Read Works
Read Works: Earth Science Tornadoes
[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: Tornado Scientists
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about tornadoes and the scientists who study them. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Kansas
Look at this site for an overview of Kansas state facts. Discover why Kansas is known for its tornadoes. Where is the "geographic center of the 48 contiguous states?"
PBS
Nova: Tornado Country
Why do the majority of the world's twisters occur in the United States? Find out the role that geography and climate play in spawning tornadoes.
PBS
Pbs Nova: Killer Tornado of 1928
This resource provides a remarkable first-hand account of the day a tornado struck a small town in Nebraska in 1928 taking lives, injurying many, and causing much devastaion.
NOAA
Noaa: Nssl: Weather Colouring Books
Print these free colouring books about tornadoes, thunderstorms and winter weather.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Where Tornadoes Happen
Weather site for kids provides some interesting information about tornadoes. Discover how they are formed, the average number of tornadoes per year as well as play "Chase the Tornado."
NOAA
Noaa: Tornadoes
This online quiz will test your knowledge of tornado safety. Take it and see if you really are well prepared.
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: Twister: The Tornado Story
The Why? Files, provided by the University of Wisconsin provides a discussion of tornadoes and the environmental conditions that generate them. Includes some great pictures of the formations of the whirlwinds. Also includes a link to a...
Dan Satterfield
Wild Weather: Dan's Wild Wild Weather Page
A site to find out anything you want to know about weather, including clouds, tornadoes, satellites, radar, wind, climate, and more. Suitable for all ages. Also includes games, quizzes, and teacher resources.
Bill Nye
Bill Nye: Twistin' Tornado
This experiment with Bill Nye explains how to make a tornado in a bottle.
Other
University of Akron: Research Challenges Location of 'Tornado Alley'
Geographer Michael Frates redefines the concept of Tornado Alley by using a grid system to map tornado activity in the U.S. Download the Tornado Alley map and locate the other tornado active areas: Hoosier Alley, Dixie Alley and the...
Science Struck
Science Struck: 15 Worst Natural Disasters in History of u.s.
Presents a list of the fifteen worst natural disasters to strike the United States and its territories, along with descriptions, year, number of casualties, cost, and where each occurred.
Other
K 3 Learning Pages: Web Resources Thunderstorms
Check out this comprehensive list of web resources on thunderstorms and safety. Students and teachers will benefit from the links found on this site.
NOAA
Noaa: National Severe Storms Laboratory: Tornadoes
Find out how tornadoes occur, how they are predicted, the smallest size, the largest size, and how they are detected.
NOAA
Noaa: Century's Top Weather, Water and Climate Events
Discover what experts view as the top weather related events of the 20th century, get background information on them and see photos. Some of the events covered are the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the 1930s Dust Bowl, Hurricanes Camille...
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: How Tornadoes Form
Only about one thunderstorm in a thousand produces tornadoes. Learn how tornadoes form.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Tornadoes
A dark funnel of cloud extends below a storm. If it reaches the ground, it's a tornado.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Build It Better!
Students learn about tornados and how engineers design structures to better withstand them. Students then design and draw a house that will better withstand a tornado. Students also learn about the Fujita Tornado Damage Score.
Discovery Education
Discovery Education: Understanding Tsunamis
Come and learn more about the devastating effects of tsunamis. This site features video segments revealing the devastation tsunamis can cause and how tsunamis are formed.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Severe Weather Study Guide
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes the key points of thunderstorms, tornadoes, mid-latitude cyclones, hurricanes, blizzards, and heatwaves and droughts. Includes a few...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: A Tornado in My State?
Students will analyze data of tornadoes throughout the United States. They will create a bar graph of the number of tornadoes for the top ten states in the country and then calculate the median and the mode of the data.
Other
Computational Wind Engineering: Simulation of Tornados
At this site, learn the definition of "tornado," and learn how a tornado, when simulated in a lab, can be useful to scientists. Included is a brochure with charts detailing research results.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Kids Crossing: Look Out for Dangerous Weather
Explore dangerous weather events like tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and blizzards through stories, activities, and safety tips.