreme WeatherClimate ExplorationWeather PatternsSafety StrategiesMedia CommunicationHuman ImpactSustainability
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we understand, predict, and communicate the impacts of extreme weather and climate, while promoting safety and awareness in our communities?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • What are the different types of extreme weather events, and how do they affect the environment and human lives?
  • How can observing weather patterns help us predict future weather conditions?
  • What safety measures can people take to protect themselves from extreme weather events?
  • How can we communicate information about extreme weather effectively using different forms of media?
  • How do human activities influence climate and weather patterns?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to identify and describe different types of extreme weather events and their effects on the environment and human lives.
  • Students will learn to observe and interpret weather patterns to make predictions about future weather conditions.
  • Students will understand and recommend safety measures for protecting against extreme weather events.
  • Students will effectively communicate information about extreme weather using various media forms, including art.
  • Students will explore human impacts on weather and climate and propose strategies for sustainability.

Next Generation Science Standards

3-ESS2-1
Primary
Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.Reason: Students will need to observe and analyze weather patterns to understand typical conditions for different seasons, which ties directly into predicting future weather conditions.
3-ESS2-2
Primary
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.Reason: The project involves understanding climates, which requires students to gather and synthesize information about different regions, aligning with this standard.
3-ESS3-1
Primary
Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.Reason: This standard aligns with the objective of promoting safety and awareness by designing solutions to mitigate extreme weather impacts.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Extreme Weather Survivor Game

Create an interactive simulation game where students must make decisions to survive in different extreme weather scenarios. This gamified experience promotes strategic thinking and empathy by understanding the human impact of climate events.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Extreme Weather Learning Portfolio Rubric

Category 1

Understanding of Weather and Climate

Evaluation of student understanding of extreme weather events and their impact on humans and the environment.
Criterion 1

Identification of Extreme Weather Events

Assess ability to identify and describe various extreme weather types and their effects.

Exemplary
4 Points

Accurately identifies and thoroughly describes a wide range of extreme weather events and their specific impacts on both human life and the environment.

Proficient
3 Points

Correctly identifies several types of extreme weather events with adequate explanation of their impacts.

Developing
2 Points

Identifies some extreme weather types but provides limited details on their effects.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to identify extreme weather events and provide any detailed impacts on life or environment.

Criterion 2

Interpretation of Weather Patterns

Evaluate ability to observe, represent, and predict weather conditions from data.

Exemplary
4 Points

Effectively interprets and represents weather data using advanced graphical methods and predicts future conditions accurately.

Proficient
3 Points

Correctly uses weather data to make predictions using simple graphical displays.

Developing
2 Points

Attempts to use weather data for predictions but demonstrates limited analysis skills.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles with using and interpreting weather data in predicting future conditions.

Category 2

Communication and Media Utilization

Assessment of ability to use various media forms for communicating information about extreme weather.
Criterion 1

Effective Communication

Evaluate how well information is communicated using written, visual, and oral forms.

Exemplary
4 Points

Communicates complex information coherently in written, visual, and oral formats, making use of multimedia technology innovatively.

Proficient
3 Points

Communicates information clearly in at least two media formats, utilizing tools appropriately.

Developing
2 Points

Communicates information with some clarity, though may predominantly use one media format.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to communicate information effectively, with minimal media engagement.

Category 3

Safety Awareness and Solutions

Evaluation of understanding and proposing safety measures against extreme weather events.
Criterion 1

Safety Plan Design

Assess capability of designing and justifying safety plans or solutions to mitigate weather hazards.

Exemplary
4 Points

Proposes innovative and well-justified safety plans that effectively mitigate the impacts of extreme weather.

Proficient
3 Points

Designs practical safety plans with adequate justifications.

Developing
2 Points

Provides basic safety solutions with limited justification.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles to provide practical safety solutions or adequate justification.

Category 4

Human Impact and Sustainability

Evaluation of understanding human impacts on climate and proposing sustainable practices.
Criterion 1

Impact Analysis and Sustainability Proposal

Assess ability to analyze human impacts on climate and propose sustainable strategies.

Exemplary
4 Points

Thoroughly analyzes human impacts with well-developed proposals for sustainability that consider diverse perspectives.

Proficient
3 Points

Analyzes human impacts on climate with solid proposals for sustainability.

Developing
2 Points

Provides some analysis of human impacts with basic sustainability ideas.

Beginning
1 Points

Struggles with analysis and sustainability proposals regarding climate impacts.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

Reflect on the different types of extreme weather events you learned about. How do they affect both the environment and human lives?

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Required
Question 2

How confident are you in your ability to predict weather conditions based on observing patterns?

Scale
Required
Question 3

What safety measures do you think are most important to protect against extreme weather events?

Multiple choice
Required
Options
Building shelters or bunkers
Developing effective communication plans
Educating communities about risks
Improving weather prediction technologies
Question 4

In what ways can you communicate information about extreme weather effectively using art or media?

Text
Optional
Question 5

After learning about human impacts on climate and weather patterns, what sustainable practices can you suggest to reduce these impacts?

Text
Required