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Lesson Plan: FEMA's Weather Math

February 10, 2007 2:11 PM Posted by mac

6-8

Topics covered

Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, averages, statistics, research

NCTM standards covered by this lesson

• Work flexibly with fractions, decimals, and percents to solve problems.
• Develop meaning for integers and represent and compare quantities with them.
• Understand the meaning and effects of arithmetic operations with fractions, decimals, and integers.
• Understand and use the inverse relationships of addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, and squaring and finding square roots to simplify computations and solve problems.
• Select appropriate methods and tools for computing with fractions and decimals from among mental computation, estimation, calculators or computers, and paper and pencil, depending on the situation, and apply the selected methods.
• Develop, analyze, and explain methods for solving problems involving proportions, such as scaling and finding equivalent ratios.

Massachusetts frameworks covered by this lesson

• Compare, order, estimate, and translate among integers, fractions and mixed numbers (i.e., rational numbers), decimals, and percents.
• Apply number theory concepts, including prime factorization and relatively prime numbers, to the solution of problems.
• Select and use appropriate operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and positive integer exponents—to solve problems with rational numbers (including negatives).
• Select, convert (within the same system of measurement), and use appropriate units of measurement or scale.
• Given the formulas, convert from one system of measurement to another. Use technology as appropriate.

Website evaluation criteria

1. What is the domain extension? .com? .edu? .net? .org? Other?
2. Is information delivered as fact or opinion?
3. Are there links to additional resources? Do the links work? Are sources noted?
4. Is it evident who runs/funds the site? Is this a personal site or a professional site?
5. Is the information on the site up to date?

Website used in this lesson

• FEMA's Disaster Math -- This site meets all of the listed criteria. The domain extension shows that it is a government-owned site; the information within the site is delivered in a straightforward, factual manner; the few additional links on the site point to related government agencies; it's clear that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) runs the site; and the information on the site appears relevant and up-to-date.

Lesson Objectives

• Use real-world events as a starting point for simple math questions.
• Create connections between common weather events and math.
• Use Web-based resources to find statistics related to a specific weather topic.

Student activities

Students must visit FEMA's Disaster Math section and choose one lesson to complete (they can choose from Earthquake Math, Hurricane Math, Tornado Math, Wild Fire Math,, Winter Storm Math, and Flood Math). They should work through each problem on paper and chronicle their work and answers.

Once they've completed their work, students will go online and find 3-5 statistics related to their chosen weather event (e.g. "A Category 5 hurricane has winds greater than 155 mph"). These statistics will be put together into a 3-5-slide Powerpoint presentation, which is to be handed in with work from the FEMA quiz.

Lesson materials

• Sample Powerpoint file

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