Natural DisastersKenzie Winther

A Tornado in My State?• Standards• Georgia Science:• Use geometric figures, number sequences, graphs,

diagrams, sketches, number lines, maps, and stories to represent corresponding features of objects, events, and processes in the real world. (Grade: 3) [2006]

• Georgia Math:• Solve problems by organizing and displaying data in

bar graphs and tables. (Grade: 3) [2006] • Determine and justify the range, mode, and median of

a set of data. (Grade: 4) [2008] • Analyze data presented in a graph. (Grade: 5) [2006]

A Tornado in My State?:Summary of Activity

• Be able to analyze data and graphs of tornados throughout the United States• Create graphs their own graphs of the top ten states• Incorporate math by determining median and mode of data

A Tornado in My State?:Worksheets

Easier Advance

A Tornado in My State?: Procedure1. Have students predict which state has the most

and which state has the least amount of tornados

2. In partners; make bar graph with ten states with the most tornados and the ten states with the least tornados

3. Answer questions:1. State most? State least?2. Median? (middle value) Mode? (number most often)

A Tornado in My State?:Graphs

Most

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1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Number of Tor-nados

Least

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20

40

60

80

Number of Tor-nados

Median: between 25th and 26th 423 and 434 Mode: 886

A Tornado in My State?:Final Thoughts• Incorporated math skills nicely• Median, mode• Least, most

• Good making them practice making graphs from data• They will be doing it by hand on graph paper • Can teach about scale also

• Good for 3-5; which worksheet depends on grade

Windstorm• Standards: • Georgia Science: • Keep records of investigations and

observations and do not alter the records later. (Grade: 3) [2006]• Determine how water and wind can change

rocks and soil over time using observation and research. (Grade:3) [2006]

Windstorm: Summary of activity• Learn how tornados are formed and what

they look like • Creating a water vortex in a soda bottle

WedgeRope

Windstorm: Worksheets

• Vocabulary Terms:• tornado• vortex•wedge tornado • rope tornado

Windstorm: Procedure1. Get in groups to make observations on what they see2. Fill one of the two-liter bottles with water and

connect it to the neck of other bottle with duct tape or a tornado tube

3. Students turn bottle upside down and quickly twist it (looking for a tornado vortex in upper bottle)

4. Draw picture of what they saw in journal 5. Optional: Students create an informative flyer about

tornadoes (drawing a picture of the spinning vortex of a tornado). Have students list some facts about tornadoes or things that they have learned about tornadoes.

Windstorm: Setup

Windstorm: Final Thoughts• Each group of students could make their own

tornado• Journal page good for them to fill out• The project would be a good way to asses what

they learned• Good for 3rd graders

Sources • Windstorm

http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection%2Fcub_%2Factivities%2Fcub_natdis%2Fcub_natdis_lesson08_activity1.xml&state=Georgia

• A Tornado in My State? http://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=collection%2Fcub_%2Factivities%2Fcub_natdis%2Fcub_natdis_lesson08_activity3.xml&state=Georgia