What This Document Is
This document is a student exploration activity designed to accompany the “Hurricane Motion” Gizmo from ExploreLearning. It’s intended for students in a History of United States (HIS 101) course at California State University Dominguez Hills, though the scientific concepts apply broadly. The activity focuses on observing and interpreting data related to hurricane characteristics, including wind speed, air pressure, precipitation, and cloud cover. It introduces the Coriolis effect and how it influences hurricane rotation in different hemispheres.
Why This Document Matters
This exploration is valuable for students needing to understand the forces that shape weather patterns and the historical impact of hurricanes. While this is a History course, understanding the *science* behind these events provides crucial context for analyzing their historical effects. It’s used as a hands-on learning tool to reinforce concepts typically presented in lectures or readings about meteorology and climate. This activity is completed *during* or *after* initial instruction on hurricanes.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This document is not a comprehensive lesson on hurricanes. It requires access to the ExploreLearning Gizmo to be fully utilized. It doesn’t provide in-depth explanations of atmospheric science principles; rather, it guides students to *observe* those principles in action within the simulation. It also doesn’t cover the historical context of hurricane prediction or the impact of hurricanes on specific regions – that would be covered in the broader HIS 101 course.
What This Document Provides
This exploration includes:
* Vocabulary definitions related to hurricanes and weather data (air pressure, Coriolis effect, etc.).
* Prior knowledge questions to activate existing understanding.
* Step-by-step instructions for using the Hurricane Motion Gizmo.
* Data tables for recording observations of wind speed and air pressure.
* Questions prompting observation of rainfall patterns, cloud cover, and the location of the hurricane eye.
* A categorization chart for hurricane wind speeds.
This preview *does not* include access to the Gizmo itself, completed data tables, or answers to the exploration questions. It only provides a glimpse of the activity’s structure and content.