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This Tornado in a Bottle activity also includes:
Studying the science of tornadoes? Make a tornado in a bottle to demonstrate how vortexes are formed in tornadoes. The activity should be used as a way to demonstrate what pupils already know about tornadoes.
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Concepts
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Instructional Ideas
- Add glitter or vegetable oil to the bottle for an added look to the tornadoes
- Ask parents to donate clean plastic liter bottles for kids to use
- Tornado Tubes work best rather than wasters and tape. Have class members purchase these outside of class, buy them yourself, or ask parent volunteers to donate some to the class
- Research appropriate videos and pictures of tornadoes that demonstrate the formation of a tornado vortex
Classroom Considerations
- Model how to create a tornado in a bottle as well as how to mimic the vortex motion in the bottle
- The washer and tape method does not avoid messes and spills
- If using food coloring, ensure areas being used are easy to clean up and will not stain
- Works best as a supplemental activity during a weather or hazardous weather unit
Pros
- Hands-on and fun for pupils to discover how tornadoes create vortexes
- Can be done in school or at home
Cons
- The chosen method for attaching the two bottles together is not the most efficient way of making tornadoes in a bottle