Table

Weather Abnormalities

and How they Effect Industry

A local study of the Ice Harvesting Industry

A 4th grade Webquest

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Introduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Resources

Introduction

Did you know that where you live used to be bustling with activity on the frozen

rivers, lakes and ponds in the winter? Ice harvesting was big business in Catskill and

the surrounding communities from the 1800's to as recently as the 1950's. What is Ice

Harvesting? This web quest will give you the chance to find out the answer to that

question. How does this relate to weather? We have been studying weather and

the effects of our unusually warm winter. So far, we have concentrated on the

recreational effects. Now we are going to focus on how unusually warm winters

would have an effect on industry. After you learn about Ice Harvesting, you will

have to come up with some conclusions about how this would have effected our

community during the years of Ice Harvesting. Catskill is celebrating it's 200th

birthday this year. Don't forget to look at the newpaper article that the Catskill

newspaper ran in it's "Looking Back" section recently.

Task

In order for you to come to some appropriate conclusions about abnormal

weather and it's relationship to industry you must learn about Ice Harvesting. The

first part of your task will be to learn about it. After learning about it, you will design a

power point slide about one of the steps. Then you will use your new knowledge of

Ice Harvesting and relate it to the question at hand: How would an abnormally warm

winter, like we had this year, effect the industry the community?

Process
   First you will start with a website that will give you some background information.

You need to read all of it and answer the questions on the worksheet. You may

want to print out the worksheet so you can fill it out when you are reading. Click on

the icon below to read the article:


     After finishing the worksheet, you will now want to think of one part of the ice

harvesting process that you either liked the best, found the most interesting, or feel

you know the most about. Go to the resources section of this webquest for more

information that you may use.

     Next you will make a Power Point slide highlighting the part you chose. Your slide

must include:

      1. A Title

      2. a picture of the part you chose

      3. a detailed description, written by you

      4. make sure you add color to your background, letters- have fun with it!

      5. be sure to save your slide on the computer you are using, to come back to it if

          you don't finish it all at one sitting.

      Now that your slide is complete, and you have learned about ice harvesting as

an industry, it is time to come to the main question of this webquest. How would a

warm winter, like this year, effect the ice harvesting industry?

     You are going to write a one page paper with your answer to this question. I want

you to use the knowledge you have learned as a basis for your opinion. For

example, first write about the criteria for harvesting ice. Did this year's winter meet

this criteria, how or how not? If people count on this industry for income, what would

happen to them without the ability to harvest? Is there an alternative available? In

other words, could they go somewhere else? Why or why not?

    To finish off our unit on weather, we are going to visit the Hanford Mills Museum in

East Meredith, NY. You can look at their website: http://www.hanfordmills.org/

Just click on events in February.

   schoolbus






Evaluation

You will be evaluated based on the following:

               Worksheet-- 30% of grade          Power Point Slide--35% of grade

          Essay--35% of grade

Conclusion

     Click on the word below to hear a message from your teacher, Mrs. Felter

                                                           Hurray!

Resources

http://www.iceharvestingusa.com/Harvesting%20on%20the%20Hudson%20NY%20Paper.html
http://www.iceharvestingusa.com/1918bookofknowledge/1918bookofknowledge.html
http://www.iceharvestingusa.com/iceharvestingusa.html
http://www.hanfordmills.org/
Catskill Daily Mail, March 12, 2006 issue. Pictures of an Ice Harvest near Catskill