Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Text Sets: Nature and Conservation

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about how the natural world interacts with itself and how people impact the planet with this science-based text collection of 46 Grade-Leveled texts (3-12) on the topic of Nature and Conservation. [Free account registration...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Build It Better!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
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.
Unit Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Understanding Tsunamis

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Severe Weather Study Guide

For Students 6th - 8th
[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...
Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: A Tornado in My State?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
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.
Website
Other

Computational Wind Engineering: Simulation of Tornados

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
Interactive
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Kids Crossing: Look Out for Dangerous Weather

For Students 1st - 5th
Explore dangerous weather events like tornadoes, hurricanes, thunderstorms, and blizzards through stories, activities, and safety tips.
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Make a Tornado

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore factors that influence why certain areas in the United States have more tornadoes than others and observe a model to visualize what is happening during a tornado.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Exploring Weather Disasters

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
During this lesson, students will discover the differences in four types of weather disasters. They will collect information from selected Internet websites and create a multimedia presentation to demonstrate what they have learned.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Are You Prepared?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Natural disasters come in many different forms. In order to be better prepared, students have to know the different types of disasters. In this lesson students will research natural disasters in order to create a brochure highlighting an...
Article
Scholastic

Scholastic: Tornado: Q & A

For Students 9th - 10th
This is a question an answer concerning tornadoes including how they are formed, what the funnel looks like, how tornadoes end, which are more dangerous: tornado or hurricane, inside the "eye" of a hurricane or tornado, and more.
Article
Scholastic

Scholastic: Tornado

For Students 9th - 10th
This is an article by John Griffiths that discusses tornadoes including a definition, characteristic behaviors, clauses and classifications, and occurrences.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: The Deadliest Tornado in u.s. History Blindsided the Midwest in 1925

For Students 9th - 10th
Now known as the Tri-State Tornado, it turned March 18 into a day of gruesome destruction and bizarre survival stories. This tornado hit Missouri, Illinois and Indiana and resulted in nearly 700 deaths.
Handout
eSchool Today

E School Today: Your Cool Facts and Tips on Tornadoes

For Students 4th - 8th
Features a brief explanation of tornadoes, how they form, their impact, and survival tips.
Graphic
University of Wisconsin

Uw Madison: The Fujita Tornado Damage Scale

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a simple chart explaining the levels of tornado damage on the Fujita scale.
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Make a Tornado

For Students 3rd - 5th
This site is provided for by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Make a tornado or a twister in a jar. The step by step directions give a clear description of how to make these items.
Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Tornadoes

For Students 9th - 10th
Great photos of actual tornadoes. This page gives you general information about tornadoes.
Website
Weather Wiz Kids

Weather Wiz Kids: Tornadoes

For Students Pre-K - 1st
This is a great resource for everything tornadoes. Learn things like how they form, how they stop, and when they are most likely to occur. You can also keep an eye on tornadoes in your area.
Article
Other

Lehigh University: Weather Factoids

For Students 3rd - 8th
How many times does lightning strike the Empire State Building? What state is know as the lightning capital of the U.S.? What time of day do tornadoes usually occur? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this enlightening...
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Tornado!

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Use this site to explore how engineers and architects are able to create tornado-proof designs for houses and other buildings.
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Weather Systems: Lesson 2

For Students 5th - 8th
This lesson will discuss the effects of the weather on living things. It is 2 of 3 in the series titled "Weather Systems."
Unit Plan
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Weather Systems: Lesson 3

For Students 5th - 8th
This lesson will discuss the effects of the weather on living things. It is 3 of 3 in the series titled "Weather Systems."
PPT
Sophia Learning

Sophia: Weather Systems: Lesson 1

For Students 5th - 8th
This lesson will discuss the effects of the weather on living things. It is 1 of 3 in the series titled "Weather Systems."
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Earth Science for Kids: Weather: Tornadoes

For Students 1st - 9th
Explore tornadoes on this website! Kids learn about tornadoes including how they form, characteristics, types including supercell and waterspout, categories, and fun facts.