Project 3: Project Groundhog

  General Information

  Project Overview

Students will engage in exploring whether or not the groundhog is an accurate predictor of weather. For six weeks following Groundhog Day they will monitor and record the daily temperature and sky conditions. They will note any school closures. The information they collect will be shared weekly with the participating schools via email and the Project Groundhog web site.

  Curriculum Connections

This project relates to the curriculum through specific objectives in science, math, social studies and language arts. The study of weather and different kinds of weather, the effect that weather has on activities, the recording and charting of observations and statistical findings, and the reading and writing process used to communicate relate directly to provincial curriculum objectives.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

Science:

• explore ways in which tools are used to observe and measure
• record observations and measurements in pictures and words

Social Studies:

• identify environmental factors, such as climate, that influence the location and activities of communities

Mathematics:

• apply basic concepts and skills of measurement
• collect and organize data
• construct and interpret tables, bar graphs, and pictographs

Language Arts:

• write to record information
• experiment with technology to assist the writing process
• use titles, illustrations, charts and graphs in their writing and presenting

Technology:

• use communications tools to access, evaluate and select appropriate information, and to create, modify and disseminate information

Activities:

• prior to February 2nd, students will develop a chart on which they will record their observations
• on February 2nd, students will make their first observation of the weather and record
• at the end of each of 6 weeks students will report their observations via email and the Project Groundhog web site
• students will track at least one other participating school

  Resource Connections

Currently we have one computer with access to STEM~Net for teachers. There is no Internet connection for students. Without being able to access the Internet, students cannot participate directly in this activity. Sharing their observations and following the observations of another school will enhance the learning that will take place from involvement in the project.

Other resources:

• books about weather

  Evaluation

• uses a thermometer to measure temperature
• develops and uses a chart to record observations
• uses labels and titles in tables used for recording data
• can interpret what is recorded on the chart and relays the information to others
• notes whether weather has had any impact on activities
• uses technological skills to access and disseminate information

The project will have made the study of weather and its effect much more interesting for students. Sharing with others give them a reason to share their observations for an extended period of time.

The project can involve the whole school population by having students report their findings to the general student body at the end of each week.