WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO RAIN?
Table of Average Annual Rainfall and 2001-2002 Rainfall
For Selected Arizona Cities
Phoenix
Tucson
Flagstaff
Avg. 2001-2002 Avg. 2001-2002 Avg. 2001-2002
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
0.7
0.6
0.9
0.9
0.9
1.0
0.3
0.1
0.1
1.1
1.0
0.7
0.0
0.2
0.9
0.0
0.00
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
1.2
0.0
0.5
0.8
0.7
1.2
1.0
1.0
0.9
0.4
0.2
0.3
1.7
2.4
1.1
0.1
0.0
0.9
0.3
0.1
0.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.0
3.1
0.1
1.7
1.8
2.0
2.0
2.1
2.1
1.3
0.7
0.5
2.6
3.1
2.4
1.2
0.4
1.2
0.0
0.1
0.5
0.5
0.0
0.0
2.6
1.0
4.1
Total
8.3
3.0
11.7
6.7
22.3
11.6
All rainfall amounts are listed in inches, rounded to the nearest tenth.
Source: Western Regional Climate Center Data
Normals for 219 stations throughout Arizona
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?azhawl
WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO RAIN?
Student Worksheet
Use the Table of Average Annual Rainfall and 2001-2002 Rainfall to answer the following
questions.
_______1. In Phoenix, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
_______2. In Tucson, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
_______3. In Flagstaff, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
_______4. In Phoenix, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
_______5. In Tucson, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
_______6. In Flagstaff, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
_______7. In Phoenix, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
_______8. In Tucson, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
_______9. In Flagstaff, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
_______10. Which city had the greatest difference between 2001-2002 rainfall and average
rainfall?
Name
WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO RAIN?
Student Worksheet
Answer Key
Use the table of Average Annual Rainfall and 2001-2002 Rainfall to answer the following
questions.
10” 1. In Phoenix, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
10” 2. In Tucson, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
10” 3. In Flagstaff, how many months in 2001-2002 had below average rainfall?
1”
4. In Phoenix, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
2”
5. In Tucson, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
1”
6. In Flagstaff, how many months in 2001-2002 had greater than average rainfall?
5”
7. In Phoenix, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
5”
8. In Tucson, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
11”
9. In Flagstaff, about how much less rain fell in 2001-2002 than in an average year?
Flagstaff 10. Which city had the greatest difference between 2001-2002 rainfall and average
rainfall?
WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO RAIN?
Student Assessment Instructions
Create a graph for one city listed on the “Table of Average Annual Rainfall and 2001-2002
Rainfall.” Make sure that your graph has all of the following information:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
A title that describes the information in the graph.
The left side of the graph labeled with the number of inches of rainfall listed.
The bottom side of the graph listing the months of the year.
The rainfall for each month of the water year 2001-2001 plotted on the graph.
The rainfall for an average year plotted for each month on the graph.
Different colored lines connecting the months for each of the two time periods.
A key that tells which color line shows which time period.
After completing the graph, write a paragraph about it. In your paragraph be sure to talk about
the following things:
1. What does the graph show about rainfall in 2001-2002 compared with average annual
rainfall?
2. What does this difference mean about how much water is available as a natural resource?
3. How can people help when rainfall conditions are like they were in 2001-2002?
WHEN IS IT EVER GOING TO RAIN?
Assessment Checklist
_______1. The graph contains a title that describes the information in the graph.
_______2. The number of inches of rainfall are listed and labeled on the y-axis of the graph.
_______3. The months of the year are listed and labeled on the x-axis of the graph.
_______4. The rainfall for each month of 2001-2002 is plotted on the graph.
_______5. The rainfall for each average month of the year is plotted on the graph.
_______6. The plotted points for each set of data are connected by different color lines.
_______7. A key indicates which time period is indicated by the two different color lines.
_______8. The student paragraph states that the graph shows lower rainfall than average.
_______9. The paragraph mentions that water is a natural resource.
______10. The paragraph explains that people can conserve water to preserve natural
resources.
LINE GRAPH OF RAINFALL DATA FOR:
(City) ___________________________
Average Rainfall:
2001-02 Rainfall:
RAIN
4.2
4.1
4.0
3.9
3.8
3.7
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.2
3.1
3.0
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.6
2.5
2.4
2.3
2.2
2.1
2.0
1.9
1.8
1.7
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC