Course Outline Assignment ED 308 Amy Thornton

Course Analysis
Course Name: 3rd Grade Science: Investigating the Weather and Natural Disasters Course Length: 15 weeks Course Type: Blended / Hybrid (3 Face-to-Face class sessions) Average Student: The average student is a second semester third grade student. Most students have some knowledge of weather. Most students have a clear knowledge of technology and how to work it, because they are digital natives. Content Analysis: Students should be able to use the internet to find information about a topic. (Learned to do this from the second grade research assignment) Students have experienced different kinds of weather including thunderstorms and tornadoes. Students have also seen, or heard about, other types of weather (floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanoes) on the news. (Prior Knowledge / Life Experience) Students should be able to look outside and tell what the weather is (sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.) (Learned in Kindergarten)

General Goals: Students will be able to identify and differentiate types of clouds. Students will be able to classify inclement weather (thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes). Students will be able to classify natural disasters (earthquakes and volcanoes) Students will be able to develop, and carry out, a plan of action during inclement weather. Students will classify and discuss the technology used to measure weather and natural disasters. Students will research the water cycle and construct their own model of the water cycle.

Enhancing Learning: 1

This course will enhance learning by allowing students to explore weather and natural disasters that happen in our world. It will allow students to experience, through Internet exploration, conditions that result in weather phenomena and natural disasters. The course will also help students to understand, and implement, safety precautions if they are present during one of these acts of nature. Students will also learn how to collaborate, discuss, and work together on projects.

General Course Assessments

Multiple Choice Exams: These assessments will measure lower level Blooms taxonomy. They will be used for the midterm and final exam. Short Response Essays: These will be used at the end of each Module to measure comprehension. The essays will also allow students to ask questions about things they still do not understand, and the questions will be discussed during the next in-class meeting. Multiple Choice Self-Tests: These assessments will be used in each module for practice. They will simulate the courses major exams. This test will be 15 random questions that may be different each time, and it will test the students knowledge of the information in the Module. In-Class Experiments: These assessments will be in the form of lab journals. During all three class meetings, students will participate in experiments. The students will record their hypothesis, experimental process, and results in their journal. Weather Blog: This assessment will be done weekly. Students will create a blog using blogger. Students will add information about each type of weather, or natural disaster, at the conclusion of each weeks lesson. Discussion Board: For this assessment, students will discuss one weeks weather assignment. They will give feedback to one another about their weather blog assignment that week. Brochure: This assessment will be used to see how much students know about tornado safety. Students will be required to make a brochure using glogster.com.

Course Outline - Objectives

Module 1: Introduction (Week 1) Objectives: Recall who the instructor is, identify ways to contact the instructor, and describe the key elements required to be successful in the course. Identify symbols on a weather map 2

Define weather

Module 2: Water Cycle (Week 2) Objectives: Explain why it is important to understand the water cycle before exploring more elaborate weather Label the phases of the water cycle Analyze how water is constantly recycled through the atmosphere

Module 3: Cloud Formation (Week 3) Objectives: Compile evidence to describe each stage of cloud formation Construct a diagram of cloud formation Identify the types of clouds Discuss the three most common types of clouds Discover videos that discuss cloud formation Discuss why clouds move and float

Module 4: Thunderstorms (Week 4) Objectives: Recognize what a thunderstorm is Recognize what causes a thunderstorm Identify what causes thunder and lightning Define severe thunderstorm watch and severe thunderstorm warning

Class Meeting: Introduction, Water Cycle, Cloud Formation, Thunderstorms Discussion Experiments Midterm Exam Review (Week 5) Midterm: (Introduction, Water Cycle, Cloud Formation, and Thunderstorms) (Week 6) Module 5: Floods (Week 7) Objectives: Discuss the various causes of floods Classify a flash flood Formulate a plan of action (what to do) during a flood Define flood watch, flood warning, flash flood watch, and flash flood warning

Module 6: Tornadoes (Week 8) Objectives: 3

Describe what a tornado is and how it forms Design a picture of a tornado to bring to the next class meeting Describe a funnel cloud Recognize a wall cloud Record where a tornado is most and least likely to occur Formulate a plan of action (what to do) during a tornado Compare and Contrast tornado watch and tornado warning

Module 7: Hurricanes (Week 9) Objectives: Explain what a hurricane is and how they form Identify the months associated with hurricane season Discover who is responsible for naming a hurricane Diagram the hurricane stages Formulate a plan of action (what to do) during a hurricane Compare and contrast a tropical storm watch and tropical storm warning Compare and contrast a hurricane watch and hurricane warning

Class Meeting: Floods, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes Discussion, Experiments, and Test (floods, tornadoes, hurricanes) (Week 10) Module 8: Earthquakes (Week 11) Objectives: Identify what an earthquake is and how long it lasts Identify what causes an earthquake Compare a fault and plate tectonics Describe some safety precautions when involved in an earthquake Define fault and plate tectonics

Module 9: Volcanoes (Week 12) Objectives: Describe what happens when a volcano erupts Assess why a volcano erupts Discover how volcanoes are formed Diagram the different stages of volcanoes Analyze the different kinds of volcanoes Formulate a plan of action (what to do) if you are around a volcano and it erupts Define lava, magma, active volcano, dormant volcano, and ash

Module 10: Technology (Week 13) Objectives: Identify types of technology used to locate different types of weather

Class Meeting: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Technology Discussion, Experiment, and Final Exam Review (Week 14)

Final Exam (Week 15)

Detailed Course Navigation / Outline

General Information Syllabus Course Schedule Grading Policy and Evaluation School Policies Prerequisite Knowledge and Technical Skills Required How To Access Course Materials Academic Support Instructor Information Biography Contact Information Response Times and Grading / Feedback Timeframe Course Orientation Purpose of the Course Navigation Structure How to Proceed Through the Course Lessons & Materials Module 1: Introduction to Weather (Week 1) Introduction Quiz self-test (Assessment) Getting to Know Me Discussion Board Assignment (Student Interaction) Symbols and Weather definition Google Docs post (Student Interaction/ Assessment) Lecture: Weather 5

Visit http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-forecasting.htm for fun to research weather map symbols Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction)

Module 2: Water Cycle (Week 2) Textbook Reading: What is the Water Cycle? Lecture: The Water Cycle Visit this website to find the phases of the water cycle http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/weather/thewatercyclediagram.html Water Cycle Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Module 3: Cloud Formation (Week 3) Textbook Reading: What is Cloud Formation? Lecture: Types of Clouds Visit this website to read about clouds http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weatherclouds.htm Watch this Youtube video for more information on clouds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULvujTon5tU Prezi/Jing Presentation on cloud formation (Assessment) Cloud Formation Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Module 4: Thunderstorms (Week 4) Textbook Reading: What is a thunderstorm? Lecture: Thunderstorms Visit this website for more information on thunderstorms http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-thunderstorms.htm Thunderstorms Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Class Meeting: Introduction, Water Cycle, Cloud Formation, Thunderstorms Discussion Experiments (Week 5) Lab Journal (Assessment / Student Interaction) -Create a water cycle diagram Midterm: (Introduction, Water Cycle, Cloud Formation, and Thunderstorms) (Week 6) (Assessment)

Module 5: Floods (Week 7) Textbook Reading: What is a Flood? Lecture: Floods Visit this website for more information on floods and what to do during a flood http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-rain.htm Flood Plan of Action (Assessment) Floods Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Module 6: Tornadoes (Week 8) (THIS MODULE WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR THE DEVELOPED MODULE ASSIGNMENT) Textbook Reading: What is a tornado? Lecture: Tornadoes Watch this video about tornadoes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GWtfb5l8iA Visit this website for more information about tornadoes http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-tornado.htm Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Brochure and Picture of Tornado (Due in Module 7) (Assessment) Discussion Board (Student Interaction) -Discuss with your classmate any experiences you have had with tornadoes. -Discuss the plan of action you and your family takes if a tornado is spotted close to your house. Module 7: Hurricanes (Week 9) Textbook Reading: What is a hurricane? Lecture: Hurricanes Visit this website for more information about hurricanes http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm Hurricane Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) -This week in your blog you will discuss your hurricane plan of action. Class Meeting: Floods, Tornadoes, and Hurricanes Discussion, Experiments and Lab Journals (Assessment / Student Interaction) (Week 10) -Include your plans of action for floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes in your lab journal. Test (floods, tornadoes, hurricanes) (Week 10) (Assessment) Module 8: Earthquakes (Week 11) 7

Textbook Reading: What is an Earthquake? Lecture: Earthquakes Visit this website for more information about earthquakes http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-earthquake.htm Earthquake Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) -Write about the safety precautions you should take when involved in an earthquake.

Module 9: Volcanoes (Week 12) Textbook Reading: What is a Volcano? Lecture: Volcano Watch this Bill Nye the Science Guy video about volcanoes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOc04z8jHaM Visit this website for more information about volcanoes http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-volcano.htm Picture Diagram of Stages of Volcanoes (Assessment) Volcano Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Module 10: Technology (Week 13) Textbook Reading: Weather Technology Lecture: Weather related technology Technology Self-Test (Assessment) Short Response Essay (Assessment) Weather Blog (Assessment / Student Interaction) Class Meeting: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Technology Discussion, Experiment, and Final Exam Review (Week 14) Lab Journal (Assessment / Student Interaction)

Final Exam (Week 15) (Assessment) Blogs & Discussion Weather Blog o When to Post o Instructions and Participation Requirements o Netiquette o Rubric o Link to other Students Blogs 8

Discussion Board o What week to post o How to find other Students Posts o Posting Standards Rubric

Tests & Quizzes Self-tests Short Response Essays Midterm Exam Final Exam

Assignments Textbook readings each week o Passage, Website, or Page to Read Googledocs Post o Instructions and Rubric Lab Journals o Instructions and Rubric Brochure o Instructions and Rubric o Quality Example In-Class Experiments o Instructions and Rubric o Quality Example