Bottled Up Tornadoes

Students study the Coriolis effect and discuss air and ocean patterns.  In this heating of the Earth lesson students complete a lab activity in which they construct a tornado simulator. 

Students work together in groups to travel throughout the room to different stations. They practice making different natural disasters at each station. They also examine fault lines and the supercontinent Pangaea.

Using two 2-liter bottles, create the classic tornado tube. Once constructed, water swirling as it moves from one bottle to the other, forms a vortex due to the difference in pressure. You could either make one of these to keep in the...

Students create a tornado in a bottle. In this climate and weather lesson, students review basic information about tornadoes and thunderstorms. Students make a tornado in a bottle and write about what they learned from the project....

Learners explore hurricanes and tornadoes by conducting an experiment. In this weather pattern lesson, students define many extreme weather vocabulary terms and discuss the relationship with static electricity. Learners utilize plastic...

Students investigate the ocean environment. In this ocean lesson, students discover the physical properties of the ocean. Over two days, students work in small groups investigating ocean maps and creating water currents.

Students experiment with bunsen burners and beakers of water to see how the earth's atmosphere acts like a thermometer. They explain how temperature causes movement in the air and how warm and cold fronts cause weather changes.

Students examine factors which affect a vortex and create model tornadoes. They identify variables, pose a testable question, and perform an experiment using the scientific method. After they collect their data, students write a complete...

Students investigate weather disasters by creating a virtual tornado.  In this wild weather lesson, students define a vortex and describe how a vortex keeps a tornado moving and causing damage.  Students utilize salt, detergent, water,...

Students study weather and weather measurement tools. In this weather lesson, students read and discuss weather myths and superstitions as well as weather terminology. Students then work in groups to complete weather stations for wind,...