All About Winter Weather (HS)
Students will investigate the properties and characteristics of winter hazards such as blowing snow and
blizzards that impact the region.
objectives
• Students will observe the effects of humidity on snowfall
• Students will develop a plan for measuring snowfall and discuss how human activity influences drifting
• Students will identify features on the Earth’s surface that cause changes to Earth’s systems
• Students will research and create a poster identifying the types of storm systems that produce North Dakota blizzards
• Students will use research skills to identify blizzards based on the weather patterns they observe.
• Students will investigate the basic characteristics of visible light and how it behaves when refracted through prisms.
Topic(s)
Regional Climate Studies
type
High school lesson
9-12
Grade(s):
time needed
Six 50-minute periods (two additional periods for the extension activities)
author
Aaron Kennedy, Jeni Peterson
national next gen standards
• HS-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
• HS-ESS2-2: Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create
feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
north dakota standards
• Science HS-ESS3-1 Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.
• Science HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
• RST.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific or technical context relevant to grade 9-10 or 11-12 texts and topics.
• ELA W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print ad digital sources
• • c. Integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas.
• • d. Avoid plagiarism
• SL.1 Initiate and participate in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partner on grapes 9-10 or 11- 12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
• • a. Come to the discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly
draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or
issue to stimulate thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.