Storms And Storm Safety

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2 Storms And Storm Safety For starters, draw a line from each label to the picture it best describes: hurricane blizzard Lightning storm tornado Wind storm Share your answers with the whole class. Write each of the storm names on the board and survey the class to see how many students have experienced each one. Special thanks for fonts and weather clipart!

3 Before we begin learning about storms, let s talk about what you like and don t like about the weather! Name these four seasons: Which season do you like the best? What are 3 things you like to do in the (the season you like the best) Which season do you like the least? What are 3 things you don t like about it? Make a graph showing how many students in your class like each of the seasons What s the weather like today? Use the weather words below to describe the weather at your home today: Windy cloudy sunny rainy warm cold beautiful terrible hot freezing Winter Spring Summer Fall

4 On your own or together with a friend, read about thunderstorms. When you have finished, answer the questions. Share your answers with the whole class! Thunderstorms Thunderstorms usually happen in the spring and summer months. They usually happen in the afternoon or evening. They are caused by moisture in the air that forms into clouds and rain. Thunderstorms can be very dangerous because they may contain lightning strikes, hail, and dangerous winds. Any one of these can be damaging to people and to property. If you are in a storm and can hear thunder, you know there is lightning. Lightning forms because the air is charged with electricity. The sound we hear with lightning is called thunder. Even though it may sound scary, there is no danger in thunder itself, but lightning is very dangerous! The safest place to be when you hear thunder or see lightning is inside your house or car. Thunderstorms sometimes produce hail. Hail is formed when rain freezes into ice. Hail can be as large as a baseball! When hail falls to the ground it may cause damage to cars, roofs, and windows. Winds are also dangerous during a thunderstorm. Winds are caused by the movement of cold and warm air. Winds during a thunderstorm are usually between 30 to 50 miles per hour but may be as strong as 100 miles per hour! Think of it this way: the fastest speed you can go in your car on a highway or freeway is 75 miles per hour. 100 miles per hour is really fast.

5 Questions about Thunderstorms 1. During which seasons do most thunderstorms occur? 2. During what time of the day do most thunderstorms occur? 3. What are three ways in which thunderstorms can be damaging? Where should you go for safety in a thunderstorm? 5. Think about it: is thunder dangerous? Why or why not? 6. What kind of damage can be caused by hail? 7. What kind of damage can be caused by wind? 8. Think about it: is it possible to have a thunderstorm that does NOT cause any damages? Do you remember a thunderstorm that was not very strong? Do you remember a thunderstorm that was VERY strong and dangerous? Share your stories with the whole class. Everyone will remember something interesting to tell about a thunderstorm!

6 TORNADO Tornadoes are usually formed from thunderstorms. Winds that become very strong because of the mixing of warm and cool air may begin spinning and rising. The winds form into a funnel shape. Tornado winds may be as fast as 300 miles per hour! The winds can destroy buildings and pick up trees or cars. The winds are so loud they may sound like a train is coming. Does every tornado cause terrible damage? No, but it s important for you to know what to do to keep yourself safe just in case. There are many safety rules to follow if there is danger of a tornado in your area. If you are at home, go to the basement. If there is no basement, you should go to an inside room where there are no windows. If you are in a mobile home or car, get out! Find a ditch or low area and lie flat. Schools practice tornado drills so you will know exactly what to do if there is danger of a tornado during the school day. Your teacher knows where each class goes in the building always away from outside windows. When you get to your safest place you should kneel down and cover your head. We call this duck and cover!

7 True or False Questions about Tornadoes 1. (true or false) Tornadoes usually form from thunderstorms. 2. (true or false) Tornadoes usually aren t very dangerous. 3. (true or false) Tornadoes can destroy buildings. 4. (true or false) You should stay in a car or mobile home if a tornado is coming. 5. (true or false) You should go to a room without windows if a tornado is coming. 6. (true or false) The winds in a tornado may be as strong as 300 miles per hour! 7. (true or false) Duck and Cover is always important to practice in a tornado drill. 8. (true or false) The winds of a tornado may sound like a train! 9. (true or false) If you are at home when a tornado is coming, you and your family know the safest place to go in your house. 10. (true or false) Every tornado causes terrible damage. 11. (true or false) You know the important safety rules about tornadoes and you can teach others!

8 Make a Storm Poster! So far today you ve learned about thunderstorms and tornadoes. Now it s time for you to teach others what you know! On your own or with a friend, you will design a poster. Use the questions below to plan which rules and information to include on your poster. Use the next page to plan your design. I will make a poster about (circle one) thunderstorms tornadoes both The title of my poster will be (Pick one) How to Stay Safe in a Storm Safety Rules for Thunderstorms (or Tornadoes) Why Thunderstorms are Dangerous Why Tornadoes are Dangerous Things You Should Know about Be Safe and Not Sorry! These Rules Can Save Your life I will use my own idea! I will include these facts on my poster: I will include these pictures or drawings on my poster:

9 Plan your Poster on this page. When you've finished, show your teacher and ask for a sheet of white construction paper to display your best work!

10 Hurricanes Hurricanes and tornadoes are both deadly storms. They both have very strong winds. They both may cause terrible destruction. Do you see a hole in the middle of the hurricane picture above? It s called the eye of the storm. There is a center of calm in both a hurricane and a tornado. How are they different? One main difference is that hurricanes only form over really warm ocean water and tornadoes can form over land or water almost anywhere! Another difference is that hurricanes can last for a full week. Tornadoes may last for only a few minutes. If there is danger of a hurricane in your area, your family may be told to evacuate. That means you and your family must drive to a safe area away from the storm. A hurricane may be as wide as 600 miles across with wind speeds as strong as 200 miles per hour. Because it always forms over the ocean and moves towards land, a hurricane may also cause flooding. Hurricanes have names! The World Meteorological Organization is a committee of people who pick names for each hurricane. The names are in alphabetical order. In the year 2013 these names were used: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, and Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, and Melissa.

11 Questions about Hurricanes: 1. What is it like in the eye of a hurricane or tornado? 2. Where are hurricanes formed? 3. How long can a hurricane last? 4. Does a hurricane last longer than a tornado? 5. What are 3 ways tornadoes and hurricanes are the same? Why do you think hurricanes have names? 7. Hurricane names go in ABC order, and girl-boy-girl-boy. On your own or with a friend, make up a list of hurricane names from A to Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

12 Tornadoes and Hurricanes are both similar and different. On your own or with a friend, use the Venn Diagram below to show what things are the same and what things are different between the storms. Write things that are different about the hurricane in the OUTSIDE of the circle underneath its picture. Do the same for the tornado. Then write what makes them the same in the middle hurricane It is different from a tornado because: They are the same because: tornado It is different from a hurricane because: When you have finished, share your ideas with the whole class!

13 Blizzard Blizzards are snow storms with very strong winds. The National Weather Service states that a blizzard must have great amounts of snow and winds of 35 or greater miles per hour. Visability is a word used to describe how far we can see in the distance. In a blizzard, the wind and snow make visibility for drivers (and walkers!) very poor. Although blizzard winds may not be as strong as hurricanes or tornadoes People who live in Northern areas of the United States know how dangerous a blizzard can be. They carry extra hats, scarves, boots, and mittens in their cars. They know to stay in their cars for safety if ever they are stuck in a blizzard. Even when snow stops falling, driving continues to be dangerous with winds that blow snow over roads and highways. Another danger from being in extremely cold or blizzard conditions is frostbite. If there are areas of skin that are unprotected from the cold, the skin will actually become numb or not have any feeling. Winter storms now have names just like hurricanes! The Weather Channel has started to name storms: Atlas, Boreas, Cleon, Dion, Electra, Falco. Hmmm, what do you think will come after that?

14 Questions for Blizzards 1. Is every snowstorm a blizzard? Why? 2. What does visability mean? Why would there be poor visability in a blizzard? 3. Why would driving continue to be dangerous even after the snow stops falling? 4. What is frostbite? 5. Take a minute to draw hats, scarves, jackets, mittens, and boots on these kids so they can go outside in the snowstorm!

15 Storm Watch and Storm Warning Have you heard the weatherman announce that there is a storm watch or there is a storm warning? They might also say tornado watch or tornado warning. There is a difference! A storm WATCH means that weather conditions MAY cause a severe storm, so be careful (keep watching!) A storm WARNING means there is a storm happening right now in your area. Get inside the house or school right now! Color these pictures to show the difference between a Storm Watch and a Storm Warning. STORM WATCH STORM WARNING

16 Look at this data: Make a Rainfall Graph For Storm City! January 3 inches of rain February 6 inches of rain March 5 inches of rain April 43 inches of rain May 30 inches of rain June 20 inches of rain July 16 inches of rain August 7 inches of rain September 13 inches of rain October 12 inches of rain November 8 inches of rain December 4 inches of rain On your own or with a friend, make a graph to show the rainfall. Make each month a different color. Show your proud work to the teacher! 40 inches Storm City Rainfall in inches 30 inches 25 inches 20 inches 15 inches 10 inches 5 inches Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.

17 Math Secret Safety Sentence Each addition and subtraction problem below is next to a letter of the alphabet. Find the correct answer (it has to match exactly!) in one or more of the blanks in the Secret Safety Sentence on the next page. Place the letter in the blank, and read the sentence to your teacher. Solve each problem. Find the answer in the secret sentence. Place the letter for that problem in the blank. (R) (E) (V) (O) (D) (N) (A) (K) (C) (U) (D)

18 Remember to Practice at home and at School for tornado drills or warnings! Draw a picture to show what that looks like!

19 Storm Stories Game Board These are things you wear in a blizzard Play this game with a partner. Take turns reading each question. Find the answer on the next page. Color the bar next to the correct answer. When you have finished coloring each bar, cut out the picture parts and make your own beautiful weather picture. The eye of a storm is in its Duck and cover! This is where Hurricanes are Formed. A blizzard must have these two things. Storms have only boys names. Rain that freezes is called. What is thunder? When do thunderstorms most often happen?

20 After you find the correct answer, color the bar next to it. Cut out each of the shapes and paste or glue to another paper to make your own beautiful weather picture! Afternoon or evening blue center A warm hat, scarf, mittens, jacket and boots! Very strong winds and heavy snow yellow red green false A way to protect yourself if there s a tornado purple pink Over warm ocean waters blue The sound of lightning striking hail red green

21 Storm Safety Rules There are some rules that we must remember in any storm. There are some rules that are important for certain kinds of storms but not all storms. Look at all the important rules listed below and decide which ones are important for each kind of storm. On the next page you will see boxes for Tornado Safety Rules, Thunderstorm Safety Rules, Blizzard Safety Rules, and Hurricane Safety Rules. Fill each box with the rules you have chosen. When you have finished, share your answers with the whole class. Cut out one or more of these important boxes to take home for your family! Safety Rules To Pick From Go inside the house. Duck and cover! Wear warm winter clothes. Stay away from windows. Stay in your car in a blizzard. Practice safety drills. Go to in inside room like a bathroom. Go inside if there is lightning! Get out of your car or mobile home and lie flat in a ditch Listen to the radio or watch TV for information about the storm. Your family may have to evacuate the area and go to a place of safety. My other ideas for safety:

22 Thunderstorm Safety Rules Tornado Safety Rules Hurricane Safety Rules Blizzard Safety Rules

23 Write your own Storm Story! Have you experienced a thunderstorm? A tornado? A hurricane? A blizzard? Have you read a good story or seen a movie about one of these storms? Make up your own story about a storm or write from your own experience. Use the ideas below to help you plan the beginning, middle, and ending of your story. One important rule to follow! Everyone in your story must be safe at the end of the storm. I will write about a: tornado thunderstorm hurricane blizzard (circle one) One day I looked outside and I decided quickly to Finally the storm was over and

24 My Storm Story By

25 PRACTICE WITH Storm Story VOCABULARY WORDS The following 8 words help us describe people who are our heroes. Perhaps these 8 words also describe YOU! tornado hurricane lightning blizzard thunder visibility moisture evacuate Put these 8 words in ABC order on the lines below