1. The Question

Throughout our unit, we have been discussing how different processes can cause rapid or slow changes in the Earth’s surface. So far, we have learned about earthquakes, tsunamis, and hurricanes. Today, you are going to learn about tornadoes.

How does a tornado slowly or rapidly change the Earth’s surface?

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.

2. Information Sources

Below are several links to the information you will need in order to complete your activity.

Tornado Information

National Geographic: Tornado

Scholastic: Tornado

Tornado Facts and Safety Tips

You will need to view these websites, learn about tornadoes, and then complete a graphic organizer on the topic, outlining the information that you learned from exploring the different websites.

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.

3. The Student Activity Your activity is to use the information

you have learned in Science class about processes that can cause rapid or slow changes to the Earth’s surface, and the information from the provided websites on tornadoes to:

Fill in the graphic organizer.Using the websites provided, type how tornadoes are formed, where they occur most frequently, how they change the Earth’s surface, the causes and effects, and one interesting fact about tornadoes in the different bubbles that surround the center bubble, “Tornadoes,” in order to complete the graphic organizer.

After completing the graphic organizer, next, you are going to create a poster on tornadoes as your assessment.

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.

4. The Assessment Activity

After you have completed the graphic organizer, combine all of the information you learned about tornadoes in order to construct a poster on the topic. Remember, you are now an expert on tornadoes! Make sure to include: how tornadoes are formed, how tornadoes change the Earth’s surface, where tornadoes occur most frequently, causes and effects of tornadoes, and one interesting fact about tornadoes in your poster! Make your poster look inviting and engaging! Include: color, pictures, graphics, and words in your poster!

Follow this link to Glogster to make your poster on tornadoes!

Create a Glogster Tornado Poster!

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.

5. Enrichment Activities

Tornadoes are famous for their eye, high winds, quick speeds, and damaging effects.

Explore these sites for more exciting pictures, and videos, on tornadoes! Take a quiz to see how much you learned about tornadoes!

Pictures of Tornadoes

Video of Tornado: Discovery Networks

Tornado Quiz

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.

6. Teacher Support Materials

Voluntary State Curriculum

Grade 5 Science

Standard 2.0 Earth/Space Science

Topic A. Materials and Processes That Shape A Planet

Indicator 2. Cite and describe the processes that cause rapid or slow changes in Earth's surface.

Objectives A. Identify and describe events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and flooding which change surface features rapidly.

Objective:

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify and describe characteristics, causes, and effects of a tornado, a process that causes changes in the Earth’s surface.

Teacher’s Notes: Make certain that all of the websites,

pictures, and videos can be successfully opened before using this lesson with students.

This lesson can be completed in partners, as well. If partners research and explore websites together, and share ideas; they can complete the graphic organizer and Blogster poster together, as well.

Time Management:

If there is not enough time in class to complete the Blogster poster, the teacher may need to supply the student with a pass to go to the library computer lab during lunch or after school if the student does not have a computer at home. Students may also make a hand-made poster if desired.

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These materials are © 2011 Heather Scharf, Towson University, all rights reserved.