Independent Site Visits 8th Grade:

Independent Site Visits 8^th Grade:

Hurricanes and Oil Spills

Sony Wonder Technology Lab

Grade Level : 8^th Grade

Subject: Earth Science

Learning Standards:

Time Requirements:

Pre-Visit Lesson = 90 minutes

Visit = 120 minutes

Topics Covered by This Lesson:

Sony Wonder Technology Lab

Pre-Visit

Purpose:

To learn what hurricanes and oil spills are and how we can protect ourselves by using technology.
To have the students become acquainted with the layout of the Sony Wonder Technology Lab and what they will be doing there.

Objectives:

Students will learn what hurricanes are and what damage they can cause.
Students will learn what oil spills are and what damage they can cause.
Students will learn how technology can be used to track a hurricane and to cleanup an oil spill.
Students will become familiar with the layout of the Sony Wonder Technology Lab and what they will be doing by surfing their website: www.sonywondertechlab.com .
Students will understand what they will be required to do during their visit of the Sony Wonder Technology Lab (hand out the task requirements for their visit: information they will be gathering and questions they will be answering).

Materials Required:

Classroom/School Internet Capability

Student Learning Prerequisites:

Students must know how to use the Internet.

Visit

Students will go to the Environmental Lab section and participate individually in the two stations there: “Tracking a Hurricane” and “Cleaning up an Oil Spill”.
Students will be actively participating as virtual scientists, via the computer, at both stations.
Students will collect data and contact fellow scientists via the computer.
Students will then be required to make a decision on what to do about the oil spill or hurricane (depending on which station they are at). How many crewmembers should they dispense? What technology or resources should they use? Where should they focus their attention geographically?
When they are done, students can visit any of the other displays within the museum at their own leisure.

Assessment:

Verbally ask the students and review with them:
What are hurricanes and what damage can they cause?
What are oil spills and what damage can they cause?
How is technology used to track hurricanes and cleanup oil spills?
Make sure their answers are correct. If not, review it with them.
Extensions and Suggested Homework Assignments:
Have the students brainstorm and think of any other ways we can use technology to help us with hurricanes and oil spills.
Have the students design some new technology that will help us combat a hurricane or an oil spill.

Possible Questions: