Demonstrate your understanding of atmospheric processes.
The latitude, altitude, and topography of a location determine its climate. Although no place on Earth is exactly like any other, similarities allow grouping into climate classes with similar weather patterns and geographic conditions. Specific weather events spring from unique one-time factors as well as prevailing conditions. This project is a detailed analysis of the weather and climate at one particular location.
General Climate Report: Report on the general climate of the location, including sunlight, temperature, precipitation, and climate class. Explain how the climate is a consequence of its geographic conditions.
Specific Event Report: Report on a notable weather event at your location. Explain the specific conditions that created the event and describe its development and progress.
Oral Presentation: Describe the climate and weather of your location to your classmates.
Select a location from the list provided or another location of your choosing approved by the instructor. (You will use the same location for your geology report.) Research its climate, keeping a record of your sources. Write up your findings.
Find a notable weather event at your location. It should be well-documented, as you need to analyze it in detail. Research the event, keeping a record of your sources. Write up your findings.
Finally, briefly report on your location’s climate and specific event orally to the class.
| Aug 30 | Project introduced |
| Sep 8 | General climate report drafts due |
| Sep 13 | In-class feedback on general climate drafts, feedback reports due |
| Sep 15 | General climate reports due |
| Sep 20 | Specific event drafts due |
| Sep 22 | In-class feedback on specific event drafts, feedback reports due |
| Sep 29 | Specific event reports due, in-class oral presentations |
Describe the area’s climate and the factors responsible for it.
Identify the location’s position on Earth (latitude, longitude, elevation). Display (graphs would be especially nice) the day length and highest sun angle at the equinoxes, solstices, and cross-quarter days (Feb 4, Mar 20, May 5, Jun 21, Aug 4, Sep 22, Nov 6, Dec 21).
| +2 | Reports correct latitude, longitude, and elevation. |
| +1 | Reports correct elevation (or range, if an area of high relief). |
| +2 | Reports correct day lengths for the specified dates. |
| +2 | Reports correct highest sun angles for the specified dates. |
| +3 | Presentation of all data is clear and accessible. |
Identify the continent or region and describe your location’s position therein. Identify and describe nearby land forms, mountains, rivers, and bodies of water. Identify the principal agricultural uses of the nearby land.
| +5 | Correctly located on continent or in region. |
| +3 | Correctly identifies prominent nearby land forms and bodies of water. |
| +2 | Identifies major agricultural uses of the nearby land. |
State yearly average precipitation and year-to-year variability. Display (graphs would be especially nice) average monthly precipitation, average monthly temperature, and average monthly high and low temperatures. Describe the prevailing wind circulation throughout the year. Holistically describe the climate, including special features not found in the numbers (precipitation is mostly from infrequent summer thunderstorms, the area is prone to hurricanes, very windy in the winter, etc.).
| +4 | Reports correct average monthly precipitation. |
| +2 | Reports correct average yearly precipitation and variability. |
| +4 | Reports average monthly temperatures, highs, and lows. |
| +3 | Reports correct wind speed and direction tendencies over the year. |
| +4 | Describes special features of the location’s climate. |
| +3 | Presentation of all data is clear and accessible. |
State the Köppen class symbol for the region. Name and describe the phrase description. Explain how the geographic features produce that climate.
| +3 | Correctly identifies the Köppen class symbol. |
| +2 | Provides the phrase description of the Köppen class. |
| +3 | Explicitly matches the characteristics of the region’s climate to the features of its Köppen class. |
| +2 | Explains how the geographic features of the region produce its climate. |
This is a record of all the sources from which you obtained the information in your report. It contains:
| +3 | Cites at least three sources including one non-Internet source. |
| +2 | Citations are complete. |
| +2 | Contents of all sources are adequately summarized. |
| +2 | Organization, accessibility, and utility of all sources are evaluated. |
| +1 | Descriptions and evaluations are thorough, crisp, and well-supported. |
Provide feedback on your group mates’ rough drafts. Identify errors and omissions, and offer constructive suggestions for improving the content and its presentation. It is not necessary to address specific grammar or usage issues—these are rough drafts.
The feedback report you submit to me contains separate write-ups for each draft that you evaluate. It does not need to be long or formal. It need only be a list of the specific problems you found and what you suggested to correct them.
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of content. |
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of organization and presentation. |
| +4 | Offers constructive suggestions for all problems identified. |
Since you will provide feedback on several group members’ reports, the score you receive for this item will be average of their scores.
The report must meet the highest standards of Edited Standard Written English (ESWE). Consequently, the score for the written report is adjusted by its ESWE multiplier. See the separate document for description of the ESWE rules and the application of the ESWE multiplier.
Report on a notable weather event at your location.
Present the history of the event, including its dates and full geographic extent. Describe all changes as the event progressed. Include specific details, such as rainfall, temperature, and winds, as appropriate to the situation.
| +12 | Outlines the progress of the event, from beginning to end. |
| +2 | Progress includes specific beginning and ending dates. |
| +2 | Progress includes geographic extents. |
| +4 | Includes informative specific details. |
Explain how the event originated, developed, and ended. Identify the type of event (tropical cyclone, high-pressure anticyclone, mid-latitude cyclone, specific type of thunderstorm, etc.). Depending on the nature of the event, you may need to describe the progress of fronts, high and low pressure centers, interactions of air layers, and cyclonic systems.
| +4 | Correctly identifies the type of weather system. |
| +2 | Outlines the progress of the weather system. |
| +2 | Details applicable meteorological occurrences. |
| +2 | Includes informative specific weather observations. |
Describe the event’s effect on human life, structures, and institutions. Was property damaged? Were natural resources affected? Describe and analyze human responses to the event. Were any long-term policies implemented or changed in addition to the immediate response? If so, what may be their effect?
| +2 | Identifies effects on physical structures. |
| +2 | Identifies economic impacts. |
| +1 | Extensively describes economic and societal impacts. |
| +3 | Describes human response to the event. |
| +2 | Analyzes human responses and their consequences. |
This is a record of all the sources from which you obtained the information in your report. There is no minimum number of citations, but at least one source must be outside the internet. Citation and reference formats should follow the same guidelines described for the general climate report.
| +3 | Cites at least one non-Internet source. |
| +2 | Citations are complete. |
| +2 | Contents of all sources are adequately summarized. |
| +2 | Organization, accessibility, and utility of all sources are evaluated. |
| +1 | Descriptions and evaluations are thorough, crisp, and well-supported. |
Provide feedback on your group mates’ rough drafts. Identify errors and omissions, and offer constructive suggestions for improving the content and its presentation. It is not necessary to address specific grammar or usage issues—these are rough drafts.
The feedback report you submit to me contains separate write-ups for each draft that you evaluate. It does not need to be long or formal. It need only be a list of the specific problems you found and what you suggested to correct them.
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of content. |
| +3 | Identifies all errors and omissions of organization and presentation. |
| +4 | Offers constructive suggestions for all problems identified. |
The report must also meet the highest standards of Edited Standard Written English (ESWE). Consequently, the score for the written report is adjusted by its ESWE multiplier. See the separate document for description of the ESWE rules and the application of the ESWE multiplier.
Describe the setting and climate of the area, including geography, seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns, and Köppen climate class. Also describe the notable weather event on which you reported.
Your presentation shall be understandable and factually correct. Speak audibly and with animation, and maintain eye contact with your audience.
| +1 | Locates region on globe. |
| +2 | Describes region’s geographic setting. |
| +1 | Presents correct average seasonal precipitation patterns. |
| +1 | Presents correct yearly precipitation averages and ranges. |
| +2 | Presents correct seasonal temperature averages and ranges. |
| +1 | Correctly identifies Köppen climate class. |
| +2 | Describes meteorology of the weather event. |
| +2 | Describes human impact of the weather event. |
| +5 | Presentation is understandable, clear, organized, and concise. |
| +1 | Speaks clearly and audibly. |
| +1 | Maintains eye contact with class. |
| +1 | Conveys enthusiasm. |
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Copyright © 2005, Richard Barrans
Revised: 29 August 2011. Maintained by Richard Barrans.
URL: http://www.barransclass.com/astr1070/projects/climate/A1070_climate_proj_F11.html