Tornadoes from the Weather Smart Series

Transcription

1 Tornadoes from the Weather Smart Series written and produced by... Alan Sealls, Meteorologist Produced and Distributed by Sherman Avenue, Suite 100 Evanston, IL Hour Fax

2 This video is the exclusive property of the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting, or reproducing in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the coyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and 506). MMI Alan Sealls

3 Tornadoes Table of Contents Introduction Curriculum Standards Program Summary Series Goals Teacher Preparation Instructional Notes Student Preparation Student Objectives Introducing the Program Discussion Questions Blackline Master Activities Extended Learning Activities Answer Key Reference Material Bibliography Script of Program Narration CC This video is closed captioned. The purchase of this video program entitles the user to the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher s guide and the blackline master handouts that accompany it for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this program, TORNADOES. This right is restricted only for use with this program. Any reproduction or duplication in whole or in part of this guide and the blackline master handouts for any purpose other than for use with this program is prohibited.

4 CLASSROOM/LIBRARY VIEWING CLEARANCE This program is for instructional use. The cost of each program includes public performance rights as long as no admission charge is made. Public performance rights are defined as viewing of a video in the course of face-to-face teaching activities in a classroom, library, or similar setting devoted to instruction. Closed Circuit Rights are included as a part of the pubic performance rights as long as closed-circuit transmission is restricted to a single campus. For multiple locations, call your United Learning representative. Television/Cable/Satellite Rights are available. Call your United Learning representative for details. Duplication Rights are available if requested in large quantities. Call your United Learning representative for details. Quantity Discounts are available for large purchases. Call your United Learning representative for information and pricing. Discounts, and some special services, are not applicable outside the United States. Your suggestions and recommendations are welcome. Feel free at any time to call United Learning at

5 TORNADOES from the WEATHER SMART Series INTRODUCTION Weather Smart is a series comprised of 10 weather programs for grades 3-8. It is written and produced by Alan Sealls, an award-winning meteorologist who has worked for WGN-TV, and CNN. Each program is supported by exercises, quizzes, Internet references, and hands-on experiments to make the weather come alive to students. The series is an entire "course" in the wonders of weather, while each program stands alone in approaching the various facets of meteorology. These delightful and entertaining programs are geared toward kids' fascination with weather. Each program may be used as an introduction, supplement, or follow-up to weather studies. In Tornadoes, students are sure to be intrigued by the various forms and colors of tornadoes. The program addresses the principles behind tornado formation with simple animations. Students see easy experiments that they can duplicate using simple materials. Vocabulary associated with tornadoes such as twister, cyclone, and funnel, are discussed and defined both in the program and in the many exercises. CURRICULUM STANDARDS Weather Smart: Tornadoes correlates to the following science standards: National Science Education Standards, grades K-4 Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Understanding about scientific inquiry Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B: Properties of objects and materials 1

6 Position and motion of objects Light, heat, electricity, and magnetism Earth and Space Science CONTENT STANDARD D: Properties of earth materials Objects in the sky Changes in earth and sky Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E: Abilities of technological design Understanding about science and technology Science in Personal & Social Perspectives CONTENT STANDARD F: Personal health Science and technology in local challenges History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: Science as a human endeavor National Science Education Standards, grades 5-8 Science as Inquiry CONTENT STANDARD A: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry Understanding about scientific inquiry Physical Science CONTENT STANDARD B: Properties and changes of properties in matter Motions and forces Transfer of energy Earth and Space Science CONTENT STANDARD D: Structure of the earth system 2

7 Science and Technology CONTENT STANDARD E: Abilities of technological design Understanding about science and technology Science in Personal & Social Perspectives CONTENT STANDARD F: Personal health Natural hazards Risks and benefits Science and technology in society History and Nature of Science CONTENT STANDARD G: Science as a human endeavor Nature of science PROGRAM SUMMARY Tornadoes reveals the many sizes, shapes, and colors of tornadoes, as well as the damage they can cause. As one of the universally fascinating aspects of weather, tornadoes are examined, while special attention is given to tornado safety. Dangerous myths are addressed. What causes these funnels of wind; how, when, and where they form is reviewed. Students learn that most tornadoes are not violent killer storms, and they don't just come out of a calm sky. SERIES GOALS The Weather Smart series will give students the entire scope of meteorology, fostering an appreciation for weather as a universal, ever-present aspect of life on Earth. Varying combinations of heat, air, and water generate weather. The sun is the driving force behind weather. Air and water have unique properties. Neither Earth nor life would exist as we know them without weather. 3

8 Humans can affect weather or climate. Weather forecasts make our lives easier and safer. Tools and instruments help us to understand and predict weather. Mathematics is needed to assess and forecast weather and climate. Scientists do not fully know what makes weather and climate change. Weather and climate are cyclical. There is beauty in the sky. Meteorology is a wide-reaching profession. TEACHER PREPARATION Duplicate a sufficient quantity of the Blackline Masters for your students. In order to undertake all of the exercises in this program, the following items are needed in appropriate amounts and quantities: computer with Internet connection table lamp paper lunch bag string measuring stick adhesive tape water sink dish soap small plastic container with top INSTRUCTIONAL NOTES Before presenting this Weather Smart lesson to your students, we suggest you preview the video and review this guide and accompanying Blackline Master activities in order to familiarize yourself with their content. As you review the materials presented in this guide, you may find it necessary to make changes, additions, or deletions to meet the specific needs of your class. We encourage you to do so, for only by tailoring this program 4

9 to your students will they obtain the maximum instructional benefits afforded by the materials. We also suggest that the video viewing take place before the entire group under your supervision. The lesson activities grow out of the context of the video; therefore, the presentation should be a common experience for all students. To gauge student level of understanding of tornadoes, you may use any of several of the Blackline Masters as both pre-test and post-test. Those most appropriate would be Blackline Master 1, Video Quiz, Blackline Master 3, Discussion Questions, and Blackline Master 7, Tornado Quiz. STUDENT PREPARATION In the days prior to undertaking this program, encourage students to watch the weather forecast on television. Ask them to make notes of any references to tornadoes such as where they happen, when they happen, and what they do. If you have tornadoes where you are, have the students relate what they have experienced, if anything. Blackline Master 2, Tornado Vocabulary Word Search is a good way to familiarize students with terms they will hear inthe video. STUDENT OBJECTIVES After viewing the program and participating in the followup activities, students should be able to... List areas that are safe from tornadoes. Describe where and when tornadoes are most likely to happen. Identify the hazards of tornadoes. Describe the process that forms tornadoes. Demonstrate the spiral wind flow associated with tornadoes. Discuss the characteristics of tornadoes. 5

10 Identify sources of warning information on tornado formation. Rank tornadoes using the Fujita Scale. INTRODUCING THE PROGRAM Any of the Blackline Master experiments (numbers 8 through 10) may be used to introduce the topic of rising and spinning air. Perform one experiment in front of the class to pique curiosity and bring about discussion of how it relates to weather. You may also choose to have any one of these experiments undertaken by the class, in small groups. Present the video. Weather Smart: Tornadoes runs 15 minutes. A Video Quiz corresponding to B l a c k l i n e Master 1 is at the conclusion of the program. You may choose to pause the video for a longer period between questions to allow more time for answers or for discussion. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS As printed on Blackline Master 3, the answers are found in the Answer Key beginning on page Where do tornadoes come from? 2. How many tornadoes happen in the United States every year? 3. What is the worst kind of damage that tornadoes can cause? 4. What time of the day would you expect to find the most tornadoes? 5. What season brings the most tornadoes? 6. Where are safe places to be when a tornado is near? 7. In what different ways can we measure tornadoes? 8. How long do you think most tornadoes last? 9. Is there anything good that tornadoes do? 10. What are some ways that you can know a tornado is coming? 6

11 BLACKLINE MASTER ACTIVITIES 1. Video Quiz may be used as a pre-test and post-test. The actual quiz is at the conclusion of the program. 2. Tornado Vocabulary Word Search is a fun way to familiarize students with the words associated with tornadoes. You might have students work in groups to find some of the more-hidden words. 3. Discussion Questions may be administered at any time or given as a take-home assignment. 4. Circle All the Safe Places shows kids that there are almost always safe locations when a tornado is near. It also will arouse discussion on myths. In rare extreme cases, the only safe place is far away. 5. What Months Have the Most Tornadoes? gives students the opportunity to create a simple bar graph to see numbers in relation to each other. It requires some interpolation (reading between the lines). As an overview, it makes it clear when tornadoes are most likely. 6. Fujita Scale shows how tornadoes are ranked. It can be used for any tornado that has already occurred. The pie chart clearly shows that the most powerful tornadoes are rare. 7. Tornado Quiz is another option for assessment of students learning. It may be used as a pre-test or posttest or homework assignment. 8. Warm Air Rises is a simple experiment showing that warm air is lighter than cool air, and it rises. 9. Tornado Down the Drain illustrates how spinning motions develop from motion that seems to be in a straight line in our environment. 10. Twister in a Jar simulates the spinning motion of a tornado. 11. Tornado Safety Facts gives solid safety information and debunks myths about tornadoes. 12. Internet Sites lists a handful of tornado websites to keep the students interested in tornadoes beyond the classroom. 7

12 EXTENDED LEARNING ACTIVITIES Contact local agencies that deal with preparation for tornadoes or their aftermath. Your class may be allowed to visit them to gain a local perspective on tornadoes. You might also assign students to contact and arrange a visit or interview. Meteorologists who work at a nearby National Weather Service office, or on TV, or at a university can provide a lot of information. Architects and construction companies can illustrate and explain how buildings are designed to handle high wind. Your local emergency management agency can describe all the events that take place when a tornado occurs. The local Red Cross chapter can assist in providing materials on disaster recovery and explain their role in the process. Firefighters, paramedics, and doctors can provide input on first aid and what happens when people fail to seek the proper shelter. A local historian may be able to describe past tornadoes and how they affected your community. Have students research in the library or local newspaper for past tornado events. 1. Video Quiz ANSWER KEY 1. false 2. false 3. false 4. true 5. true 6. true 7. false 8. false 9. false 10. true 8

13 2. Tornado Vocabulary Word Search 3. Discussion Questions 1. Tornadoes come from severe (powerful) thunderstorms. 2. In the U.S. each year, around 1000 tornadoes are recorded. It's possible that many more occur but go undetected. 3. The most powerful tornadoes can lift any vehicle and toss it, and wipe a strong home off the foundation to demolish it. 4. Tornadoes are most numerous in late afternoon and early evening when the air is warm and thunderstorms are most likely. 5. Spring or summer are the seasons with the most tornadoes. In the southern portions of the United States, late spring is the active tornado season while in the Midwest and northern states, early summer is more active. 6. The safest place from a tornado is underground. Other safe places are in small rooms of a solid building, without windows, on the lowest floor. Common shelters are interior closets and bathrooms, and under stairwells. 7. Tornadoes can be measured by how long they last, how fast they move, how wide they are, how strong their wind is, how many lives they take, or by how much damage they cause. 8. Most tornadoes last fewer than 10 minutes. 9

14 9. We don't see anything good that tornadoes do but they do aid thunderstorms in releasing large amounts of energy that might otherwise go into the formation of lightning, or flooding. One might argue that tornadoes help the ecosystem by destroying weak trees and plants, allowing stronger ones to take their place. 10. The best way to know if tornadoes are coming is to keep up with the weather forecast and have a NOAA weather radio with a built-in alarm, and battery backup. Pager and cellular phone services can transmit tornado warning information, too. On the Internet, you can subscribe to services that provide via tornado warnings. Many TV and radio stations interrupt programs to broadcast tornado warnings. By the time you can see, hear, or sense a tornado, you are too close to danger. 4. Circle All the Safe Places cellar under a strong desk underground in a dry bathtub (as long as it does not have glass sliding doors) under strong stairs in a closet in a hallway inside a brick house 5. What Months Have the Most Tornadoes? May and June have the most tornadoes. 6. Fujita Scale The Fujita Scale was designed for use only as a damage scale. From the damage, the wind speed of the tornado is estimated. The shortcoming of it is that if a powerful tornado occurs in an open field, then it does no damage and cannot be ranked. There is no way to know by looking at a tornado what the winds are. Doppler radar can estimate winds but those are the winds in the thunderstorm above the ground, not in the funnel. 10

15 7. Tornado Quiz 1. smaller 6. shorter 2. afternoon 7. head 3. close 8. inside 4. bad 9. minutes spring 8. Warm Air Rises Warm air from the lightbulb rises into the bag. Since warm air is lighter (less dense) than cool air, the bag rises like a hot air balloon, causing the balance to tip toward the cooler bag. This tells us that warm air not only rises but it can do work in lifting things. 9. Tornado Down the Drain The water will make a spiral pattern as it drains. This mimics the rotation that we see in tornadoes (although, in tornadoes, the air is going up). 10. Twister in a Jar In the jar, we see the shape of a funnel. Internet Activities National Severe Storms Laboratory VORTEX Project VORTEX helps students understand facts about tornadoes and shows how the scientific method is used. Owlie Skywarn Owlie Skywarn teaches safety from tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, flash floods, and other dangerous weather. 11

16 Federal Emergency Management Agency kids section on tornadoes See lots of fun and interesting information for kids on tornadoes and storm safety. National Severe Storms Laboratory tornado page This website has a great "Frequently Asked Questions" area along with links to other weather websites. National Weather Service kids links Find weather links for thunderstorms, lightning, and all different kinds of weather. As Internet addresses can change, you may have to use a search engine to find the title of the page or website that you are seeking. You may also have luck by going to the host website URL. For example, if you are looking for and you get a message that the page is no longer available, then try and look or search for weather and then cloud or something that sounds similar. REFERENCE MATERIALS The Tornado Project Online Find a wealth of tornado information, statistics and references. National Weather Service Guide to a Severe Weather Plan in Schools Is your school really prepared for weather disasters? American Red Cross keep safe program Read more useful information on weather safety. 12

17 National Weather Service printed downloadable materials Make copies of various weather publications by downloading Adobe Acrobat and printing the many available publications. National Severe Storms Laboratory resources Weather software, audiovisual, and data sources. Further your class tornado studies with "Severe Weather Safety: Watch for the Warning," also distributed by United Learning. Comments, suggestions, or questions regarding this Weather Smart program should be addressed to the producer, Alan Sealls BIBLIOGRAPHY Statistical data and portions of Tornado Facts come from the National Severe Storms Laboratory ( and from the Storm Prediction Center ( SCRIPT OF PROGRAM NARRATION They stretch down from the clouds, dark and spinning, sometimes they hurt people and damage houses, they are found in different parts of the world but mostly in the United States, these violent tubes of spinning air are called tornadoes. Tornadoes are exciting to look at, but they can be dangerous. They are not very large, but the winds can be stronger than winds in a hurricane. They don't last very long and most tornadoes don't hurt people, but some of them can lift cars and buses and even destroy a house. The good news about tornadoes is that you can usually know when they might happen, so that you can get to a tornado shelter or other safe place, and not get hurt. 13

18 A tornado is just a tube of fast spinning air that blows things around and pick things up. Tornadoes come from powerful thunderstorms called severe thunderstorms. Only a few thunderstorms grow strong enough to make tornadoes. Since thunderstorms need heat and moisture to grow, most tornadoes happen in the spring and summer. Sometimes we see spinning air when the wind blows, but it's not a tornado. In the fall, you can watch leaves swirling around in a circle. In the summer, you might see dust spinning in a field. Meteorologists call these dust devils. Dust devils help us a little to understand tornadoes. There's a lot we don't know about tornadoes because they are too dangerous to get close to and measure. All wind is invisible. You can't see it unless it makes something move like a flag, or leaves. Sometimes the wind is stronger higher in the air than it is near the ground. When that happens, the faster wind moving over the slower wind is called wind shear. Wind shear makes air roll along the ground. If this tube of rolling air is near a growing thunderstorm, the rising air of the thunderstorm can lift it and stand it up while the tube of air keeps spinning. The thunderstorm grows and stretches the tube to make it taller. As the spinning tube in the thunderstorm stretches, it pulls in air from around it and spins faster. You might notice this when you are skating and spinning, When you pull your arms in, you spin faster. You can also see this when you spin a ball around you on a string. When the ball gets closer to your arm it spins faster. This is what happens inside the thundercloud. We don't see it but we can see parts of the cloud stretching down around the spinning air. When these clouds start to spin in the air, they are called funnel clouds. If the funnel cloud moves down to the ground, it is a tornado. Other names for tornadoes are twister, cyclone, whirlwind, or vortex. All of these come from severe thunderstorms. 14

19 Sometimes thunderstorm clouds take on strange shapes that might fool you. A low dark cloud hanging from a thundercloud is not a tornado if it is not spinning. When powerful thunderstorms make tornadoes, they can also make big hailstones. Large hail tells you that you should go inside to a safe place because the thunderstorm is severe and a tornado is possible. Sometimes people confuse tornadoes with hurricanes because both of them are spinning storms. They spin the way you can make water spin when it drains from a bottle, or in a kitchen sink. Tornadoes are much smaller than hurricanes. Hurricanes are huge storms that form over the ocean and last for a few days. Most tornadoes are very small and they don't last long at all. That's good, because their winds can be stronger than the winds in a hurricane. In the United States every year, about 1000 tornadoes touch down. They usually are smaller than a football field. Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes and they don't cause a lot of damage. Most tornadoes happen in the warmest part of the day, in the afternoon or evening. That's when thunderstorms can grow very large. Some twisters happen at night. Tornadoes can be different colors. Many are gray. If they are over a field, they pick up soil and become brown. At night they are very hard to see, and even in the day you might not see one because it is hidden by clouds, rain, trees, or buildings. Tornadoes can move in any direction, around 30 miles per hour, or 50 kilometers per hour, that's about as fast as a car moving down the street. Tornadoes stay attached to the thunderstorm that started them so if the thunderstorm gets bigger and stronger then the tornado does too. If the thunderstorm is moving fast, then the tornado can move at over 50 miles per hour, or 80 kilometers per hour. 15

20 There are some tornadoes that can be a mile, or a kilometer and a half, wide and last for an hour. These monster twisters can have winds over 200 miles per hour, or 320 kilometers per hour. Big tornadoes are violent and make loud roaring sounds like a train or airplane. When they get this powerful, they can wipe almost anything out of their way. That's why you need to know tornado safety rules. When tornadoes knock things over and break them apart, many little things fly in the air and make the storm more dangerous. These flying things are called debris and that is what injures people in tornadoes. The number one safety rule for tornadoes is stay low and cover your head. The best way to stay low is to go to a basement, cellar, storm shelter, or safe room underground. If you live in a house without a basement, you will be safer if you go to the first floor of the house. Get away from the windows, and get into a small room in the middle of the house. Closets, bathrooms, and under stairs are usually good spots. Don't stop to open or close windows. Stay away from the outside walls of the house because debris can be blown right through the walls. Always crouch down under something strong and cover your head. People who live and work in tall buildings need to also get away from the windows and move to a hallway or small room in the middle of the building. Even in a medium tornado, debris can fly through the air at over 100 miles per hour, or 160 kilometers per hour, and go through a wall. Some scientists try to help house builders make stronger houses by testing walls with wood shot out of a special canon. Some new houses are built with a small room that has thick walls made of cement. These rooms are called safe rooms because they can protect you from dangerous wind and debris. A mobile home is a bad place to be in during a tornado. Even if the home is tied to the ground, a strong wind can 16

21 knock it over and tear it apart. A wind that might only damage the roof of a regular house might cause a disaster for a mobile home. Tornadoes might seem scary but most tornadoes don't sneak up on people. Plan ahead and you will be ready for them. In the United States, the best thing you can have to warn you of tornadoes is a weather radio. In most places, whenever there is dangerous weather that might cause an emergency you will hear it on the weather radio. You don't even have to leave it on because good weather radios have alarms and they run on batteries, too. On days when there might be severe thunderstorms or tornadoes, meteorologists at the national weather service alert you with a weather watch. A tornado watch means watch the sky because tornadoes might happen. This is when you, and your family or school needs to make plans so that you don't get caught in a dangerous spot by mistake. Tornadoes don't just come out of a clear sky, they take a while to form. Meteorologists watch the weather closely on days when there is a tornado watch. One of the important tools they use to help them is Doppler radar. Doppler radar shows where the rain or hail in a thunderstorm is falling, and it shows what the wind is doing inside of a thunderstorm. The radar helps us know that a tornado is starting before we can see it with our eyes. When this happens, the National Weather Service puts out a tornado warning and that's when you go to a shelter or a safe room. If you have a weather radio, you'll hear an alarm to tell you that a tornado is close. Listen to instructions. Crouch and cover. But don't panic. Make sure you are in a small room or hall where you won't get hit by debris flying in the wind. 17

22 After a tornado passes, we measure how much damage it made and then compare it to the Fujita Scale. The Fujita Scale, or F-Scale, is named after a famous tornado scientist, Ted Fujita. The weakest tornadoes are F-0 and the strongest are F-5. When tornadoes happen over water, there's not much damage to measure. Tornadoes over water are called waterspouts. They are usually not as strong as regular tornadoes but they can turn over boats, and they can move onto land. You should treat waterspouts the way you do regular tornadoes. As long as you have a plan to make yourself safe from tornadoes, you don't have to worry. Most tornadoes do not hurt people or cause a lot of damage, but it always helps if someone in your school or home knows first aid in case somebody gets injured. When bad weather might happen, listen to the forecasts on TV and radio. A weather radio will let you know when severe weather is coming. Watch the sky and be ready to go to shelter. Meteorologists still study tornadoes by trying to chase them and take measurements of how the weather changes around them. Twisters are too dangerous to get close to so we have to use tools and instruments like Doppler radar to know what might be happening inside of the storm. As we learn more about these funnels of spinning air, we'll be able to make better forecasts to keep you safer. Now have some fun and make your own pet tornado in a small plastic jar using water and a little dish soap. All you have to do is swirl it around to make a funnel. It's easy and clean, and it won't hurt you. Be safe from tornadoes after they start. Know where to hide, and stay weather smart. 18

23 Are you ready for a twister quiz? Answer these questions true or false. Number one- Tornadoes only happen in the daytime. Number two- Most tornadoes hurt people. Number three- Tornadoes last for many hours. Number four- The United States has the most tornadoes on Earth. Number five- Tornadoes come from severe thunderstorms. Number six- Some people call tornadoes twisters. Number seven- It's okay to stay outside when a tornado is close. Number eight- Tornadoes can be bigger than a hurricane. Number nine- The F-Scale measures how slow a tornado is. Number ten- Mobile homes are safe during a tornado. 19

24 1 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Video Quiz Name Directions: Answer either true or false. 1. Tornadoes only happen in the daytime. 2. Most tornadoes hurt people. 3. Tornadoes last for many hours. 4. The United States has the most tornadoes on Earth. 5. Tornadoes come from severe thunderstorms. 6. Some people call tornadoes twisters. 7. It's okay to stay outside when a tornado is close. 8. Tornadoes can be bigger than a hurricane. 9. The F-Scale measures how slow a tornado is. 10. Mobile homes are not very safe during a tornado Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

25 2 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Tornado Vocabulary Word Search Name Directions: From the list at the bottom of the page, draw a line through each word that you find. D W W A R N I N G V O R T E X O I D A R R E H T A E W O T H P N R E T S I W T Z F Q S S C P D E E M E R G E N C Y C S T L S V M O O R E F A S S Y H A E H O Y F I R S T A I D C E W R E C T S P I N P R F V L L N R A O E L T E H B O M R O T S A R S F I M L E N N U F N E S D L J A E Z D I S A S T E R O A F - S C A L E R E V E S J Z R R A L L E C R O U C H Y Q B S B H C U N A M Y D B V M Q I Words are forward, backward, or diagonal. basement cellar cover crouch cyclone debris disaster doppler radar emergency F-Scale first aid funnel safe room safety severe shelter spin storm twister vortex warning watch waterspout weather radio wind shear 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

26 3 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Name Discussion Questions Directions: Answer the following questions as directed by your teacher. 1. Where do tornadoes come from? 2. How many tornadoes happen in the United States every year? 3. What is the worst kind of damage that tornadoes can cause? 4. What time of the day would you expect to find the most tornadoes? 5. What season brings the most tornadoes? 6. Where are safe places to be when a tornado is near? 7. In what different ways can we measure tornadoes? 8. How long do you think most tornadoes last? 9. Is there anything good that tornadoes do? 10. What are some ways that you can know a tornado is coming? 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

27 4 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Circle All the Safe Places Name Directions: Circle all the safe slaces that you can use for tornado shelters. swimming pool under a tent soccer field in a cellar under a strong desk next to a window in a mobile home riding a bike underground in a dry bathtub on a boat in a large room under strong stairs in a closet in the attic at a picnic in a hallway inside a brick house in a garage on a deck 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

28 5 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Name What Months Have the Most Tornadoes? Directions: For each month, make a bar that shows how many tornadoes happen in the United States. January 25 July 120 February 25 August 75 March 65 September 45 April 115 October 40 May 225 November 40 June 220 December Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

29 6 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Fujita Scale Name The Fujita Tornado Scale ranks tornadoes by how much damage they cause. It is also called the F-Scale Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

30 7 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Tornado Quiz Name Directions: Circle the word that makes the sentence correct. 1. Tornadoes are bigger / smaller than hurricanes. 2. Most tornadoes happen in the late morning / afternoon. 3. A tornado warning means that a tornado is close / not dangerous. 4. During a tornado, a mobile home is a good / bad place for shelter. 5. The strongest tornadoes have winds over 50 / 100 / 200 miles per hour. 6. Tornadoes last longer / shorter than hurricanes. 7. In a tornado shelter, you should duck down and cover your toys / head. 8. If you think you see a tornado, you should tell an adult, and go inside / outside. 9. Tornadoes stay on the ground for a few minutes / hours / days. 10. Most tornadoes happen in fall / winter / spring Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

31 8 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Name Warm Air Rises You need: a table lamp without a shade a long measuring stick two paper lunch bags string tape Open both bags and let them stand upside down. Cut about a foot of string and tape it to the bottom of the bags on two sides so that you can hang them upside down. Use another peice of string to hang your stick over a table. Hang both bags on the ends of the stick so that the stick stays level. Put the lamp a few inches underneath one of the bags so that it is not touching and then turn it on. What happens? What does this tell us about air and heat? 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

32 9 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Tornado Down the Drain Name You need: A sink filled with water Fill the sink with water. Let the water drain all at once and watch what happens. What pattern does the water make? How is this like a tornado? 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

33 10 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Name Twister in a Jar You need: a small plastic container with a top dish soap water Fill the container halfway with water. Add a few drops of dish soap and then put the top on. Swirl the container around and around. What happens? What shape do you see in the water? 2001 Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

34 11 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Tornado Safety Facts Name About 1,000 tornadoes happen every year in the United States. Opening windows when a tornado is approaching does not help the building. It puts you in more danger. Mobile homes don't attract tornadoes, but they are more damaged by tornadoes than regular homes are. There might be such a thing as an F-6 tornado. Meteorologists think it can happen, but no one has ever measured a tornado that strong yet. While most tornadoes don't hurt people, in 1925, a tornado killed nearly 700 people. It lasted more than three hours as it moved over 200 miles, or 320 kilometers, across three states. Big tornadoes are not always stronger than smaller tornadoes. Not all tornadoes make loud roaring noises. Some are very quiet. It's not safe to hide under a bridge when a tornado is near because wind can blow debris up under the bridge and because cars parked on the road can block other people from getting to a safe place. Tornadoes can cross rivers and valleys. A few tornadoes spin in the opposite way. Meteorologists don't know why Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.

35 12 Weather Smart: Tornadoes Name Internet Sites for Tornadoes National Severe Storms Laboratory VORTEX Project VORTEX helps you understand facts about tornadoes and shows how the scientific method is used. Owlie Skywarn Owlie Skywarn helps you learn more about tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, flash floods, and other dangerous weather. Federal Emergency Management Agency kids section on tornadoes See lots of fun and interesting information on tornadoes and storm safety. National Severe Storms Laboratory tornado page This website has a great "Frequently Asked Questions" area along with links to other weather websites. National Weather Service kids links Find weather links for thunderstorms, lightning, and all different kinds of weather. Sometimes the address for a website changes. When that happens, you can usually find it again by doing an Internet search for the title of the page Alan Sealls Published and Distributed by United Learning All rights to print materials cleared for classroom duplication and distribution.