Teaching Tornadoes (or Other Extreme Weather Events)

[Kim Lightle]

Just got this great post from The Why Files  - Tornado Prediction - and thought I would start a discussion about extreme weather. What have students been asking about this rash of twisters? Any exemplary weather-related lessons or activities you do with students? Readings? We are heading into hurricane season. Any great ideas on teaching this topic?

[Karolee Smiley]

We are even getting tornadoes in northern California, a rare occurrence.  Unfortunately, weather is not a part of my state standards, so I do not have many resources.  I am pulling out my old JASON curriculum - Monster Storms, which does cover tornadoes and hurricanes. 

What I have always liked about JASON is the connection to real scientists.  This provides some new examples of careers as well as covering science content with hands-on activities.  It has an online component. It is gated, but free.

[Richard Varner]

NASA works with NOAA and many researchers to study these extreme weather events from space.  The educational materials are a little dated; however, the data from new satellites and computer models is amazing when put into animations.

Here is a site that lists some of the small educational videos online:  http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbyty...

For hurricane animations and videos from the Goddard Science Visualizations Studios:  http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/search/Keyword/Hurricane.html

For Tornado videos from SVS:

http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/search/Keyword/Tornados.html

 

Hope these are helpful.

 

Rick