TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How Do Tornadoes Form?
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]
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How to Track a Tornado
In this TEDYouth Talk, Kosiba describes how she and her team use observations and modeling to track super storms, while sharing some incredible footage from the field.
Dan Satterfield
Dan's Wild Weather: Tornado Weather
What do you want to know about tornadoes? This site highlights the different aspects of tornadoes. Don't miss out on learning more about these wild storm patterns.
University of Illinois
University of Illinois: Hunt for the Supertwister
Find out how computer generated tornado models are being used to understand the formation of the rare super twisters. You can view a video of the computer model and view the same footage in a slide format which has detailed explanations.
Other
Denver Museum of Nature and Science: Colorado's Forces of Nature
Students examine Colorado's forces of nature. Some topics explored are tornadoes, floods, blizzards, and windstorms. Images and video clips are included.
Other
American Red Cross: Masters of Disaster: Grades 3 5
This resource provides many science lessons with related activities for children in grades 3-5 regarding disaster preparedness. The resource covers tornadoes, fires, lightning, floods and general preparedness information.
NASA
The Earth Sun System
This resource provides some interesting video footage of the Sun. Also included is information about the effects of solar radiation on the Earth's magnetosphere and weather.
National Geographic
National Geographic: Extreme Weather on Our Planet
This lesson from National Geographic for grades 2-5 has a great photo gallery and video of extreme weather, and a chart for plotting weather investigation. Learning objectives, teaching methods, and connections to National Science...
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Vortex
Investigate centripetal force in this activity where you create a mini-tornado in two connected soda bottles.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Tornadoes
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how tornadoes form, their effects, and how they are measured.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Tornadoes
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how tornadoes form, their effects, and how they are measured.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Tornadoes
A resource to help understand how tornadoes are made and how they affect their surrounding areas.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Control a Tornado? Absolutely!
Control a tornado's intensity by manipulating its width and rotation speed.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Learn the Issues: Tornados
Find out about some real-world issues as well as the scientific research and technology used to support the EPA's mission to protect human health and safeguard the natural environment.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Windstorm
In this activity, students will learn about how tornadoes are formed and what they look like. By creating a water vortex in a soda bottle, they will get a first-hand look at tornadoes.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tornado Damage!
Students will learn about tornadoes, the damage they cause, and how to rate tornadoes. Specifically, students will investigate the Fujita Damage Scale of tornado intensity, and use it to complete a mock engineering analysis of damage...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Tornado!
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...
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History: Tornadoes O Logy Card
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.
NASA
Sci Jinks: Tornado Simulator
Utilizing this interactive, students will manipulate the funnel's width and the core pressure difference will illustrate how tornadoes work.
Read Works
Read Works: Passages: "Spinning Storms"
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about tornados written on the 2nd grade reading level. The text is followed by ten comprehension questions in multiple choice or extended response format. A link to answers is...
Read Works
Read Works: Forecasting Severe Weather to Communities Helps Them Prepare
[Free Registration/Login Required] This nonfiction passage gives information about how communities can prepare for weather disasters. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies...
Read Works
Read Works: Twister
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about tornadoes. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Read Works
Read Works: Safety First
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about staying safe during bad weather. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.