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Unit Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Natural Disasters

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students are introduced to our planet's structure and its dynamic system of natural forces through an examination of the natural hazards of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis, floods and tornados, as well as avalanches, fires,...
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Lesson Plan
Children's Museum

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Weather: Twirly Whirly Tornado

For Teachers K - 1st
In this lesson, students will witness the creation of a funnel, observe how a funnel moves debris, and learn how a thunderstorm can create tornados.
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Website
Other

Hong Kong Observatory: Meteorology

For Students 9th - 10th
A useful page from the Hong Kong Observatory offering introduction to weather and weather phenomenon. Learn about thunderstorms, tides, monsoon season, weather radar, and weather in space. Not a slick site but informative. Most...
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Activity
NOAA

Noaa: Owlie Skywarns Weather Book [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
Download and print this free activity book about hurricanes, tornadoes, lightening, floods and winter storms. A quiz section is also included.
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Website
The Field Museum

Field Museum: Exhibits: Nature Unleashed: Inside Natural Disasters

For Students 9th - 10th
Discover the true powers of Mother Nature through this vivid collection of research which delves into the causes of natural disasters and the impacts on those affected.
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Handout
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: How Tornadoes Form

For Students 4th - 8th
Only about one thunderstorm in a thousand produces tornadoes. Learn how tornadoes form.
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Most Lightning Struck Place on Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
Lake Maracaibo is the stormiest place on the planet. Thunderstorms rage above this massive body of water for up to 200 days of the year, with each ear-splitting event lasting for several hours. Graeme Anderson lists the factors that...
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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Tornadoes Form?

For Students 9th - 10th
Meteorologist James Spann sheds light on the lifespan of tornadoes as they go from supercell thunderstorms to terrible twisters before eventually dissolving back into thin air. [4:11]
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Website
Other

Kidstorm: Lightning

For Students 3rd - 8th
Learn about lightning formation and lightning safety with this detailed webpage.
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Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: Different Types of Storms

For Students 4th - 6th
Provides descriptions of a variety of storm types including wintry ones, ones with no precipitation, and very destructive ones. Discusses weather conditions that lead to these storms, precautions one can take, public alerts, etc.
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Website
Curated OER

Weather Dude: Thunder and Lightning

For Students 9th - 10th
Weather site highlights the severe weather occurrences of thunder and lightning. Click on the link to hear a music clip.
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 3

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. Utilizing time-lapse photography, this image captures numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes during a nighttime thunderstorm...
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 6

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. This photograph captures several lightning strikes during an early evening thunderstorm.
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 2

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. Utilizing time-lapse photography, this photograph captures multiple cloud-to-ground lightning strokes during a nighttime...
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 4

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. Using time-lapse photography, this image captures numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strokes during a nighttime thunderstorm in...
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 5

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. Originally appearing in National Geographic Magazine, this photograph captures a lightning strike above Norman, Oklahoma.
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Lesson Plan
Other

American Red Cross: Masters of Disaster: Grades 6 8

For Teachers 6th - 8th
This resource presents many science lessons with related activities for students in grades 6-8. Content addresses tools for coping with disasters such as tornadoes, fires, lightning, floods and general preparedness.
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Graphic
NOAA

Noaa: Photo Library: Lightning Photo 1

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides a photo library of severe weather formations. This photograph is of several strokes of lightning striking during a nighttime thunderstorm.
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Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Tornado!

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students learn about tornadoes - their basic characteristics, damage and occurrences. Students are introduced to the ways that engineers consider strong winds, specifically tornadoes, in their design of structures. Also, students learn...
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Handout
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: Tornadoes O Logy Card

For Students 3rd - 8th
Flip this interactive card to start learning about tornadoes, nature's most powerful storms. Answer multiple-choice and fact-or-fiction questions and review some fast facts about tornadoes.
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Unit Plan
Other

Kean: Weather Systems [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
No scientific phenomena concern us as much as the daily evolution of weather systems. We live in a culture where weather, the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place,helps us define regional cultural variations. States such as...
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Handout
Science4Fun

Science4 Fun: Tornado

For Students K - 1st
Explore how tornadoes are formed, learn about the parmeters of a tornado, discover the different types, and find out where they occur.