tornado in a bottle (1 hour - siemens stem day

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Addresses NGSSLevel of Difficulty: 3Grade Range: K-2

OVERVIEWIn this activity, students will learn about tornadoes and simulate one inside a small bottle.

Topic: Severe Weather

Real-World Science Topics:• An exploration of the movement of vortexes.

ObjectiveStudents will observe and explore of the rotation of tornadoes by simulating a tornado in a bottle.

NGSS Three-Dimensions:

TORNADO IN A BOTTLE (1 Hour)

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Analyzing data in K–2 builds onprior experiences and progressesto collecting, recording, andsharing observations. • Analyze data from tests of anobject or tool to determine ifit works as intended.

Developing and Using ModelsModeling in K–2 builds on priorexperiences and progresses toinclude using and developingmodels (i.e., diagram, drawing,physical replica, diorama,dramatization, or storyboard)that represent concrete eventsor design solutions. • Use a model to representrelationships in the naturalworld.

Developing and Using ModelsModeling in 3–5 builds on K–2experiences and progresses tobuilding and revising simplemodels and using models torepresent events and design solutions. • Develop models to describephenomena.

Science and Engineering Practices

ESS2.D Weather and Climate• Weather is the combinationof sunlight, wind, snow orrain, and temperature in aparticular region at a particulartime. People measure theseconditions to describe andrecord the weather and tonotice patterns over time.

ESS3.B Natural Hazards• Some kinds of severe weatherare more likely than othersin a given region. Weatherscientists forecast severeweather so that the communi-ties can prepare for andrespond to these events.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Patterns• Patterns in the natural worldcan be observed, used todescribe phenomena, andused as evidence.

Cause and Effect• Events have causes thatgenerate observable patterns.

Crosscutting Concepts


TORNADO IN A BOTTLE

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Analyzing data in 3–5 builds onK–2 experiences and progressesto introducing quantitative ap-proaches to collecting data andconducting multiple trials ofqualitative observations. Whenpossible and feasible, digitaltools should be used. • Represent data in tables andvarious graphical displays(bar graphs, pictographsand/or pie charts) to revealpatterns that indicate rela-tionships.

Background Information

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air often extending from a thundercloud to the ground. Typically,a tornado happens in the US when warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold, dry air from Canada.The warm air is lifted upward over the cold air because it is less dense than the cold air. As the warm, moistair rises it becomes saturated (filled with as much moisture as it can hold). This produces a thunderstorm.

Why do some storms become tornadoes? There are some mystery ingredients that scientists don’t entirelyunderstand, but one important factor is wind shear. Wind shear occurs when winds at varying distancesabove the ground blow in different directions or at different speeds. This can cause a column of air to rotatelike a giant rolling pin. A strong, upward wind (updraft) can lift the column of air until it is perpendicular tothe ground and looks like a funnel. When the funnel cloud reaches the ground, it is called a tornado. Tornadoesdon’t always have the look of a funnel, though. They can range in shape from narrow and rope-like, narrow or fat cylinders, or be cone or wedge-shaped.

Tornadoes have been reported in every continent except Antartica, but the most tornadoes occur in theUnited States. Every state has had at least one tornado, but certain states (South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,Oklahoma, Texas) have been deemed by the media as “Tornado Alley” due to the frequency of tornadoes in that area. It is a flat region in the middle of the United States that is between the Appalachians and theRocky Mountains. Part of the reason why is a front separating moist Gulf of Mexico air from dry air from theSouthwest (called the dryline) often sits across these states. As stated above, warm moist air meeting coolerdry air is a recipe for a thunderstorm.


TORNADO IN A BOTTLE

Tornado Facts:

• Typically, 600-1000 tornadoes are reported in the US every year

• On average, a tornado’s path is 4 miles long and 400 yards wide but can be as long as 100 miles andas much as a mile wide.

• Tornadoes can reach heights of 60,000 feet.

• The average tornado travels at a speed of 25 to 40 mph., but tornadoes can reach speeds up to 70 mph.

• The wind speeds of a tornado can reach 300 mph.

• Tornadoes stay on the ground for an average of four to five minutes

Key Vocabulary

Funnel cloud – a rotating cone-shaped column of air extending downward from the base of a thunderstorm,but not touching the ground. When it reaches the ground it is called a tornado.

Vortex – a mass of swirling air or fluid

Materials Needed for Student Activity

For the large demonstration tornado, you will need:

• 2 clear 2-liter soda bottles (empty and labels removed)

• One washer (approximately the size of the bottle opening and with a 5/16” or 3/8” diameter hole)

• Water

• Environmentally friendly dish soap

• Duct tape

For each student tiny tornado, you will need:

• 1 small, clear, plastic bottle with a screw-on cap (empty and label removed)

• Water

• Environmentally friendly dish soap

• Glitter

• Food coloring


Teacher Preparation

Two weeks before the activity, begin collecting small, clear, plastic bottles with a screw-on cap from the students. (Bottles can then be used from year to year.) Children’s vitamin bottles are ideal. It is helpful if thebottle has a child safety cap so the students can’t open it and make a mess! The activity does not work withall dish soaps. Choose an “environmentally friendly” brand because they do not generate as many suds. Builda tiny tornado for yourself. To create the tornado, hold the bottle in one hand and rotate your wrist. Practicethe rotating motion until you have it down pat. After two or three tornado attempts, let the bottle sit for aminute until the water is clear again.

Build a large demonstration tornado for the warm-up activity. Use duct tape to attach a washer to the opening of one bottle.

Fill the other bottle about 2/3 with water. Add one drop of dish detergent. Use duct tape to attach the openings of the two bottles together (put the bottle with water on the bottom). Turn the contraption upsidedown and give the upper bottle a few rotations while holding the bottom bottle relatively still. A vortex orwater tornado will form as the water flows from the top bottle to the lower bottle.

TORNADO IN A BOTTLE


1. Warm-up Activity: Begin a class discussion about what the students know about tornadoes. Record ideas on a KWL chart on the board. Then ask students what they want to know about tornadoes. Again, fill out the chart during the discussion. Tell them a tornado is an example of something called a vortex. A vortex is a mass of swirling air or fluid. A tornado is not the only kind of vortex in nature. Hurricanes, waterspouts (a tornado over water), the red spot on Jupiter, and even our galaxy are also vortexes.

2. Tell the class you will make a vortex in water. In other words, you will make a water tornado in a bottle. Demonstrate the large, 2-liter bottle tornado.

Another option is to have the students build the two bottle tornado instead of the tiny tornado.

3. The students will build their own tiny tornado in a bottle. Break the class into groups of two or three. Distribute the materials to each group. Have the students build their tornado step by step as you give the instructions.

Students may follow written instructions rather than verbal.

Step 1: fill the bottle 2/3 with waterStep 2: add one drop of dish detergentStep 3: add a pinch of glitterStep 4: screw on the top very tightlyStep 5: try to form a tornado by shaking the bottle – experiment with different types of shaking to find the most effective method

Kindergarten: Demonstrate the proper way to shake the bottle.

*After making two or three tornadoes, let it sit one minute, then try again. In general, you shouldbe able to see clearly through the water before you start rotating the bottle.

Step 6: record observations on the Tiny Tornadoes Student Handout

4. Wrap-Up Activity: Let students share their observations from their tiny tornado. As a class, look atthe list of things they want to know about tornadoes. Have each student pick an unanswered questionand research the answer for homework. They will share their findings the next day.

Tiny Tornadoes Extension Activity

1. Have students make a prediction about what will happen if one of the following factors is changedto the tiny tornado or the larger demonstration tornado and then test the prediction:

• Amount of water in bottle

• Size of the bottle

• Shape of the bottle

• Type of liquid in the bottle

• Temperature of the water

• The amount of dish soap added

STEPS FOR TORNADO IN A BOTTLE


TORNADO IN A BOTTLE

Sources

http://www.kidzone.ws/science/

http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather

http://www.educationworld.com/

http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather-ed/

http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/

http://www.weather.com/

http://www.universetoday.com


TORNADO IN A BOTTLESTUDENT HANDOUT

Name:

Date:

Describe how you shook the bottle to make a tornado.

Draw a picture of what happened.

Write with words what happened.

What did the glitter do?


TORNADO IN A BOTTLETEACHER HANDOUT

Describe how you shook the bottle to make a tornado.

Answers will vary

Draw a picture of what happened.

Write with words what happened.

Answers will vary

What did the glitter do?

Rotate in a circle around the outskirts of the bottle

tornado in a bottle (1 hour - siemens stem day

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