T/G Layout 1

257

Authors:

John Entwistle, Damascus High School, Damascus, Maryland

Carolyn Ossont, DuVal High School, Lanham, Maryland

Hans Steffan, DuVal High School, Lanham, Maryland

John Webber, Aberdeen High School, Aberdeen, Maryland

Grade Level: 7–12

Objectives:

Students will be able to follow the path of a Pacific Ocean hurricane and be able to:

1. Identify a hurricane by its properties, as shown in a series of sequential, animated
   GOES images;


2. Determine actual size, velocity, and direction of movement of a hurricane; and


3. Predict the path that a hurricane will take.

Time Requirement:

2 to 4 class periods

Image Format:

Geostationary infrared images

Background:

1. Read


2. Collect a series of infrared GOES satellite images on computer disk (images
   acquired at one hour intervals).


3. Download the files described in the previous lesson,
   Included are two animation files and 9 individual frame files. The file, ROMEO,
   contains 10 images, each taken from GOES West, covering 5 hours in the life of
   the hurricane. The file ROMEO.ALL contains the original 10 images plus an addi-
   tional number of frames that extend the animation to over a day’s period of time.

Materials:

1. Computer


2. Romeo files*


3. Metric ruler


4. 1 piece of acetate and marking pen per student group

Preparation:

1. Review background information


2. Set-up the computer system


3. Distribute 1 sheet of acetate and marking pen per student group


4. Distribute student data sheet

References:

Ahrens, Donald C.

Risnychok, Noel T.

Williams, Jack.

* See the lesson regarding software.

WH E R E F O R E A RT T H O U, RO M E O?