Activity: Investigating the Effect of Warmer Temperatures on Hurricanes - CLEAN

ASSIGNMENT : Activity: Investigating the Effect of Warmer Temperatures on Hurricanes - CLEAN

Published: July 9, 2012

Updated: July 19, 2012, 3:24 pm

Lead Authors: Serena Poli, On The Cutting Edge Collection/SERC, Posted by Patrick Callahan

Topics:

Grade Level: College-Graduate

Time Required: 2 Weeks

Content Source: SERC On The Cutting Edge Collection

SUMMARY

Activity takes 2 weeks outside of class and 1 to 2 class sessions to introduce and have a final discussion. Computers with internet access required.

This activity has been selected for inclusion in the CLEAN Collection based on the following review comments:

In this activity learners investigate the link between ocean temperatures and hurricane intensity, analyze instrumental and historical data, and explore possible future changes.

GOALS

Goals by the activity author:

Content/concepts goals for this activity

With the completion of this activity students will:

gain a better understanding of the relationship ocean temperature-hurricane intensity;
understand why the data available so far do not allow to reach definitive conclusions about what we should expect for the future;
evaluate other effects of global warming on hurricane damage.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Students will formulate hypotheses and test them by collecting and plotting data on maps and XY graphs.

Other skills goals for this activity

Use of online databases

ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION AND TEACHING MATERIALS

Explore >> Investigating the Effect of Warmer Temperatures on Hurricanes

TEACHING NOTES / CONTEXT FOR USE

Teaching Notes / Context For Use by CLEAN Reviewers:

Teaching Tips

Create directions and/or a worksheet for students to better guide them through the map creation and hypothesis testing.
Provide general assignment instructions to students.
Provide a rubric or checklist of grading criteria.

About the Science

Students create and analyze a Sea Surface Height (SSH) map to discover the relationship between hurricane intensity and surface temperatures during a recent gulf hurricane.
Students then formulate and test hypotheses about how the global warming of the last century may have affected hurricane intensity using historical data.
Data are provided from Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research.
Activity is written in such a way that it can be updated to current date (and data sources are also updated).
Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

Hurricanes and climate change are topics that will likely engage students.
Links to types of student assessment are provided, but there is no specific assessment related to this lesson.

This resource engages students in using scientific data.
See other data-rich activities

Technical Details/Ease of Use

There are no student or teacher directions about how to specifically use the Center for Astrodynamics Research site and generate the map.
All data are provided in links and will be updated each year.
No handout is available to provide assignment instructions.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment by the activity author:

Participation in online discussions
Final lab report

>> More information about assessment tools and techniques.

SHORT DESCRIPTION

Description by the activity author: The assignment is designed for Earth Science majors taking a weather and climate change class at the 200-level. The activity will be assigned around the middle of the semester, immediately after we covered hurricanes in lecture, and before we start discussing climate change. Students will have two weeks to complete the activity.