Tornadoes LITERATURE FOCUS UNIT KATRINA JOHNSON EDU 315

Transcription

1 Tornadoes LITERATURE FOCUS UNIT KATRINA JOHNSON EDU 315

2 Literature Selection Tornado by Betsy Byars Magic Tree House Fact Tracker #8: Twisters and Other Terrible Storms: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #23: Twister on Tuesday by W. Osborne and M. Osborne I ll Know What to Do: A Kid s Guide to Natural Disasters by B. Mark and A. Layton Hurricane & Tornado (DK Eyewitness Books) by Jack Challoner Kingfisher Knowledge: Natural Disasters: Hurricanes, Tsunamis & Other Destructive Forces by Andrew Langley The Dove by Dianne Stewart Big Flood, The by Wendy Pfeffer Ready, Set WAIT!: What Animals Do Before a Hurricane by Patti R. Zelch Do Tornadoes Really Twist? (Scholastic Q & A) by Melvin Berger

3 Theme Study Students will take part in a thematic unit on tornadoes. This unit will integrate reading and writing with social studies, science, mathematics, art, music, and physical education. Students will develop an understanding of the types of tornadoes, survival, weather words, elements, and the effects on humans and the landscape.

4 Language Arts: Reading Activities Students will read various fiction and non-fiction books and poetry about tornadoes through silent reading, partner reading, guided reading, reading aloud, and reader s theatre. Teacher will read aloud Tornado by Betsy Byars. Students will read their tornado stories and poems to the class

5 Language Arts: Writing Activities Students will write entries in a journal as they read Tornado by Betsy Byars. Students will write a fictional/nonfictional story about a tornado. Students will write a tornado poem. Students will add words to the tornado wall. Have each group member use what he or she has learned from the research to design and draw a tornado-proof building. Each student should write a paragraph describing his or her building and explaining the tornado-proof features.

6 Language Arts: Speaking Activities Students will join in a grand conversation on what they like/dislike about tornadoes. Students will join in peer conferences of the poetry they create and journals they write. Students will add a word of the day to the tornado word wall. The students will use the author s chair to read their stories and poems aloud.

7 Language Arts: Listening Activities Students will listen as the teacher discusses tornadoes. Students will listen respectfully to their peers as they share their word of the day, poems, and journal entries. Students will listen to their peers opinions during grand conversations.

8 Language Arts: Viewing Activities Students outline maps of the United States showing tornado alley. Students will view photographs of tornadoes (see technology). Students will view video clips of tornadoes. Students will watch tornado clips on National Geographic. Students will view Tornado inspired artwork created by their peers.

9 Language Arts: Visually Representing Activities Students will create a Tornado Word Wall Students will come up with a word of the day for the Tornado Word Wall Students will view tornado simulations Students will display their poems in an artistic presentation.

10 Science Activities Students will simulate a tornado by creating a tornado in a bottle. Students will learn the different types of tornadoes How tornados form (supercell, landspout, gustnado, water spout, dust devils, and firewhirls) Students will learn watches and warnings for tornadoes. Students will learn what to do during a tornado (stay away from windows, go to lowest level in house, if outside lay in the ditch etc ) What s the perfect weather for a tornado? Research why tornados happen in some places but not other areas. Watch weather forecasts.

11 Mathematics Activities Students will learn about the Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale. Students will calculate economic loss to a community. Students will be able to identify types of tornadoes using the Fujita Tornado Intensity Scale. Students will calculate the distance a tornado travels and their different sizes. Students will make a graph how many tornadoes have occurred in different states. Discussion with a brief brainstorming session with the class about how engineers and architects could create and test designs for tornado-proof buildings. Take a poll of how many students have seen a tornado and graph the results.

12 Social Studies Activities Students will research some historical tornadoes that have happened in North America. Students will use a map to locate tornado alley. Students will color in tornado a on a map. Students will then color in their blank maps using one color for the cool air and another for the warm air. They will use a third color for Tornado Alley, which is the area in between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. Students will compare different types of tornadoes on a Venn diagram. Research tornados in ND. How severe/intense? Students will analyze the toll on humans and their homes and businesses. Have a local weather man come in.

13 Music and Art Activities Students will create an art project called Twisters in the Sky Students will experiment by creating a tornado in a bottle Students will draw tornado landscapes. Students will create tornado sounds such as wind and use music to accompany a tornado video.

14 Physical Education Activities Students will go on a nature walk to observe weather patterns. Students will demonstrate safety precautions to possibly survive a tornado. Design a safe home that will endure a strong tornado. Play spelling basketball with the words from the tornado wall Practice words playing Kung Fu spelling

15 Technology weather_encyclopedia/tornadoes/historical_tornadoes/ Digital photography feature=player_embedded&v=6du7rw2kv7u# Have students use the materials you have provided in addition to the Internet to research work that has been done to design buildings that are tornado proof. Watch clips of tornadoes on National Geographic

16 Language Arts Strategies Activating background knowledge: students will think what they already know about tornadoes. Brainstorming: students will think of many ideas related to tornadoes through writing activities Playing with Language: Students will use language creatively through stories, poems, and journals. Revising: Students will make changes to written activities

17 Language Arts Skills Print: Students will recognize words on the Tornado Word Wall and apply spelling rules. Comprehension: Students will recognize literary genres of fiction, non-fictions, and poetry. Language: Students will apply various skills in their writing activities Reference: Students will make graphs and take notes.

18 Grouping Patterns Large Group: grand conversations, nature walk, viewing videos/photos, outdoor game activities, word wall, art projects, watching newscast, spelling activities. Small Group: peer conferencing, small group discussions, creation of storm sounds, math graph, read alouds. Individual: poems, writing stories, journal entries, brainstorming, research for tornado proof buildings, making graphs and Venn diagrams, tornado maps.

19 Assessment Journal entries: Rubric Thoughts written everyday Participation in grand conversations Actively participating in peer conferences Active participation in physical education and music performances Informal observation of author s chair small group science experiments Spelling test with words form the Tornado wall Portfolio of artwork: poetry Math graphs and social studies maps: checklist writing traits stories, poetry, numerical score Non fiction report checklist Science journal experiment reports checklist Math graphs, Social Studies Venn diagram checklist/ rubric

20 Morning Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Language Arts *Read aloud: Tornado *Students start their reading journals *Students will continuously add words to the tornado wall *start brainstorming for fiction/nonfiction story *work on tornado concrete poems *watch video clips on National Geographic *research tornadoproof building designs *write a paragraph of tornado-proof building *spelling test *read aloud tornado poem Art/Music *view photographs of tornadoes *create art project called Twister in the Sky *create tornado sounds such as wind and use music to accompany music *students will draw tornado landscapes *experiment by creating a tornado in a bottle P.E. *students will go nature walk to observe weather *demonstrate safety precautions *design a safe home *play spelling basketball *play Kung Fu spelling Afternoon Math *introduce the Fujjta intensity scale *calculate distance a tornado travels *calculate economic loss from tornadoes *graph tornado results *make a graph how many tornadoes have occurred in different states Science *teacher provides information on different types of tornadoes *create tornado in a bottle *go over tornado signals *research why tornadoes happen *watch weather forecasts Social Studies *research tornadoes in North Dakota *use a map to locate tornado alley *compare different tornadoes in a Venn Diagram *have local weather man come in *students will color in their tornado alley map