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Notes for teachers

Although most Arizona residents wait in deep anticipation for the monsoon season, some communities in the Phoenix metro area get much less precipitation than others.

This lesson focuses on two mountain ranges which create ‘rain shadows’ that affect local weather conditions.

The hands-on inquiry portion of this lesson requires working outside on a sunny day.

List of Materials

Chromebooks for research
printed maps of the topography of the White Tank Mountains, along with the McDowell Mountain Ranges and the surrounding communities.
Maricopa County rainfall data maps charting the last 10 monsoon seasons.
graph paper
science notebooks for research notes and vocabulary
50 foot extension cord
fan
solar fountain
several boulders to simulate mountains
several buckets of water

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Standards

Science

7.E1U2.7: Analyze and interpret data to construct an explanation for how advances in technology has improved weather prediction.

● Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving… landforms.

These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns. Because these patterns are so complex, weather can be predicted only probabilistically.

Standards

Language Arts

7W9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Arizona History and Social Science Standards

G1: The use of geographic representations and tools helps individuals understand their world.

G2: Human-environment interactions are essential aspects of human life in all societies.

Science and Engineering Standards

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

● Use digital tools (e.g., computers) to analyze very large data sets for patterns and trends.

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Objectives:

Although most Arizona residents wait in deep anticipation for the monsoon season, some communities in the Phoenix metro area get much less precipitation than others.

Students will investigate the factors contributing to the differences in rainfall in different parts of the Phoenix Metro area due to ‘rain shadows’ where the White Tank Mountains and the McDowell Mountains act as physical barriers.

Students will learn how to read and interpret a topographic map to locate weather trends by comparing and contrasting rainfall in two local communities.

Students will also learn how to graph data based on information from Maricopa County Rainfall Data Maps.

Students will simulate this phenomenon using a solar fountain, fan, and different sized boulders..

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Agenda

Day One

Engage: Tell story of how one metro city gets flooded while the other remains dry.

Show students maps of the White Tank Mountains and the McDowell Mountains and the surrounding communities.

Ask students if they can explain why some cities in the valley receive less rainfall than others.

Explore: Have groups of students examine maps of rainfall data in Maricopa county and graph the differences in rainfall.

Explain: Have students compare graphs between groups and then facilitate a discussion on why some areas receive less rainfall than others based on their location in relation to the mountains.

Day Two

Elaborate: Hands-on activity outside using a solar fountain, fan, and different sized boulders.

Evaluate: Compare the results of the activity with the data collected from the maps using ratios.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

During monsoon season in the Phoenix area, why do some metropolitan areas like Surprise get a lot less rain than others like downtown Phoenix and Tempe?

Raphael Romero Ruiz/The Republic The Wax Room, Surprise, Az

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Go outside and set up simulations of the rain shadow phenomenon using a solar fountain, fan, and boulders.

Have the students alter:

the amount of water from the fountain (use different nozzles)
the height of the boulders
the direction of the wind (fan)
and then note the distance where the ‘rain’ falls in relation to the boulders by measuring.the distance of the ‘rain’.

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Assessment

Graph the results of your hands-on activity by measuring the distances resulting from altering the fan and the height of the water in the fountain.

Using rations, compare these numbers to the rainfall data graphs for Surprise and Tempe.

Have a classroom discussion on how the simulation displays the rain shadow effect of the two mountain ranges.

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Differentiation

Create a simple bar graph comparing the rainfall amounts of Surprise, Az vs. Tempe, Az.

Use the data for a ten-year span.

Write a paragraph on why they might be different based on your definition of a rain shadow from your notes.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Create a story of your drive from a flooded Tempe to a nice dry Surprise on a stormy monsoon day in Arizona by personifying your car and its reaction to the rain and flood waters.

Don’t forget to include your car’s dialogue!

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