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Hunt for the Supertwister

Viewing Ideas  Print this Teacher's Guide (PDF, 6 pages)

Before Watching

1. Ask students how tornadoes, hurricanes, and high winds differ. What kind of severe weather have students experienced? What actions do individuals take in preparing for these events? What actions do governments take? Why is it important to understand how severe weather happens?

2. Review with students the Fujita wind damage scale, known as the F-scale. Developed by meteorologist T. Theodore Fujita in 1971, the F-scale is a widely used tornado rating method even though it has never been scientifically tested. Emphasize to students that the rating, which is made after the tornadic event, is subjective depending on who is doing the rating. Find information about the scale at http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f-scale.html

3. Organize students into two groups. As they watch, have one group take notes on the factors involved in the formation of tornadoes and the other group take notes on the tools and methods used to predict tornadoes.

After Watching

1. Create a list on the blackboard of the factors involved in tornado formation and the tools and methods used to predict them. How do tornadoes form? Why are they so hard to predict?

2. Ask students to think of ways in which humans control their environment (e.g., air conditioning, heating, landscaping, swimming pools). What are some parts of the environment that humans cannot control (e.g., weather, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions)? What are some ways people try to cope with natural disasters?