The ACCESS INDIANA Teaching & Learning Center
Lesson Plans Archive

Science

TOPIC: Tracking a Hurricane

GRADE LEVEL: 6

AUTHOR: Mary C. Lomax

SCHOOL/DISTRICT: Clark Pleasant Middle School, Clark Pleasant Community Schools

TIME FRAME: 1-2 weeks - duration of current hurricane.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To plot coordinates on a grid.
2. To understand longitude and latitude in relationship to location.
3. To classify hurricanes according to severity.
4. To understand the nature of a hurricane.
5. To appreciate the work of a meteorologist.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:

1. ACCESS INDIANA TLC Hurricane Index.
2. Hurricane Tracking Maps:
• Sun-Sentinel South Florida.
• WeatherNet, University of Michigan.
• Hurricane Information '97.
3. ACCESS INDIANA TLC Map Index.
4. What Do Maps Show?, Working With Maps, U.S. Geological Survey:
5. Fearon Teacher Aids: GRID AND GRAPH IT by: Will C. Howell, Grades 4-6

ACTIVITIES/PROCEDURES:

Day 1:

1. Introduction to Maps and the mathematical concept of the grid.
2. Explain longitude and latitude
3. Assign worksheet on grid with coordinates.

Day 2:

1. Students check grid with overhead.
2. Use the ACCESS INDIANA TLC Hurricane Index to read about hurricanes and research the hurricane names for the year.
3. Assign a hurricane checklist for items needed when evacuating an area, and have students compare their checklist with the one found at Hurricane Information '97.

Day 3:

• Plot the coordinates of the hurricane on the Hurricane Tracking Map, beginning with the first day the storm is tracked.

Day 4:

1. Motivate the students to watch the evening news, the weather channel, and read the newspaper.
2. Extend the lesson to include many information media.

Day 5:

• Develop a bulletin board.

ASSESSMENT:

Evaluate the students with objective or subjective tests.

Extensions/Notes: This lesson could be extended to Geography, Cartography, and Social Studies. Pizza Hut in Kissimee, Florida, had excellent information and bulletin board size maps for tracking hurricanes many years ago when I was there. Students are highly motivated if they are assigned homework that they can share with their parents.