Learning Module: WILD WEATHER

ACTIVITY #1: Lightning

TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Individual

MATERIALS NEEDED PER STUDENT: disposable plastic cups, aluminum foil, balloon

DESCRIPTION: Students will use a Leyden Jar to demonstrate the nature of lightning.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHER: Lightning is a discharge of static electricity from a thunderstorm. During the life of a thunderstorm electrical change separations build up in the clouds--positive charges migrate to the top of the clouds, negative to the bottom. The negative charge at the bottom of the cloud forces negative charges in the ground to migrate away from the storm leaving a net positive charge to the ground below the clouds. When these static charges become too great lightning occurs momentarily neutralizing the charges.

Because the lightning bolt is so hot (15,000-60,000 F) the air around it becomes quickly heated and then cooled when the flash is over. This heating and cooling creates a shockwave in the air which we hear as thunder. (Even the little sparks in this activity will create shockwaves responsible for the crackling heard during discharge.)

It is true that you can determine the distance to a lightning bolt by measuring the time delay between the flash and the thunder (5 seconds equals 1 mile).

INSTRUCTIONS:

TEACHER

STUDENTS

1. Observe the students as they put their jars together. 1. Cut 2 pieces of foil a little taller than your cup and long enough to reach around it with about a inch overlap.

2. Wrap one piece of foil around the cup leaving about half an inch of cup bare above the foil. Press the foil down as smoothly as you can around the outside and over the bottom of the cup.

3. Carefully remove the foil and drop it inside the cup smoothing it to fit the inner surface of the cup.

4. Shape the second piece of foil around the outside as you did the first. Leave this one where it is.

5. Cut a third piece of foil about 1 inch wide. Crumple it into a ball with a tail 2-3 inches long.

6. Make sure the students keep the inside foil and the outside foil separated. 6. Remove the inner foil from the cup and insert the tail into the cup with the ball above the edge of the cup. Replace the liner making sure the ball remains above the top of the cup.

7. Blow up a balloon and tie it off

8. Rub the balloon on your hair to generate a static electric charge.

9. Hold the cup in one hand, touching the outside foil only, and discharge the balloon by touching it to the ball on the cup.

10. The charge that has been built up in the jar will keep for quite a while. 10. Repeat this process several times.

11. To discharge the jar hold it in one hand and touch the other hand to the ball.

CONCEPT LEARNED IN ACTIVITY #1: Lightning is a discharge of static electricity.

SKILLS LEARNED: Making observations, making comparisons, communicating findings, drawing conclusions, forming generalizations.

TOPIC: Wild Weather

ACTIVITY #2: Creating Your Own Tornado

TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Individual

MATERIALS NEEDED PER STUDENT: large plastic soft drink bottle with cap, water, dish washing liquid, marbles or other small objects

DESCRIPTION: When properly spun the water in the bottle will form a visible vortex in the center which looks very much like a real tornado.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR TEACHER: Although the tornado created in this activity is not generated in the same manner as tornadoes in thunderstorms it does exhibit many of the same features. Students can observe the same funnel shape, rotation patterns, and even see it spin down into a narrow "rope stage" near the end of its life just like a real tornado. Encourage your students to compare what they see here with what they have seen in pictures and videos of real tornadoes.

INSTRUCTIONS:

TEACHER

STUDENTS

1. Give each of the students one bottle. 1 . Take the bottle your teacher gives you. If the label has not been removed, remove it.

2. Have the students fill their bottles with water. 2. Fill your bottle with water as directed.

3. Have students put three drops of soap and 2 marbles into their bottles. 3. Put three drops of soap and the marbles in your bottle.

4. Be sure they put their caps on tightly. 4. Cap your bottle tightly

5. Help students spin the water in their bottles. 5. Shake your bottle in a circular sideways motion to get the marbles spinning around the outside of the bottle.

6. Set your bottle down and watch the action!

CONCEPT OF ACTIVITY #2: Students will create a water vortex and compare it to a tornado.

SKILLS LEARNED: Making observations, making comparisons, communicating findings.

TOPIC G: Wild Weather

ACTIVITY #3: Tornado Safety

TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Large Group

MATERIALS NEEDED: tornado pamphlet, school safety procedures

DESCRIPTION: The class will discuss tornadoes and tornado safety procedures.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER: You may wish to make copies of the pamphlet and school safety procedures for the students.

INSTRUCTIONS:

TEACHER

STUDENTS

1. Begin by asking the students if any of them have seen a tornado in person. Encourage them to share their experiences with the class. 1. If you have seen a tornado in person before, share your experiences with the class. Listen to the stories your classmates tell and compare your experiences to theirs.

2. Go through the pamphlet with students discussing what tornadoes are and how they form. Additional information is available in The Weather Book. 2. Discuss what tornadoes are and how they form.

3. Go over you school's tornado safety procedures with the students. Be sure students know what to do and why (Small interior rooms are the safest place to be if no basement is available because they have no windows to break and also because short walls, such as closets and bathrooms, can withstand much stronger winds than long walls. These will almost always be the last walls in the building to fall down). 3. Go over your school's tornado safety procedures. Make sure you know where to go and what to do. If you don't understand what to do or why ask your teacher.

4. Help students set up safety procedures they can follow at home. You may wish to make this a homework assignment so that they may work together with their families to develop their plans. 4. Develop a set of safety procedures for your home. Be sure to discuss it with your family.

CONCEPTS OF ACTIVITY #3: Students will learn how and when tornadoes form and learn proper tornado safety procedures.

SKILLS LEARNED: Making comparisons, communicating findings, making decisions.

TOPIC G: Wild Weather

ACTIVITY #4: Flash Floods

TYPE OF ACTIVITY: Large Group

MATERIALS NEEDED: Flash flood pamphlet

DESCRIPTION: Students will discuss flash floods and flood safety procedures.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER: You may wish to make copies of the pamphlet for students to put in their folders.

INSTRUCTIONS:

TEACHER

STUDENTS

1. Begin by asking students if any of them have been in a flood. Allow them to share their experiences with the class. 1. If you have ever been in a flood share your experiences with the class. Listen while other students tell their stories.

2. Discuss with them how and when flooding occurs. Be sure to explain the difference between floods and flash floods (Flash floods occur within six hours of a rain event and can come and go within a matter of minutes while flooding can last a week or more). 2. Discuss with your teacher what floods are and how to avoid being caught in one.

3. Help students develop flood safety plans for their homes. You may wish to make this a homework assignment so that they can work with their families. 3. Develop a flood safety plan for your family.

CONCEPT OF ACTIVITY #4: Students will learn the difference between floods and flash floods and learn safety procedures for both.

SKILL LEARNED: Making comparisons, communicating findings, making decisions.

TEACHER	STUDENTS
1. Observe the students as they put their jars together.	1. Cut 2 pieces of foil a little taller than your cup and long enough to reach around it with about a inch overlap.
	2. Wrap one piece of foil around the cup leaving about half an inch of cup bare above the foil. Press the foil down as smoothly as you can around the outside and over the bottom of the cup.
	3. Carefully remove the foil and drop it inside the cup smoothing it to fit the inner surface of the cup.
	4. Shape the second piece of foil around the outside as you did the first. Leave this one where it is.
	5. Cut a third piece of foil about 1 inch wide. Crumple it into a ball with a tail 2-3 inches long.
6. Make sure the students keep the inside foil and the outside foil separated.	6. Remove the inner foil from the cup and insert the tail into the cup with the ball above the edge of the cup. Replace the liner making sure the ball remains above the top of the cup.
	7. Blow up a balloon and tie it off
	8. Rub the balloon on your hair to generate a static electric charge.
	9. Hold the cup in one hand, touching the outside foil only, and discharge the balloon by touching it to the ball on the cup.
10. The charge that has been built up in the jar will keep for quite a while.	10. Repeat this process several times.
	11. To discharge the jar hold it in one hand and touch the other hand to the ball.

TEACHER	STUDENTS
1. Give each of the students one bottle.	1 . Take the bottle your teacher gives you. If the label has not been removed, remove it.
2. Have the students fill their bottles with water.	2. Fill your bottle with water as directed.
3. Have students put three drops of soap and 2 marbles into their bottles.	3. Put three drops of soap and the marbles in your bottle.
4. Be sure they put their caps on tightly.	4. Cap your bottle tightly
5. Help students spin the water in their bottles.	5. Shake your bottle in a circular sideways motion to get the marbles spinning around the outside of the bottle.
	6. Set your bottle down and watch the action!

TEACHER	STUDENTS
1. Begin by asking the students if any of them have seen a tornado in person. Encourage them to share their experiences with the class.	1. If you have seen a tornado in person before, share your experiences with the class. Listen to the stories your classmates tell and compare your experiences to theirs.
2. Go through the pamphlet with students discussing what tornadoes are and how they form. Additional information is available in The Weather Book.	2. Discuss what tornadoes are and how they form.
3. Go over you school's tornado safety procedures with the students. Be sure students know what to do and why (Small interior rooms are the safest place to be if no basement is available because they have no windows to break and also because short walls, such as closets and bathrooms, can withstand much stronger winds than long walls. These will almost always be the last walls in the building to fall down).	3. Go over your school's tornado safety procedures. Make sure you know where to go and what to do. If you don't understand what to do or why ask your teacher.
4. Help students set up safety procedures they can follow at home. You may wish to make this a homework assignment so that they may work together with their families to develop their plans.	4. Develop a set of safety procedures for your home. Be sure to discuss it with your family.

TEACHER	STUDENTS
1. Begin by asking students if any of them have been in a flood. Allow them to share their experiences with the class.	1. If you have ever been in a flood share your experiences with the class. Listen while other students tell their stories.
2. Discuss with them how and when flooding occurs. Be sure to explain the difference between floods and flash floods (Flash floods occur within six hours of a rain event and can come and go within a matter of minutes while flooding can last a week or more).	2. Discuss with your teacher what floods are and how to avoid being caught in one.
3. Help students develop flood safety plans for their homes. You may wish to make this a homework assignment so that they can work with their families.	3. Develop a flood safety plan for your family.