Process

The Process

1. You will be assigned a group by your teacher. Your group will consist of three students.

2. Your group will vote on what type of weather disaster you would like to report on as a news story. Your choices will be a hurricane, tornado, or tsunami. After you choose, decide on a specific weather event that you can explore, such as Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

· Major Hurricanes

· Major Tornadoes

· Major Tsunamis

3. You will choose a role by discussing with your other group members about your strengths and interests. The roles include: newscaster, weather field reporter, and victim of the disaster.

4. Each person will research the weather event chosen by completing the following steps listed below the role undertaken.

Newscaster:

1. You will need a question sheet to collect your findings. Click on the appropriate link to get your question sheet.

· Hurricane

· Tornado

· Tsunami

2. You will research the weather disaster. Focus on the basic facts and definition of the type of disaster. For example, describe characteristics of hurricanes in general, not one specific hurricane.

· Hurricane Websites

· Tornado Websites

· Tsunami Websites

3. You will make a PowerPoint presentation, in a newscast format, using the information you recorded on your question sheet.

Weather Field Reporter:

1. You will need a question sheet to collect your findings. Click on the appropriate link to get your question sheet.

· Hurricane

· Tornado

· Tsunami

2. You will research the specific weather disaster and include facts about the event in a report. Include how the event is affecting people.

· Hurricane Websites

· Tornado Websites

· Tsunami Websites

3. You will work with the victim to make an appropriate background for your field report.

4. You will read your facts about the weather disaster, that you recorded on your answer sheet, then interview the victim and respond to their story.

Victim:

1. You will need a question sheet to collect your findings. Click on the appropriate link to get your question sheet.

· Hurricane

· Tornado

· Tsunami

2. You will choose one role (mother, father, child, worker, etc.) and research what the disaster might have been like for that person.

· Hurricane Websites

· Tornado Websites

· Tsunami Websites

3. You will work with the weather field reporter to create an appropriate background for your interview.

4. You will answer the questions provided on the question sheet. Be ready to share it with the reporter.

5. You will present a weather report with your group, as if the disaster was occurring at that time. This newscast will be videotaped for your classmates to learn about the affects of the weather disaster on people’s lives.

Here is the outline of the newscast:

· The newscaster will introduce the news story with a description of the basic facts about the disaster, using a PowerPoint presentation. He/she will turn the story over to the weather field reporter.

· The weather field reporter will briefly describe specific details about the event. Then, he/she will interview a victim from the disaster.

· A victim will describe what happened and how it felt to be in the situation he/she was during the disaster.

· The weather field reporter will sum up what the victim said and the main points of the disaster. Then, he/she will turn it back over to the newscaster.

· The newscaster will sum up the events and say good-bye to his/her audience.