Grade 7 Math Lesson Plan: Calculating the Average Wind Speed of Hurricanes Categorized by Month

Subject: Math Grade: 7 Topic: Calculating the Average Wind Speed of Hurricanes Categorized by Month

Introduction: - Begin the lesson by asking students if they have ever heard about hurricanes and what they know about them. - Explain that hurricanes are powerful storms that can cause significant damage and are categorized based on their wind speed. - Inform students that in this lesson, they will learn how to calculate the average wind speed of hurricanes categorized by month using mathematical skills.

Lesson Outline: 1. Warm-up Activity (5 minutes): - Show a short video about hurricanes to engage students and activate their prior knowledge. - Ask students to share any new information they learned from the video.

1. Introduction to Hurricane Categories (10 minutes):
   • Explain the different categories of hurricanes based on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
   • Show a video or use visual aids to illustrate the different categories and their corresponding wind speeds.
   • Discuss the significance of wind speed in categorizing hurricanes.
2. Calculating Average Wind Speed (15 minutes):
   • Provide students with a worksheet that includes a table of hurricane wind speeds categorized by month.
   • Review the concept of average and how it is calculated.
   • Guide students through the process of calculating the average wind speed for each month using the given data.
   • Model the calculations on the board and encourage students to ask questions.
3. Questioning and Discussion (10 minutes):
   • Engage students in a discussion by asking questions such as:
     • Which month had the highest average wind speed?
     • Which month had the lowest average wind speed?
     • Are there any patterns or trends in the data?
   • Encourage students to explain their reasoning and support their answers with evidence.
4. Assessment (15 minutes):
   • Distribute a worksheet or provide an online quiz to assess students’ understanding of calculating average wind speed.
   • Include a variety of questions that require students to apply their knowledge to real-life hurricane scenarios.

Differentiation: - For students who need extra support, provide a simplified version of the worksheet with fewer data points or guided calculations. - For advanced students, challenge them to analyze the data further by calculating the median and mode of the wind speeds.

Plenary: - Summarize the key points of the lesson, emphasizing the importance of calculating average wind speed in understanding hurricane categories. - Ask students to share one thing they learned from the lesson and how they can apply this knowledge in real life.

Resources: 1. Video: “What is a Hurricane?” - National Geographic Kids Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Km2z0vXJZw

1. Worksheet: Calculating Average Wind Speed of Hurricanes Link: [Insert link to the worksheet resource]

2. Online Quiz: Assessing Average Wind Speed Calculation Skills Link: [Insert link to the online quiz resource]