Unit Assessment

Our unit is project-based.  Our overall assessment is a brochure that the students will make throughout the unit.  We came up with specific criteria to be included in the brochure. 

The criteria for the brochure:
    -Watch vs. Warning
    -Safety Tips
    -General information about the weather type (thunderstorm, hurricane, blizzard, tornado, heat wave)


The brochure is not meant to be something for the students to do all at one time.  Throughout the unit, students will fill out certain parts of the brochure during the lesson.  This is a type of formative assessment.  When the students are working on their brochure they will also have the opportunity to color and decorate it and then take it home to keep.  We hoped to have this unit be meaningful to the students by having it relate directly to their lives.  In their brochure, they will be taking away some good information about different types of weather, how it relates to their lives, and what to do in each type of weather.  This brochure will also help us as teachers to see what the students learned and what we may need to further discuss with them.


Example of Brochure For Hurricane: 
Watch:

o      Storm might land in 2 days

o      Winds over 73 miles per hour

o      Listen to radio or television

o      Prepare home for storm

o      Plan evacuation route

o      Make a disaster kit (which we will go over in the next lesson/activity)

Warning:

o      Storm likely to reach land

o      Wind over 73 miles per hour

o      Review plan

o     Stay indoors

 

Safety:

·      What to do before:

o     Prepare home for storm

o     Plan evacuation routes

o     Make a disaster kit: first aid kit, canned food and opener, bottled water, battery radio, flashlight, protective clothing, cash

·      During:

o     Stay inside

o     Evacuated if asked

·      After:

o     Stay inside until given the all clear

o     Do not drive

o     Stay away from standing water

 

Basics:

o     Wind Speeds: 75 to 200 miles per hour

o     Size: up to 600 miles across

o     What it needs: low pressure, warm temperatures, moist areas, and tropical wind patterns

o     Season: June 1 through November 30

o     Duration (how long it lasts): 1 week

o     Location: Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and coasts