PALS - Task with Student Directions

NCTM Activity - Rainfall

Task with Student Directions

GLOBE Assessment
Grade 9-12

Math Activity for Protocol Test

The rain gauge has 3.2 cm of precipitation. The overflow tube has enough liquid in it to fill the 10 cm rain gauge twice and the third time an additional 1.5 cm is measured. What is the total amount of precipitation since the last measurement? (NCTM Standards: Numbers & Operations 3.1, 3.2)

Rainfall Protcol Test

The Rainfall protocol test assesses students' ability to collect accurate rainfall measurements, emptying and reassembling the rain tube, and what they do when rainfall exceeds the tube capacity

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students-->

Student activity & Level of Performance

+ appropriate student performance

- inappropriate student performance

n.a. not appropriate

Taking accurate rainfall measurements

read scale at eye level

read scale from bottom of meniscus

record amount of daily rainfall (mm)

record date and time of day (UT)

record # of days rain has accumulated in tube

Empty and reassemble the rainfall tube

empty water into clean tube; save for pH

invert tube; allow it to drain completely

remove debris from empty tube

rinse the tube with distilled water

reassemble funnel, measuring-, overflow-tubes

remount rain gauge; level top of gauge

When rainfall exceeds tube capacity

measure the level of rainfall in the tube

empty the measuring tube

measure rainfall from overflow tube

add results to reach a final measurement