What is a Tornado? Grade K - 2

Tornado lesson plan for Primary grades

Objectives:
1. Students will understand that physical processes help shape the surface of the Earth.
2. Students will understand how tornadoes affect humans.
3. Students will understand the causes of a tornado.

Time: 4 - 6 30-minute lessons

Materials Required:
- materials needed to make a tornado in a bottle
- wall map of North America
- a blank map of North America for each student (see link to get this blank map)
- computer and Internet access
- writing and drawing materials for each student

Students will demonstrate their learning by:
1.coloring tornado alley on the map
2. create a tornado in a bottle
3. write sentences about tornadoes
4. draw pictures of tornadoes

Lesson:

Show students a map of North America and point out Tornado Alley. Tell them that there are more tornadoes in the United States than in any other country in the world.

Ask students if they have ever seen a tornado. If there are any students who have done so, let them describe the experience to the class.

Ask if any students have seen pictures of tornadoes in books or magazines. Some will have seen tornadoes on TV either in the news or in movies.

Explain to students that tornadoes usually form when cool dry air from the north mixes with warm moist air from the south.

Students will now color in their blank maps using one color for the cool air and another for the warm air. They will use a third color for Tornado Alley, which is the area in between the Rocky Mountains and the Applachian Mountains.

Use the links included below to show students videos of tornadoes.

Next discuss safety procedures students should be aware of when there is a tornado warning for their area. Be careful not to make this sound too dangerous because children at this age can become frightened very easily.