The research into hurricanes is not only useful to scientists trying to unlock their mysteries, but to everyone else who has an interest in them. NASA has developed several educational tools including posters, visualizations and graphics, classroom activities on hurricanes. The web links below will bring them to you. For more information on Education products, please email Trena Ferrell of the Education area at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Her email is:
Trena.M.Ferrell@nasa.gov.
Multimedia:
Atlantic Hurricanes With Dr. Jeff Halverson: Understanding the 21st Century's New Threat
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/multimedia/AtlanticHurricanesWithJeff.html
Educators can now bring NASA hurricane expert Dr. Jeffrey Halverson into their classroom! This web page contains 35 separate, 1-4 minute long, video segments that were derived from a live interactive professional development event that used Internet2. The lecture, which took an in-depth look at the life cycle of hurricanes, used myriad scientific visualizations made from NASA satellite imagery. The web page provides educators with an index that describes: each segment of the lecture, the scientific visualization used in the segment, and linkages to national standards. Each of the segments is viewable in your browser and is also available for download as a Quicktime. Plus, the individual media content used in the segment is also available for download. So, take this opportunity to learn more about hurricanes from one of NASA’s top researchers, and then, use the videos as part of your own lecture.
Poster and Lithograph:
Hurricane Andrew Poster
http://catalog.core.nasa.gov/core.nsf/item/300.1-22P
This is a poster that shows a NASA-NOAA GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) image of Hurricane Andrew on the front and provides classroom activities for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 on the back.
Hurricane Linda Lithograph
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/service/gallery/lithos/goes-linda.pdf
This NASA lithograph presents a GOES satellite image of Hurricane Linda as it approached Baja, California on September 12, 1997. A brief explanation of how hurricanes are formed and a classroom exercise is on the back.
Visualizations to See Hurricane Movement
Hurricane Bonnie Dissolving 'Crystal Cathedral'
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a001100/a001150/index.html
Fly into Hurricane Bonnie in 3-D to see precipitation as measured by TRMM on August 22, 1998.
Hurricane Floyd Visualization
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a002400/a002481/index.html
TRMM's view of Hurricane Floyd in 1999 provides a look at rainfall amounts within the storm. Yellow=0.5 inches-hour, Green=1.0 inches-hour, Red=2.0 inches-hour on rainfall rates. The vertical scale is exaggerated.
Hurricane Frances
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a003100/a003147/index.html
Hurricane Frances was the second hurricane to hit Florida during the 2004 hurricane season. This set of images shows the progression of the hurricane as it approached Florida from the Atlantic Ocean.
Hurricane Mitch Visualization
http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a000000/a000200/a000226/index.html
This is a scientific visualization, zoom-in of hurricane Mitch from GOES on 27 October 1998.
Lesson Plans/Teacher Packages
Hurricanes As Heat Engines
Purpose: Examine authentic sea surface temperature data to explore how hurricanes extract heat energy from the ocean surface.
The passage of a hurricane causes a large transfer of heat between the ocean surface and the atmosphere. In this lesson, you will examine a historical Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Rita, that crossed the Gulf of Mexico during September 18-24, 2005. First, you will use the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server to obtain sea surface temperature data maps of the Gulf of Mexico. Then, you will construct a time series of SST data (line plot) for a location within the path of the hurricane where a drop in SST is observed.
Grade Level: 6 – 12
Hurricanes as Heat Engines (Inquiry Version)
Purpose: To examine authentic NASA satellite data to explore how hurricanes extract heat energy from the ocean surface
Hurricane Rita crossed the Gulf of Mexico during September 18-24, 2005, before making landfall on the Texas - Louisiana border. In looking at Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data a few days later a cold spot was noticed in areas that the hurricane had passed over. Using inquiry skills, and authentic NASA satellite data, students will hypothesize and research changes in Sea Surface Temperatures.
Grade Level: 6-12
Event-Based Science: Remote-Sensing Activities
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/eventscience/rs.index.html
Event-Based Science (EBS): Remote-Sensing Activities enable middle school students to use remotely-sensed data- as they tackle the real-world problems and tasks found in existing EBS modules. Remotely-sensed data are employed as an integral part of both the presentation of Earth system science concepts, and in the solutions to real-world problems. These activities emphasize the use of NASA remote-sensing data from satellites and sensors including: Landsat, GOES, and MODIS, and SeaWiFS. The EBS remote-sensing activities enhance EBS modules, including: Blight! Earthquake! Fire! Flood! Hurricane! Oil Spill! and Volcano!
Exploring the Environment
http://www.cotf.edu/ete/
On-line, problem-based modules developed by NASA's Classroom of the Future for K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 teachers and students. Modules address events such as volcanoes, hurricanes, dinosaur extinction theories, deforestation, endangered species, and global climate change. The use of NASA remote-sensing images is a feature of the site - along with a tutorial about how to analyze Landsat images with NIH Image.
How to Make a Weather Satellite?
> Link to the booklet
How does a satellite stay up in space without falling back to Earth? How is a weather satellite able to take pictures or measure surface temperatures from space? How does a satellite communicate with Earth? These questions and more are answered in the booklet "How Do You Make a Weather Satellite."
Operation Montserrat - For Teachers & Students
http://clc.wju.edu/OM/
Introduction:
http://e-Missions.net
Introduction (for students):
http://e-Missions.net/om and
Introduction (for teachers):
http://e-Missions.net/om/teacher
Produced by the Challenger Learning Center at Wheeling Jesuit University, Operation Montserrat is based on a real, historical event. The volcano on the normally tranquil island of Montserrat has come to life. As flaming pebbles and lava begin their devastation, emergency response teams learn a hurricane is approaching. Using real-time hurricane and seismic data, teams of student specialists assist Mission Control, by videoconference or over the Internet, in saving the residents from certain destruction. The Mission package includes teacher training workshops, lesson plans, assessment materials and online support.
Potential Consequences of Climate Variability and Change: Coastal Areas -- What Could a Hurricane do to My Home?
http://www.strategies.org/docs/Hurricane_May02.pdf
This activity guide for Grades 5-8 explores the potential for global climate change to increase the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and storm surges, and the impacts that could result. Designed to teach through scientific inquiry, the activity seeks to stimulate thought about the long-term impact of a warmer planet. The activity responds to national education standards in the English language arts, geography, social studies, mathematics, and science.
Sedimental Reasons
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/FloydSediment/sediment.html
Visitors to this site can view satellite imagery and read an account of how remote sensing was employed to evaluate the extent of flooding and sediment load in rivers on the coastal plain of North Carolina as a result of Hurricane Floyd in September, 1999. This feature is part of NASA's Earth Observatory, a publication that focuses on Earth's climate and environmental change.
Lesson Plans/Teacher Packages"
Classroom Basics About Hurricanes: "A Fierce Force of Nature: Hurricanes"
http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/earth/hurricane/intro.html
This web site is great for Elementary and Middle School teachers. It gives the basics of hurricanes from their creation to their dangers. This site comes from the Observatorium which is a public access site for Earth and space data.
Rob Gutro
Goddard Space Flight Center