Lesson+5+Facilitator+Agenda


 * [[file:Science 6_5 Facilitator Agenda.doc]]

TITLE:** **Modeling a Strong Lesson Using Google Earth and Weather Aps

SETTING THE STAGE** Have Google Google Earth open and "My Places" task pane showing and ready to use.

In this session, participants see an example of a strong lesson being modeled using Google Earth and Weather Aps. After seeing the lesson modeled, they will create a strong lesson to use in their classroom using Google Earth and Weather Aps.
 * Session Overview**

What does a well-planned lesson using Google Weather Aps look like? How can I use Google Weather Aps to create my own strong lesson?
 * Focusing Questions**

The following materials are used in this session: - Laptops - Projector - Google Applications - Google Earth - Double Entry Model Weather Inquiry Document
 * Materials**

The following resources are used in this session: Weather Tracking Tools Network Link: http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2006/07/weather_and_sto.html METAR's Pilot World-Wide Weather - http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/2006/02/pilot_worldwide.html http://www.metaltoad.com/gearth/ http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/88575/an/0/page/0 http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlfile13376/Global-Infrared-Satellite-Images.htm http://www.gearthhacks.com/dlfile8854/World-weather.htm**
 * Resources**
 * http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/weather/


 * __INSTRUCTION__** //(Typically lasts about 20% of session, but will take 30 minutes as you will model one complete lesson with the "participants as students".)//


 * Framing the Session**

“In our first four sessions, we learned about the power of Google Earth and the many Weather Applications that are available. In this session, we are going to focus on using the gained skills to develop and teach an inquiry based lesson. Our job is to help grow critically thinking scientists, and the model lesson today is designed to help 6th graders to make predicitons, collect data, and revise their predictions over time with new information. . . just like meteorologists!


 * Teaching**

“Watch me as I review the different parts of the Google Earth Program. We will briefly go over the tools we covered in the first four sessions to make sure you remember what they are (Go over placemarks, ruler, tracing, and task panes especially My Places and Layers).

"Now that we have reviewed the basic parts of Google Earth, I am going to model how to teach a model lesson that is inquiry based in nature. First thing we have to do is make sure that all our Aps and Layers are turned off, so go into your task panes and make sure that nothing is turned on.

"In Session 6.2 you downloaded at least two different sets of weather aps, practiced using them, and finally stored them in your Weather Aps folder. We are going to do a lesson today using some of these tools and functions to teach an extreme weather inquiry lesson. Move your globe so that Europe is showing. Now you are going to turn on **"European Real-Time Lightning Strikes"** in your Weather Aps folder. You will notice that this changes your display automatically.

"In the task pane, click on the hyperlink for European Real-Time Lightning Strikes to get a pop up screen that gives you some information about the weather application. If you click the active hyperlink inside the bubble, you will be directed to a web page that gives you a legend of what each color stands for on your Google Earth map.

"Now go down to your Layers pane of Google Earth. Find the layer entitled Populated Places and click it to make this layer active. As you can see, once you activate the layer, the city names pop up on the globe which allows you to better pinpoint where the lightning is active right now in Europe.

"On your resource list, please open the Double Entry Model Prediction Document to use in the Session. Now we are ready to begin."

"Looking at the active weather aps running, think about what information you can see by looking at the globe. Based on the fact that the most recent lightning strikes appear white and the oldest are dark red, what can you deduce from the active lightning strikes?
 * Lightning Layer**

"Place your observations in the text box area "What Did I Notice" in the Lighting Applications section. After you have noted your observations, think about the information and what it might mean. Then in the area allowed for predictions, make some predictions about what you think is happening to this weather system based on the lightning and the time frames shown."

"Now we are going to turn on the Global Cloud Map application. You can see that the map has changed by having the clouds "layered" on the map. What do you notice? As you can see, much of the lightning is grouped around the cloud masses. Why do you think this is? Why are there some lightning strikes not near the cloud masses? Think about these questions as you make your observations.
 * Cloud Layer**

"Place your observations in the text box area "What did I Notice" in the Global Cloud Map Applications section. After you have noted what your observations, think about the information and what it might mean. Then in the area allowed for predictions, make some predictions about what you think is happening to this weather system based on what you have seen on Google Earth."

"Now we are going to turn on the World Metar's Tool. It will put in real time weather conditions that pilots around the world use to keep track of weather conditions. It has information that is very useful in letting pilots know what weather they will be flying into. They make decisions based on the information found on this site. Look at the METAR's Legend to locate one of the weather information updates. As you can see, it shows information like temperature, wind direction and speed, cloud information, and even present weather conditions. What does information tell you? What can you deduce from this information?
 * METAR layer**

"Place your observations in the text box area "What did I Notice" in the World METAR's Applications section. After you have noted what your observations, think about the information and what it might mean. Then in the area allowed for predictions, make some predictions about what you think is happening to this weather system based on what you have seen on Google Earth."

“You just participated in a sample lesson using Google Earth and Weather Aps. Use the empty section of the double entry model document to come up with another layer or question or process to observe that would support students using high level thinking skills. Complete your table as if you were the student and then make a prediction or interpretation.
 * Guided Practice**

"Once you have finished, copy the information from your Double Entry Document into your Google Notebook


 * WORK TIME**

Now that you have seen a strong lesson and have helped create a double entry model with your observations and predictions, it is time to start thinking about your own lesson. Use the skills taught in the past sessions to start working on your own "strong lesson" using Google Earth and Weather Aps.
 * Getting Started**

Participants will... Step 1 - Review Lesson Ideas Gathered Step 2 - Review Tools and Applications covered in previous lessons Step 3 - Create a Strong Lesson using Google Earth and Weather Aps Step 4 - Share
 * Participant Activity**

Circulate around the room and confer with participants. Take note of particularly good examples of work that can be presented during the Share.
 * Facilitator Conferring**


 * SHARE** //(Typically lasts about 10–20% of session.)//


 * Share**

Lead a discussion about how this work addresses the focusing questions and other ways that they might see using this process in their science classrooms.

What does a model lesson using Google Weather Aps look like? How can I use Google Weather Aps to teach an inquiry based lesson?

Author: Robert McDougall Email: rmcdougall@schools.nyc.gov School/Employer: IS 195 / NYC Dept of Ed Title: Teacher
 * ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS**