Group+01+Erika's+Activity

__Weather Patterns and Predictions__


 * Grade 5 Science**


 * Digital Resource:** Environment Canada Weather Office - this is the site from which the students will be gathering data. This government website provides quite a bit of information, including weather histories, trends and graphs. While students will be looking for specific information, they will be permitted to explore the site.

__Google Account Created for the use of Google Docs ("Online Equivalent") - www.gmail.com__ Username: computersstudent Password: computers3484 Go to Documents - Spreadsheet created called "Weather Patterns And Predictions" Data used will be for July 2011 in Stephenville, NL.
 * Office Applications - Online Equivalent**

Google Docs is an online resource that will allow all students to access their information, change, edit and collaborate. It has the equivalencies to Microsoft Office, but for our purposes we will be using the equivalent to Microsoft Office Excel Spreadsheets.


 * Time Frame:** Teaching time is 2 to 3 classes. Recording time is the duration of July 2011.


 * Curriculum Connections:** Science 206-2, 205-7, English 5.2


 * Teaching Rationale/Approach:**

Having been introduced to weather vocabulary and concepts previously, students will be expected to record weather data for one month on a Google Docs spreadsheet.

The class will be broken into 8 groups (for example, 24 students = 8 groups of 3). Four groups will be given one particular area, the other four will be given another. For the purposes of this Wiki, we will be doing one as an example.

Each group will be responsible for one week of the month.

Each group will be asked to record:
 * maximum daily temperature (C)
 * minimum daily temperature (C)
 * total daily rain (mm)
 * maximum daily wind speed (km/hr)

At the end of the month, students will graph their data into bar graphs. They will create one bar graph, showing maximum daily temperature, minimum daily temperature and daily precipitation (all on the same graph). They will do this using Google Docs, which will allow all students to access and edit information which has been put into the spreadsheet.

A PowerPoint of screenshots will be provided:


 * Materials Needed:** Computers, Pencil, Paper
 * The Students' final product should look something like this:** [[file:Weather Patterns and Predictions - Sheet1.pdf]]