Read Works
Read Works: Weather: Air Patterns
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about wind patterns and how they relate to clouds, storms, and lightning. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: When Lightning Strikes
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read lightning: what causes it, when it is seen, and how to stay safe during a lightning storm. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in author's purpose.
Read Works
Read Works: When Lightning Strikes
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about lightning and how to stay safe when it strikes. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Lightning and Fire
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the positive and negative effects of fire caused by lightning. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Don't Ride the Lightning
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about a teen who was struck by lightning while listening to an MP3 player. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Looking at Lightning
An introduction to the science behind lightning, its causes, and effects. If you follow links, there are also pages on the medical risks associated with getting struck by lightning.
Dan Satterfield
Wild Weather: Dan's Wild Wild Weather Page
A site to find out anything you want to know about weather, including clouds, tornadoes, satellites, radar, wind, climate, and more. Suitable for all ages. Also includes games, quizzes, and teacher resources.
Other
Lightning Protection Institute
This page was designed for your safety. It will give you a better understanding of lightning and how you can keep yourself safe.
Science Struck
Science Struck: A Complete List of Natural Disasters
Explains what a natural disaster is and provides a list of every type along with a short description of each.
Other
K 3 Learning Pages: Web Resources Thunderstorms
Check out this comprehensive list of web resources on thunderstorms and safety. Students and teachers will benefit from the links found on this site.
Physics Classroom
The Physics Classroom: Lightning
In this interactive tutorial students will explore what is the cause and mechanism associated with lightning strikes, They will investiage how lightning rods serve to protect buildings from the devastating effects of a lightning strikes....
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Third Grade Science: Physical Science: Static Electricity
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses electric charge and electric force, and identifies ways that electric charge is transferred.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Fourth Grade Science: Physical Science: Static Electric Charge
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Discusses electric charge and electric force, and identifies ways that electric charge is transferred.
Other
First Energy: The Electric Avenue: Energy Fun Factory
Here, students can learn all about energy sources and electricity. Activities include games and calculating energy costs in their homes.
Library of Congress
Loc: Everyday Mysteries: What Causes the Sound of Thunder
Detailed description of the scientific cause of thunder.
Weather Wiz Kids
Weather Wiz Kids: Thunderstorms
From thunder and lightning to watches and warnings, this comprehensive website provides detailed information about thunderstorms. You can even perform your own experiments!
Weather Wiz Kids
Weather Wiz Kids: Lightning
Discover everything there is to know about lightning using this site. Find out what causes lightning, how far away lightning is, how to make lightning yourself, and much more.
Other
Pocantico Hills School: Benjamin Franklin: A Man of Many Talents
This student-created project site looks at the life of Benjamin Franklin and his experiments with lightning. Includes a timeline, a glossary, a printable quiz, and many illustrations.
Other
Fayette County Schools: Frankenstein & Electric Safety
Site contains a science-based literacy activity that explains how to use electricity in a safe manner. A worksheet is provided.
University of Arizona
The Arizona Monsoon
This site explains the monsoon pattern that affects Arizona. It explains the cause of a monsoon and lists some of the monsoon data gathered since 1896. It also has some safety information related to lightning.
Other
Lehigh University: Weather Factoids
How many times does lightning strike the Empire State Building? What state is know as the lightning capital of the U.S.? What time of day do tornadoes usually occur? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this enlightening...
Ducksters
Ducksters: Physics for Kids: Electricity in Nature
Kids learn about electricity in nature the science of physics including lightning, animals, the human body, the Earth, and static electricity.
NASA
Nasa: Image Science Center: Ask the Space Scientist Earth
Site from NASA contains a collection of 91 questions pertaining to the Earth's atmosphere, magnetic field, ionosphere, rotation and origin of life.
The Franklin Institute
Franklin Institute Online: Electrified Ben
This site from the Franklin Institute Online provides a somewhat simplistic but interesting tale of Ben's electrical activities. Fine link to "electricity bells", in Franklin's own words. Some other links to projects, maybe not so...