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Project GLAD
Santa Ana Unified School District
WICKED WEATHER
Level 5
IDEA PAGES
I. UNIT THEME
 Energy from the sun heats Earth unevenly, causing air movements that result in
changing weather patterns.
 Students know the causes and effect of different types of weather.
 Studetns know how to use weather maps and data to predict local weather and
know that weather forecasts depend on many variables.
II.
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Big book: The Important Thing About The Weather
 Picture File Cards
 Observation Charts
 Meteorologist Awards
 Inquiry Chart: What do we know about weather? What do we wonder about
weather?
 Various songs, chants, and poems about weather and weather systems
 Signal words to teach vocabulary and concept development (word orignins and
abstract, derived roots and affixes from Greek and Latin are used to analyze and
determine the meaning of complex words).
III.
CLOSURE
 Process all charts
 Present team tasks and weather reports to small groups and to whole class
 Student authored weather system books
 Play Jeopardy with components of weather unit as the categories
 Create a tornado in a bottle
 Create safety posters
IV.
CONCEPTS/UNDERSTANDINGS
Content Standards
Life Sciences
 Energy from the sun heats Earth unevenly, causing air movements that result in
changing weather patterns.
o Students know uneven heating of earth causes air movements
(convection currents)
o Students know the influence that the ocean has on the weather and the
role that the water cycle plays in weather patterns.
o Students know the causes and effects of different types of weather.
o Students know how to use weather maps and data to predict local weather
and know that weather forecasts depend on many variables.
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o Students know that the earth’s atmosphere exerts a pressure that
decreases with distance above the Earth’s surface, and that at any point it
exerts this pressure equally in all directions.
 Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting
careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept careful
investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept, and addressing the
content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions
and perform investigation.
o Classify objects in accordance with appropriate criteria
o Develop a testable question
o Plan and conduct a simple investigation based on a student-developed
question and write instructions others can follow to carry out the
procedure.
o Identify a single independent variable on a specific investigation and
explain how this variable can be used to collect information to answer a
question about the results of the experiment
o Select appropriate tools and make quantitative observations
o Record data by using appropriate graphic representations and make
inferences based on those data
o Draw conclusions from scientific evidence and indicate whether further
information is needed to support a specific conclusion
o Write a report of an investigation that includes conducting tests, collecting
data or examining evidence, and drawing conclusions
Language Arts
Word Recognition
1.1 Read aloud narrative and expository text fluently and accurately and with
appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.
Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.2 Use word origins to determine the meaning of unknown words.
1.3 Understand and explain frequently used synonyms, antonyms, and homographs.
1.4 Know abstract, derived roots and affixes from Greek and Latin and use this
knowledge to analyze the meaning of complex words (e.g., controversial).
2.0 Reading Comprehension (Focus on Information Materials)
Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They describe
and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives of the text by
using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose. The
selections in Recommended Readings in Literature, Kindergarten through Grade
Eight, illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.
In addition, by grade eight, students read one million words annually on their
own, including a good representation of grade-level appropriate narrative and
expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines,
newspapers, online information). In grade five, students make progress toward
this goal.
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Structural Features of Informational Materials
2.1 Understand how text features (e.g., format, graphics, sequence, diagrams,
illustrations, charts, and maps) make information accessible and usable.
2.2 Analyze text that is organized in sequential or chronological order.
Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.3 Discern main ideas and concepts presented in texts, identifying and
assessing evidence that supports those ideas.
Language Arts
2.4 Draw inferences, conclusions, or generalizations about text and support
them with textual evidence and prior knowledge.
Expository Critique
2.5 Distinguish facts, supported inferences, and opinions in text.
Writing
1.0 Writing Strategies
Students write clear, coherent, and focused essays. The writing exhibits the
students’ awareness of the audience and purpose. Essays contain formal
introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions. Students progress through
the stages of the writing process as needed.
Organization and Focus
1.2 Create multiple-paragraph expository compositions:
a. Establish a topic, important ideas, or events in sequence or
chronological order.
b. Provide details and transitional expressions that link one paragraph
to another in a clear line of thought.
c. Offer a concluding paragraph that summarized important ideas and
details.
Research and Technology
1.3 use organizational features of printed text (e.g., citations, end notes,
bibliographic references) to locate relevant information.
1.4 Use a thesaurus to identify alternative word choices and meanings.
Evaluation and Revision
1.5 Edit and revise manuscripts to improve the meaning and focus of writing
by adding, deleting, consolidating, clarifyinig, and rearranging words and
sentences.
2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)
Students write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive texts of atleast
500 to 700 words in each genre. Student writing demonstrates a command of
standard American English and the research, organizational, and drafting
strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0. Using the writing strategies of grade
five outlined in Writing Standard 1.0, students:
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2.3 Write research reports about important ideas, issues, or events by sing the
following guidelines:
a.
Frame questions that direct the investigation.
b.
Establish a controlling idea or topic.
c.
Develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples and explanations.
Listening and Speaking
1.0
Listening and Speaking Strategies
Students deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly and
relate to the background and interests of the audience. They evaluate the
content of oral communication.
VOCABULARY
convection
air pressure
precipitation
relative humidity
land breeze
anemometer
warm front
storm surge
infiltration
V.
condensation
weather
water vapor
wind
cariolus effect
air mass
occluded front
tsunami
atmosphere
barometer
humidity
convectional cell
isobar
front
stationary front
thunder storm
troposphere
water cycle
evaporation
sea breeze
weather vane
cold front
convection currents
insolation
English Language Development Standards
Listening and Speaking
Comprehension
Beginning
Begin to speak with a few words or sentences, using some English phonemes
rudimentary English grammatical forms (e.g., single words or phrases).
Answer simple questions with one to two word responses.
Retell familiar stories and participate in short conversations by using appropriate
gestures, expressions, and illustrative objects.
Early Intermediate
Begin to be understood when speaking, but may have some inconsistent use of
Standard English grammatical form and sounds (e.g., plurals, simple past tense,
pronouns [he/she]).
Ask and answer questions using phrases or simple sentences.
Restate and execute multi-step oral directions.
Intermediate
Ask and answer instructional questions with some supporting elements (e.g., “Is
it your turn to go to the computer lab?”)
Listen attentively to stories/information and identify key details and concepts
using both verbal and non-verbal responses.
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Early Advanced
Listen attentively to more complex stories/information on new topics across
content areas, and identify the main points, and supporting details.
Advanced
Listen attentively to stories and subject area topics, and identify the main points
and supporting details.
Demonstrate understanding of idiomatic expressions by responding to and using
such expressions appropriately (e.g. “Give me a hand.”)
Comprehension/Organization and Delivery of Oral Communication
Beginning
Independently use common social greetings and simple repetitive phrases
(e.g., “May I go and play?”).
Early Intermediate
Orally identify the main points of simple conversations and stories that are
read aloud using phrases or simple sentences
Orally communicate basic needs (e.g., “May I get a drink of water?”).
Recite familiar rhymes, songs, and simple stories.
Intermediate
Be understood when speaking, using consistent Standard English grammatical
forms and sounds; however, some rules may not be in evidence (e.g., third
person, singular, male and female pronouns).
Actively participate in social conversations with peers and adults on familiar
topics by asking and answering questions and soliciting information.
Retell stories and talk about school related activities using expanded vocabulary,
descriptive words, and paraphrasing.
Early Advanced
Retell stories in greater detail including characters, setting, and plot, summary,
and analysis.
Be understood when speaking using consistent Standard English
grammatical forms, sounds, intonation, pitch, and modulation, but may have
random errors.
Actively participate and initiate more extended social conversations with peers
and adults on unfamiliar topics by asking and answering questions, restating and
soliciting information.
Recognize appropriate ways of speaking that vary based on purpose, audience,
and subject matter.
Ask and answer instructional questions with more extensive supporting elements
(e.g., “What part of the story was most important?”)
Use simple figurative language and idiomatic expression to communicate ideas
to a variety of audiences (e.g., “It’s raining cats and dogs.”)
Advanced
Negotiate and initiate social conversations by questioning restating, soliciting
information and paraphrasing.
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Consistently use appropriate ways of speaking and writing that vary based on
purpose, audience, and subject matter.
Identify the main ideas, point of view, and fact/fiction in broadcast and print
media.
Speak clearly and comprehensibly using Standard English grammatical forms,
sounds, intonation, pitch and modulation.
WORD ANALYSIS
Concepts of Print, Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary and Concept Development
Beginning
Recognizes English phonemes that correspond to phonemes students already
hear and produce while reading aloud
Early Intermediate
While reading orally, recognize and produce English phonemes that do not
correspond to phonemes students already hear and produce (e.g., “a” in cat and
final consonants).
Intermediate
Pronounce most English phonemes correctly while reading aloud.
Early Advanced
Apply knowledge of common English morphemes in oral and silent reading to
derive meaning from literature and text in content areas.
Advanced
Apply knowledge of word relationships, such as roots and affixes to derive
meaning from literature and texts in content areas.
Phonemic Awareness, Decoding, and Word Recognition
Beginning
Recognizes sound/symbol relationships in own writing.
Early Intermediate
Recognize common English morphemes in phrases and simple sentences
(e.g., basic syllabication rules and phonics).
Intermediate
Pronounce most English morphemes in phrases while reading aloud.
Use common English morphemes in oral and silent reading.
Early Advanced
Apply knowledge of common English morphemes in oral and silent reading to
derive meaning from literature and texts in content areas.
Advanced
Apply knowledge of word relationships, such as roots and affixes to derive
meaning from literature and texts in content areas.
READING
Fluency and Systematic Vocabulary Development
Beginning
Read aloud simple words in stories or games (e.g., nouns and adjectives).
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Respond appropriately to some social and academic interactions (e.g.,
simple question/answer, negotiate play).
Early Intermediate
Apply knowledge of content related vocabulary to discussions and reading.
Read simple vocabulary phrases and sentences independently.
Use knowledge of English morphemes, phonics, and syntax to decode and
interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words in simple sentences.
Demonstrate internalization of English grammar, usage, and work choice by
recognizing and correcting some errors when speaking or reading aloud.
Read own writing of narrative and expository text aloud with some pacing,
intonation, and expression.
Early Advanced
Use knowledge of English morphemes, phonics and syntax to decode and
interpret the meaning of unfamiliar words.
Recognize words that sometimes have multiple meanings in literature and
texts in content areas (e.g., present (gift), present (time).
Use some common roots and affixes when attached to known vocabulary.
Recognize simple analogies and metaphors in literature and texts in content
areas (e.g., “fly like a bird”).
Use decoding skills and knowledge of academic and social vocabulary to
achieve independently reading.
Use some common idioms in discussions and reading (e.g., “scared silly”).
Read increasingly complex narrative and expository texts aloud with
appropriate pacing, intonation and expression.
Advanced
Apply knowledge of common roots and affixes when attached to known
vocabulary.
Recognize that words sometimes have multiple meanings and apply this
knowledge consistently.
Apply this knowledge of academic and social vocabulary to achieve
independently reading.
Use common idioms, some analogies and metaphors in discussion and
reading.
Use a standard dictionary to determine measuring of unknown words.
Read narrative and expository text aloud with appropriate pacing, intonation,
and expression.
Reading Comprehension
Comprehension & Analysis of Grade-Level Appropriate Text
Beginning
(blank)
Early Intermediate (blank)
Intermediate
Use detailed sentences to orally respond to comprehension questions about
written text (e.g., “The brown bear lives with his family in the forest.”).
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Read and identify text features such as titles, table of contents, chapter
headings, diagrams, charts, glossaries, and indexes in written texts.
Read and use detailed sentences to orally identify main ideas and use them
to make predictions and provide supporting details for predictions made.
Early Advanced
Describe main ideas and supporting details of a text.
Generate and respond to comprehension questions related to the text.
Describe relationships between text and their experience.
Advanced
Use resources in the text (such as ideas, illustrations, titles, etc.) to draw
inferences, conclusions, and to make generalizations.
Comprehension
Beginning
Respond orally to stories read to them by answering factual comprehension
questions, using one- or two word responses (e.g., “brown bear”). Orally
identify relationship between simple text read to them and their own
experience using key words and/or phrases. Understand and follow simple
one-step directions for classroom or work-related activities.
Early Intermediate
Read and listen to simple stories and demonstrate understanding by using
simple sentences to respond to explicit detailed questions (e.g., “The bear is
brown.”)
Read and orally identify relationships between written text and their own
experience using simple sentences.
Understand and follow simple two-step directions of classroom or workrelated activities.
Intermediate
Read and use more detailed sentences to orally describe relationships
between text and their own experiences.
Understand and follow some multi-step directions for classroom-related
activities.
Early Advanced/Advanced
Locate and identify the function of text features such as format, diagrams,
charts, glossaries, and indexes.
Comprehension and Analysis of Appropriate Text
Beginning
Identify the basic sequences of events in stories read to them, using key
words or pictures.
Identify the main idea in a story read aloud using key words and/or phrases.
Point out text features such as title, table of contents, and chapter headings.
Early Intermediate
Orally identify the basic sequence of written text using simple sentences.
Read and orally identify the main ideas and use them to draw inferences
about written text using simple sentences.
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Read and identify basic text features such as title, table of contents, and
chapter headings.
Intermediate
Read and orally identify examples of fact/opinion and cause/effect in
literature and content area texts.
Early Advanced
Describe main ideas and supporting details of a text.
Generate and respond to comprehension questions related to the text.
Describe relationships between text and their experience.
Advanced
Use resources in the text (such as ideas, illustrations, titles, etc.) to draw
inferences, conclusions, and to make generalizations.
VI. Oral Language/Reading/Writing Skills
 Use complete sentences to communicate oral and written ideas
 Demonstrates respectful listening when others are speaking
 Use capitals and correct punctuation in writing
 Use writing process
 Guess the storm’s game (name of storm taped to student’s back)
 Student tries to guess storm by asking another student questions which can only
 be answered with yes or no.
 Imaginative writing – “A Trip Through a Storm”
 Create a jump rope rhyme about a “Wicked Weather” system and share with the
class
 Journaling
 Read charts, poems, stories, and student writings
 Tell the story of the narrative input chart
VII. Math/Science/Social Studies Skills
 Drawing conclusions
 Making inferences
 Predicting
 Scientific observations
 Cause and effect relationships
 Problem solving
 Sorting and classifying pictures of “Wicked Weather” storms
 Process grid
 Graphic organizer
 Classification of storms
 Compare/contrast two “Wicked Weather” storms
VIII. Resources and Materials
Videos:
The Magic School Bus (Inside a Hurricane)
Bill Nye the Science Guy
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Books:
A Day in the Life of a Meteorologist, Troll Associates
Blizzard, C. Lampton
Blizzards!, Lorraine Jean Hopping
Clouds, Rourke
Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Books – Weather, Brian Cosgrove
Drought, Catherine Chambers
Earth Science, Instruction Fair, Inc.
Eye of the Storm, Chasing Storms with Warren Faidley, Stephen Kramer
Flash, Crash, Rumble, and Roll, Franklyn M. Branley
Hurricanes, Sandra Markle
Kids Discover Magazine – Hurricanes
Kids Discover Magazine – Rain and Snow
Quinto’s Volcano, Aileen Friedman
Rain, Hail, and Snow, Trudi Strain Trueit
Sunshine Makes the Seasons, Franklyn M. Branley
Storms, Seymour Simon
Storm Warning, Walter Buehr
Storms and Hurricanes, Kathy Giemmel
The Great Johnstown Flood, Lisa Norby
The Science Book of Weather, Ardley
The Sky-Watchers, Patricia Bacher
Thunder and Lightning, David Cutts
Thundercake, Patricia Polacco
Twisters!, Kate Hayden
Weather, Milliken Publishing (Teacher Resource)
Weather, William J. Burroughs, et al.
Weather & Climate, Fiona Watt & Francis Wilson
Weather Forecasting, Gail Gibbons
Weather: What does a Meteorologist Do?, Compton
When a Storm Comes Up, Allan Fowler
Websites:
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/hurrican/tour.html
www.nss.noaa.gov
www.nsslnoaa.gov/edu/lessons
http://weathereye.kgan.com/expert/blizzard/index.html
http://www.weather.com/encyclopedia/winter/blizzard.html
http://www.ussartf.org/blizzards.htm
http://www.oars.utk.edu/volweb/Schools/sumnercs/ellism/mel.htm
http://nsidec.org/snow/blizzards.htm.
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/
http://www.weather.com
http://www.drought.unl.edu
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Project GLAD
Santa Ana Unified School District
WICKED WEATHER
Level 5
PLANNING PAGES
I. FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Poetry/Chants
 Important Book About The Weather
 Observation Charts
 Picture File Sort (weather systems: hurricane, tornado, blizzard, thunderstorm,
drought, wave surge)
 Inquiry Chart
 Meteorologist Awards
II. INPUT
 Water Cycle Pictorial
 Hurricane Pictorial
 Tornado Pictorial
 World Map-Depicting location of storm systems
 U.S. Map – Depicting location of storm systems
 Read Aloud –TBD
 Comparative Pictorial – Hurricane/Tornado
 Narrative Input Chart – based on hurricanes
 10-2 Lecture with primary languages
 Graphic Organizer – Weather systems
III. GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 T-Graph for Social Skills – cooperation
 Poetry, Chanting – modeling & highlighting
 Daily Oral Processing of Charts
 Picture File Cards – negotiations
 Personal Interaction
 Process Grid: Graphic organizer on weather systems
 Sentence Patterning Chart
 Story Map
IV. READING/WRITING ACTIVITIES
A. Whole Class:
 Group Frame – Poetry/ Narrative
 Co-op Strip Paragraph – Expository
 Model Editing Process
 Primary Language Group Frame
 Story Mapping
 Poetry Frames
B. Flexible and Cooperative Groupings
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Planning Pages
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



Sentence Patterning Chart with word cards
Ear to Ear Reading with Poetry Booklets
Group Co-op Strip Paragraph
Team Tasks: Pictorials, Narrative, Story Map, Sentence Patterning Chart,
Graphic Organizers, Cognitive Content Dictionary, Flip Chant
 Expert Groups
 Flip Chants
 Flexible Groupings of EL differentiation, primary language, reading
instruction, skill reinforcement
C. Individual Work
 Learning Logs
 Interactive Journals
 Reading/Writing choices: stickies in books, Picture File Cards, add to
charts, make word cards, highlight charts, focused reading, poetry booklet,
flip chants
D. Writer’s Workshop
 Mini Lessons
 Plan, share, write, revise, edit, publish
 Conferencing, Author’s Chair
V. EXTENDED ACTIVITIES
 Have students discuss which region of the United States they would like to live
based on a particular weather system
 Students create their own Big Book About Storm Chasing
 Write a play about living in Tornado Alley
 Write a poem about the different weather systems
 Measurement activities involving weather tools for snow and rain accumulation
 Graph weather conditions in different regions of the United States
 List, label, group picture file cards for further comprehension
 Students create a puppet show to illustrate their learning, in which they perform
for First grade
 Write and illustrate an expository text from a meteorologist’s point of view on a
certain weather system
 Compose a “Bugaloo”
 Add to the poem “Yes, Ma’am’
 Color pictures on Pictorial Input Chart
 Take a tour of local news station, exploring the weather department
VI. CLOSURE/EVALUATION
 Formative assessments: (much of this is informal and some of the guided
experiences can be used as a type of assessment also)
 Revisit the Inquiry Chart
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 Students do individual “Quick Writes” indicating all they can about weather
systems, why energy from the sun heats the earth unevenly, how to use weather
maps
 Students individually make an extreme weather web (‘storm system’ in the
center). The students write or sketch all they have learned about that system
 Students write or draw all they have learned about the unit
 Students choose a region of the United States and write a weekly weather
forecast
 Students create a storm safety poster
 Students choose a weather condition and write a research repost
 Multiple choice (end of chapter tests)
 Expository passages with comprehension questions
 Students give a report on safety during extreme weather conditions
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Project GLAD
Santa Ana Unified School District
WICKED WEATHER
Level 5
SAMPLE DAILY LESSON PLANS
DAY 1
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Personal Standards/Meteorologist Awards
 Cognitive Content Dictionary with signal word
 Observation Charts
 Inquiry Chart
 Big Book – “The Important Book About Weather”
INPUT
 Pictorial Input Chart – Angle of Insolation & Sun’s Rays/World Map – 10-2
 Pictorial Water Cycle – 10-2
 Chant – The Water Cycle
 Pictorial – Hurricane – 10-2
 10-2 Primary Language
 Learning Logs
-Describe 3 factors that interact to cause weather
-Sketch or write about the water cycle
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 T-graph for Social Skills/Team Points
 Picture File Sort Activity; list, group, label
 Team Exploration Report – What picture does your team find the most scientific?
Record team’s observations. Record any questions and/or predictions.
 10-2 Primary language
 Poetry/Chant
INPUT
 Narrative Input Chart
 Personal Interaction
-Have you ever experienced a violent storm?
-How did you feel?
-What was the like?
-Did it cause damage?
READING/WRITING
 Flexible group reading
 Primary Language review
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Sample Daily Lesson Plan Pages
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 Writer’s Workshop
-mini lesson
-how to get started
-planning and sharing
-writing choices
-Author’s chair
CLOSURE
 Poetry/Chants
 Home/School Connection #1
-Interview a family member who has been in a violent storm.
DAY 2
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Cognitive Content Dictionary with signal word
 Review Home/School Connection
 Poetry – highlight words
 Read Aloud
 Super Scientist Awards
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 Review Angle of Insolation/Water Cycle Pictorial Input Chart with word cards
 Poetry/Chant
 Review Hurricane Pictorial Input Chart with word cards
 ELD Review
INPUT
 Narrative Input Chart – Review with word cards and speech bubbles
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 Sentence Patterning Chart
-Reading
-Trading
-Flip Chant
READING/WRITING
 Review T-Graph for Social Skills/Team Points
 Flexible Group Reading
-Expert Groups: tornadoes, blizzards (guided reading strategies &
study skills)
 Learning Log – sketch and label 3 scientific facts about hurricanes
 Team Tasks
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Sample Daily Lesson Plan Pages
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-Team Cognitive Content Dictionary
-Team Pictorial-Angle of Insolation
-Team Pictorial-Water Cycle
-Team Exploration Report
-Team Sentence Patterning Chart
 Process Grid
CLOSURE
 Interactive Journal
 Poetry/Chants
 Home/School Connection #2
-With help of family, call weather station and find data (information)
on average relative humidity for your area during different seasons.
DAY 3
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Cognitive Content Dictionary with signal word
 Process Home/School Connection
 Read Aloud
INPUT
 Mind Map on Hurricanes
READING/WRITING
 Narrative Review with Story Map
 Team Tasks – Add the following:
-Team Story Map
-Team Mind Map
-Team Flip Chant or Found Poem
 Flexible Reading Groups
-Complete Expert Groups – Tornadoes and Blizzards
-Clunkers and Links
 Process Grid
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
 Poetry/Chants
READING/WRITING
 Cooperative Strip Paragraph from Process Grid
-Expository
-Respond
-Revise
-Edit
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Sample Daily Lesson Plan Pages
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 Writer’s Workshop
-Mini lesson
-Model planning and sharing
-Writing Choices
-Author’s Chair
CLOSURE
 Home/School Connection #3
-Interview a member of your family or a friend. Do they remember
any sayings, superstitions or stories about the weather.
 Poetry/Chants
DAY 4
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Cognitive Content Dictionary with signal word
 Read Aloud - Primary Sources
 Revisit Process Grid/Input charts
 Poetry/Chants – highlight vocabulary
INPUT
 Challenge Question (integrating math)
-Storms and Lightning
-Every day, an average of 45,000 storms occur across the Earth’s
surface. How many storms occur in one year.
-Lightning can occur with or without a thunderstorm. Lightning
strikes somewhere in the United States about 50 million times a
year. On the average, how many times does lightning strike the
United States each year?
 Personal Interaction – What career in weather might interest you? Why?
READING/WRITING
 Coop. Strip Paragraph
-Review, model responding, editing
 Team Tasks – Add the following:
-Team Coop. Strip Paragraph
 Flexible Group Reading
-Coop. Strip Paragraph
-ELD Group Frame
 Ear to Ear Reading, Poetry Book
 Listen and Sketch
 Read the Walls – Personal Cognitive Content Dictionary
 Process Inquiry Chart
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Sample Daily Lesson Plan Pages
Pg. 5
CLOSURE
 Team Presentations
 Process the week
 Letter home to parents
 Choral reading of Poetry/Chants
 Home/School Connection #4
-Get a weather map from a newspaper. Explain four features of the
map to your family.
DAY 5
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
 Read Aloud – Native American Legend of “Red at Night”
 Total Class – Story Map of legend
INPUT
 Greenhouse effect and what causes it
 Personal Interaction
-What do you think about the greenhouse effect?
-What can we do to stop the growing holes in the ozone layer?
READING/WRITING
 Team Guided Exploration
-Heating Land and Water
-Obtain the following materials: 2 beakers, sand, water, a
thermometer, a watch/clock, and a bright light bulb (or a sunny
window). Using these materials design an experiment to answer
these questions:
 Which heats up faster: land or water?
 Which one cools down faster?
 Which one holds heat longer?
 Based on the results of your experiment, explain why land and sea
breezes occur.
 Flexible Group Reading
-Processing Literature Circles
-Team Tasks
-Found Poetry
 Writer’s Workshop
-Mini Lesson
-Editing Checklist
-Publishing
-Author’s Chair
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Sample Daily Lesson Plan Pages
Pg. 6
CLOSURE
 Team exploration with rubric
 Personal exploration with rubric
 Evaluate week
 Choral reading of chants
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Project GLAD
Santa Ana Unified School District
WICKED WEATHER
Level 5
BIG BOOKS
The Important Book About Weather
By Linda Carta, Sandy Chung, Judy Barden, Kathy Gomez,
Bianca Barquin, and Pat Ingles
The most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create our
weather patterns.




Have you ever wondered what causes the weather that you and I enjoy every day? If
you think about it, weather plays an important part in our daily lives. When you go to
school you dress according to the weather. If it’s cold, you take a sweater or coat with
you. If it is going to be hot you may wear your uniform shorts instead of pants to school.
Weather also determines what you will eat or will not eat each day. Certain foods are
only available during certain times of the year.
What causes the weather that we enjoy? What about severe storms like hurricanes,
tornadoes, blizzards, and thunder storms? We hear about them on the radio and see
their destruction on TV newscasts every day.
Weather is such an important part of our lives. While you are enjoying a nice spring day
in California, other areas of the United States are experiencing tornado alerts and other
parts of the world are enduring hurricanes or blizzards.
But, the most important think about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create
our weather patterns.
The most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create our
weather patterns.





Without the Sun there would be no weather. It heats the air and keeps it in constant
motion. This is called insolation.
Insolation stands for incoming solar radiation.
When the Sun is high in the sky, the sun’s rays strike the earth directly and it becomes
very hot. But when the sun is rising or setting its heat is spread out over a larger area
and it’s not as hot.
The Earth’s equator receives most of the Sun’s energy because it is directly overhead.
The Earth’s polar regions receive less heat because of angle of the Sun’s rays are lower
and not as direct.
But, the most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create
our weather patterns.
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The most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create our
weather patterns.


Weather is a term that describes the day to day changes that take place in our
atmosphere. Meteorologists record these changes as temperature, humidity,
precipitation, cloud cover, and wind. We feel these changes as cold, heat, wind, rain,
snow, etc.
All of the weather we experience occurs in the lowest layer of the atmosphere. This
layer is called the troposphere, which extends from ground level to between 5 and 10
miles above the Earth’s surface.
But, the most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create
our weather patterns.
The most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create our
weather patterns.






Meteorologists use special instruments to help them gather data on the weather.
Aneroid barometers measure air pressure and thermometers measure
temperature with the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales.
Land based weather stations in all parts of the world help meteorologists gather
measurements of weather patterns.
Ships and radio signals from floating weather buoys report weather conditions
from the oceans of the world.
Out in space weather satellites send back pictures of cloud and temperature
patterns.
All this information is fed into a supercomputer to assist the meteorologist
observe patterns and predict the weather for the next twenty-four hours or up to a
week. It also helps them spot potential severe storms that could cost lives and
destroy property.
But, the most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create
our weather patterns.
The most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create our
weather patterns.
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



The water cycle plays an important part in creating our weather. Our atmosphere if
full of water that evaporates form oceans, lakes, rivers and transpires, which means
sweats, from trees, grass and other plants.
Clouds form because of the uneven heating of the ground. Warm air rises and as it
rises into the cooler air it slowly cools and the moisture forms clouds.
When the water condenses it forms into different types of clouds that may or may
not shower the ground.
Most of the moisture is vapor and when the air is cool enough it condenses into tiny
droplets of rain, snow, fog or hail.
But the most important thing about the weather is that the Sun’s energy helps create
our weather patterns.
The Important Book of Thunderstorms
Adapted by Judy Barden
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

Thunderstorms are the most common kind of severe storm.

They form in cumulonimbus clouds, called thunderheads.

The storms cause lightning.

The lightning heats the air and causes thunder.

Thunderstorms usually have heavy rains and winds of at least 58 miles per hour (mph).
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

A thunderstorm starts when intense heating causes air to rise very quickly.

A cloud forms where there is an upward rush of heated air, called an updraft.
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
As more and more warm, moist air is carried upward, the cloud grows larger.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

Updrafts can be as strong as 90 mph.

Strong updrafts keep droplets of water and ice crystals in the cloud and they grow in
size.

When the updrafts can’t support them anymore, they fall as heavy rain or hail.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

When the rain falls, it causes downdrafts in the cloud.

When the air going up touches the air going down, it creates static electricity.

When the static electricity builds up, it causes a huge spark.

That huge spark is called lightning.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

Lightning heats the air so rapidly that the air expands suddenly.

The air molecules slam into one another with such force that it makes the loud noise we
call thunder.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
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
Thunderstorms usually form in the warm air just ahead of a cold front.

The cold, dense air wedges under the warm, moist air and causes the warm air to rise
rapidly.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

Thunderstorms can cause floods when the downpour of rain is too quick and heavy for
the earth to absorb the water.

In fact, flash floods from thunderstorms cause more deaths than any other severe
storm.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.

There are 18,000 thunderstorms taking place somewhere in the world each and every
day.

They occur most often in April, May, and June.

In the United States, thunderstorms are more prevalent east of the Rocky Mountains.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
The most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
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
What should you do if you are caught in a thunderstorm? Avoid water, metal, tall trees,
and the high point of the area.

Do not take a bath or shower.

Never ride a bike, push a lawn mower, or play baseball outside.

Stay indoors and stay away from the windows.
But the most important thing about a thunderstorm is that it has visible lightning and
audible thunder.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Tornadoes
By Kathy Gomez
Did you know…
o Tornadoes are one of nature’s most violent storms
o A tornado is a violent rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the
ground.
o Some tornadoes can cause massive destruction.
o The wind speed of a tornado can reach in excess of 250 miles per hour.
o The damage path left by a tornado can be more than a mile wide and 50 miles long.
I just thought you might like to know.
Did you know…
o Before thunderstorms develop, wind directions change and wind speeds increase
causing air in the lower atmosphere to spin horizontally.
o Fast rising air in the thunderstorm tilts the rotating air from horizontal to vertical.
o The vertical rotating air is known as a funnel.
o As the air rushes faster and faster atmospheric pressure surrounding the funnel lowers
and the funnel gets stronger and longer.
o When the funnel touches the ground a tornado is formed.
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I just thought you might like to know.
Did you know…
o Damage from tornadoes comes from strong winds.
o Debris is the biggest threat to living creatures.
o Tornadoes are classified by wind speed (F-0 to F-5) and damage hey cause (light to
incredible destruction) based on the Fujita Scale.
Category:
Wind Speed (mph)
40-70
Damage Level
Light
73-112
Moderate
113-157
Considerate
158-205
Severe
206-260
Devastating
261-318
Incredible
Effect
Broken branches,
chimney damage
Mobilehomes
overturned
Mobilehomes
demolished,
trees uprooted
Roofs and walls torn
down, trains
overturned
Heavy construction
leveled
Entire homes lifted
and carried
considerable
distances
I just thought you might like to know.
Did you know…
o Tornadoes form where dry, cold air masses mix with warm, moist air masses.
o Tornadoes can occur at any time of the year in many parts of the world including
Australia, Europe, Africa and South America.
o Tornadoes are most frequent in the United States in the central plains during spring and
summer.
o States in “Tornado Alley” (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska) are most at risk.
I just thought you might like to know.
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Did you know…
o You must take shelter when a tornado is nearby as they can be deadly.
o You should move to a pre-designated shelter (a basement or interior room).
o You should keep windows closed.
o If you are outdoors, abandon your cars, lie flat in a ditch or ravine, lie face down and
cover your head with your hands.
o If you see injured people, do not move them unless they are in immediate danger. Call
for help right away.
I just thought you might like to know.
Did you know…
o Tornadoes can be detected using a Doppler radar.
o Storm Spotters watch for approaching tornadoes and relay their information to the
National Weather Service.
o Before a tornado hits, the wind may die down or the air may become very still.
o On average, nationwide, 800 tornadoes are reported resulting in over 1,500 injuries and
80 deaths each year.
o Tornadoes can occur just about anywhere.
o On March 18, 1925, the Tri-State tornado passed through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana
killing 695 people along a 219 mile path in approximately three and a half hours. This
was the most deadly tornado on record.
I just thought you might like to know.
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Project GLAD
Santa Ana Unified School District
WICKED WEATHER
Level 5
NARRATIVE INPUT
“Speaking From Experience”
by
Judy Barden and Bianca Barquin
I helped my dad board up all of the windows in our house. I’ve never seen him look so
worried. The wind was starting to pick up and I could hear it howling outside the boarded
windows. Dad ran out one last time to try and find Gracie, who had run off that morning.
I ran outside to try and help Dad and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The sky, as far as one
could see, was filled with dark, ominous clouds. It was so dark that it looked like the middle of
the night even though it was lunchtime. I could hardly see through the sheets of water pouring
around. The winds had pulled our gigantic oak out by its roots, toppling it into the power lines.
Bright sparks illuminated the darkness. At first, I thought it was lightning but then I realized the
sparks were flying from the dangling power line. I knew enough to stay away from the line and
I also knew it wasn’t safe to be outside. I didn’t want to go back into the house without my dad
and Gracie.
In the darkness I could barely make out the outline of our shed, but the roofline was
gone, as was our neighbors. I felt like the howling wind would take me with it and was about to
retreat into the house when Gracie bolted past me. My dad was right behind her and he
swooped me up into his arms and into the house, slamming and bolting the door behind us.
I’ll never forget that fateful day. I was eight years old and my family and I had survived a
category 5 hurricane but my neighbor did not! Ever since that day, I wanted to learn all I could
about wicked weather, especially hurricanes. I wanted to teach my family and community how
to be safe when a hurricane hits.
Did you know that hurricanes are powerful swirling storms with driving rain and winds
that reach 186 miles per hour? Hurricanes form only above tropical seas. The conditions of
heat and moisture are extreme where hurricanes are forming. As the pressure falls rapidly,
strong surface winds are formed as air is sucked in towards the center of the low. At the
center, air speeds up and spirals upward. Massive amounts of water vapor in the rising air
condense and form immense cumulonimbus clouds. S the water vapor condenses; vast
amounts of heat are given out. This energy makes the air rise even faster and also increases
the speed of the surface wind. They are one of the most destructive of nature’s severe storms.
And to me, hurricanes are also the most fascinating.
I’ve been invited to schools, parent club meetings, libraries, and community forums to
teach about hurricane safety. Did you know that it is necessary to board up all windows with
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shudders or pieces of plywood? Remember tape will not prevent windows from breaking. It’s
best to stay indoors and away from window, even when boarded. You and your family should
know your evacuation route and be prepared to follow it if an order is issued. After the storm
has passed, go outside only when necessary. If you need to go outside, it is important to
watch, carefully, for flooded areas, fallen wires, and scattered debris.
As a meteorologist, this part of the work I do. I also forecast the weather for our local
television station. Although it may seem glamorous to be seen on television, I know visiting
groups and speaking about safety is equally important as forecasting the weather.
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WICKED WEATHER
POETRY BOOKLET
Name:
__________________________________________________________
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Severe Weather Yes Ma’am
Is this a thunderstorm?
Is this a thunderstorm?
How do you know?
How do you know?
Where do they hit?
Where do they hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Warm air rising quickly
Thunder and lightning
Texas and Louisiana
Bahamas and Tropics
Is this a blizzard?
Is this a blizzard?
How do you know?
How do you know?
Where do they hit?
Where do they hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Below 20 degrees Fahrenheit
Winds exceed 35mph
Minnesota and Illinois
In the Northeast
Is this a tsunami?
Is this a tsunami?
How do you know?
How do you know?
Where do they hit?
Where do they hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Undersea earthquakes
Undersea eruptions
Japan and the Philippines
Hawaii and Pacific Northwest
Is this a hurricane?
Is this a hurricane?
How do you know?
How do you know?
Give me some examples.
Where do they hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
It has an eye at the center!
It has a huge storm surge!
Typhoon and cyclone
The Atlantic and Pacific
Is this a tornado?
Is this a tornado?
How do you know?
How do you know?
Give me some examples.
Where do they hit?
Where do they hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
It’s a twisting, whirling wind
It’s like a dark, violent vacuum
Twisters and whirlwinds
Mostly over land
Waterspouts over oceans
Is this a drought?
Is this a drought?
How do you know?
How do you know?
What does it do?
What does it do?
Where does it hit?
Where does it hit?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
No rain or humidity
High temperatures and winds
Causes drought and famine
Causes fewer crop yields
South Africa and Asia
New Zealand and Australia
Is this severe weather?
Is this severe weather?
Did you tell me all?
Did you tell me all?
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Yes ma’am!
Original by M. Brechtel
Adapted by L. Carta
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Meteorologist Bugaloo
I’m a meteorologist and here to say
I study the weather everyday.
Sometimes, I read my instruments
Sometimes a map or book
Sometimes with weather satellites, I take a look.
Thermometer, barometer, hygrometer, too
Doing the weather forecasting bugaloo.
I study warm air rising air rising
‘cause its lighter, you see
I watch the cool air falling
‘cause of its density.
Sometimes it causes thunderstorms
Sometimes it results in snow
Sometimes it may be a hurricane
Or even a tornado
Thermometer, barometer, hygrometer, too
Doing the weather forecasting bugaloo.
Original by M. Brechtel
Adapted by L. Carta and S. Chung
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I Know a Storm Tracker
I know a storm tracker,
An inquisitive storm tracker
An inquisitive storm tracker
Who questions the weather.
He flies in an airplane.
She drives a truck.
He enters the eye of a hurricane.
She measures the intensity of the winds.
I know a storm tracker,
An inquisitive storm tracker
An inquisitive storm tracker
Who investigates severe storms.
Written by L. Carta
I Know a Meteorologist
I know a meteorologist,
A busy meteorologist
A busy meteorologist
Who studies the troposphere
She launches huge weather balloons.
He measures water vapor to find humidity.
She tracks the temperature on a thermometer.
He studies air pressure on a barometer.
I know a meteorologist,
A busy meteorologist
A busy meteorologist
Who studies the troposphere.
Written by A. Filipek
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Meteorology Cadence
We just know what we’ve been told,
Meteorology’s worth its weight in gold.
Studying weather here and there,
Forecasting weather everywhere.
Sound off-Meteorology
Sound off-Weather forecasting
Sound off-One, two, three, four I’M COOL!
Tornadoes circle round and round,
Lift those houses off the ground.
On the land, tornadoes we fear.
They move our houses everywhere.
Sound off-Tornadoes
Sound off-Twisters
Sound off-One, two, three, four DUCK LOW!
Hurricanes almost the same,
Circle-round with a different name.
The difference is quite plain to see,
Hurricanes start out in the deep blue sea.
Sound off-Hurricanes
Sound off-Cyclone
Sound off-one, two, three, four RUN FAST!
Written by M. Brechtel
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Meteorologists
Meteorologists here, meteorologists there
Meteorologists, meteorologists everywhere.
Brave meteorologists investigating
Intelligent meteorologists researching
Observant meteorologists forecasting
And studious meteorologists recording
Meteorologists in the eye of the hurricane
Meteorologists at the university
Meteorologists during the newscast
And meteorologists on the weather map
Meteorologists here, meteorologists there
Meteorologists, meteorologists everywhere.
METEOROLOGISTS! METEOROLOGISTS! METEOROLOGISTS!
Adaptation by
S. Chung and L. Carta
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Weather Bugaloo
We’re all meteorologists and we’re here to say,
We study weather patterns every day.
We make observations and check the satellite,
And make our forecast on the news at night.
Storms, clouds, precipitation, too,
Doing the weather bugaloo!
I’m looking up and what do I spy?
Lots of different types of clouds in the sky.
Cirrus clouds are white like a feather,
When they get thicker it means warmer weather.
Storms, clouds, precipitation, too,
Doing the weather bugaloo!
Stratus clouds are gray, layered, and low,
They sometimes can give us rain or snow.
Cumulus clouds are puffy and round,
Soon after you’ve seen them good weather can be found.
Storms, clouds, precipitation, too,
Doing the weather bugaloo!
Some kinds of weather you should know,
Are rain, hail, sleet, and snow.
Hurricanes and tornadoes come on fast,
You’d better stay tuned to your weather forecast.
Storms, clouds, precipitation, too,
Doing the weather bugaloo!
Written by C. Woita
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Name:__________________________________________ Date:___________
Home/School Connection #1
Wicked Weather
Interview a family member or friend who has been in a violent storm. Where
were they? What kind of storm was it? How did they feel? Did it cause
damage?
Parent Comments:
_______________________________
Parent Signature
__________________________
Student Signature
Project GLAD
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Nombre:________________________________________ Fecha:___________
Conexión de hogar y escuela #1
Tiempo
Entreviste a un miembro de su familia o a un amigo que ha tenido la
experiencia de estar en una tormenta violenta. ¿Causó la tormenta mucho
daño?
Commentarios de los padres:
_______________________________
Firma de padres
__________________________
Firma del estudiante
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Name:__________________________________________ Date:___________
Home/School Connection #2
Wicked Weather
Interview a member of your family or a friend. Do they remember any sayings,
superstitions, or stories about the weather? Have them tell you. Write down the
story.
Parent Comments:
_______________________________
Parent Signature
__________________________
Student Signature
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Nombre:________________________________________ Fecha:___________
Conexión de hogar y escuela #2
Tiempo
Entreviste a un miembro de su familia o a un amigo/a. ¿Se recuerdan ellos de
algunos dichos, supersticiones, o cuento del tiempo? Pídele que te los cuenten.
Escribelo en esta hoja.
Commentarios de los padres:
_______________________________
Firma de padres
__________________________
Firma del estudiante
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Name:__________________________________________ Date:___________
Home/School Connection #3
Wicked Weather
Get a weather map from a newspaper (or the teacher). Explain four features on
the map to your family. Write down their reaction or what they learned from your
explanation.
Parent Comments:
_______________________________
Parent Signature
__________________________
Student Signature
Project GLAD
Wicked Weather - Level 5 CA
Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
50
Nombre:________________________________________ Fecha:___________
Conexión de hogar y escuela #3
Tiempo
Busca en el periódico un mapa del tiempo (o de la maestro). Explícale cuatro
características en el mapa a tu familia. Escribe su reacción o sobre lo que
aprendieron.
Commentarios de los padres:
_______________________________
Firma de padres
__________________________
Firma del estudiante
Project GLAD
Wicked Weather - Level 5 CA
Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
51
Expert Pages
Blizzards
Description
A blizzard isn’t just a bad snowstorm; it is a heavy snowstorm with blowing winds
that are above 35 miles per hour and lasts at least three hours. Blizzards blow tons of snow
into the air and can cause dangerous whiteout conditions. This means that there is so much
snow falling and blowing around that you cannot tell where the ground ends and the sky
begins. Snow is measured the old-fashioned way, with a ruler or yardstick. Snow pillows
collect snow so that the weight of it can be records.
Cause
In winter, Artic air masses sweep into the United States from Canada. The air masses
can travel as fast as a speeding car. At the same time, warm air masses enter the United
States from the south. They are full of moisture. The cold and warm air swirl around each
other which leads to the production of snow.
Effect
When the two air masses crash, there is a winter storm. That means cold
temperatures, wind, and snow. The temperature drops as the Artic air pushes the warm air out
of the way. The two types of air blow around each other. The lighter warm air rolls over the
heavy, cold air. We feel this moving, shoving, swirling air as wind. As the wet, warm air cools
off the clouds begin to shrink. This process is similar to squeezing a wet sponge. These
shrunken clouds can’t hold as much moisture.
The result is snowflakes or ice crystals, and when they are accompanied by high
winds the result is a blizzard.
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Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Where it Occurs
Blizzards are common in Canada and north central United States. They also occur
throughout northern Europe and Russia. They are more common on mountains and in the
Polar Regions, but they can sometimes occur in warm climates.
Safety Rules
When blizzards occur it is usually very cold and windy outside. For this reason, people
sometimes use space heaters and they need to be very careful with them. If there is not heat,
either because there is no electricity due to the blizzard or if it breaks down, a wise thing to do
is to close the doors of the unneeded rooms to reserve whatever remaining heat there is.
Then, it would be a good idea to wear layers of loose fitting, lightweight clothing. It is very
important to have a reserve of food and water to prevent dehydration.
Interesting Facts
In 1977, a blizzard occurred in Buffalo, New York. The snow drifts were over 30 feet
high. The drifts were so high that deer escaped from the zoo. They just walked over a snow
covered fence. When the snow from a blizzard begins to melt, there can sometimes be
dangerous flooding that can hurt people and ruin their property.
Another interesting fact is that the snow on mountains can cause a major hazard. If all
the snow falls on the top of a mountain, the snow can start to slide or fall down a slope causing
an avalanche. The snow can travel faster than a speeding train. Skiers, climbers and others
can get caught in an avalanche and get buried underneath the snow.
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Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Expert Pages
Thunderstorms
Description
Technically, a thunderstorm occurs when it has visible lightning and audible thunder.
Thunderstorms are the most common kind of severe storms. Tremendous amounts of energy
are released in the torrential rain, strong winds, thunder and lightning that accompany
thunderstorms. The most energetic storms may create hail, or even tornadoes.
Thunderstorms usually have heavy rains and winds of at least 58 miles per hour (mph).
Thunderstorms carry the sun’s energy from the surface into the cooler upper reaches of
the atmosphere. Without this “convective heat transport” it is estimated that the mean, or
average, temperature of the earth would increase by over 20 degrees Fahrenheit, making
many areas of the planet uninhabitable.
Cause
A thunderstorm starts when intense heating causes air to rise very quickly. A cloud
forms where there is an upward rush of heated air, called an updraft. Updrafts can be as
strong as 90 miles per hour. Strong updrafts keep droplets of water and ice crystals.
Thunderstorms form in cumulonimbus clouds, called thunderheads. The storms cause
lightning. The lightning heats the air and causes thunder. As more and more warm, moist air is
carried upward, the cloud grows larger.
Effect
When water droplets and ice crystals in the clouds bump together and break up as they
rub against each other in the strong currents of air. This action builds up positive electrical
charges at the top of the clouds and negative charges at the base. When the charge at the
base of the cloud gets to a certain strength, electrical energy is released and passes through
the air to another point with the opposite charge, such as the ground. When the droplets
become large enough, rain or hail begins to fall in a heavy thunderstorm. The final stage of a
thunderstorm is the most intense. The downpour of rain or hail causes strong downdrafts of
wind. The updraft-down draft combinations called a single storm.
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Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
54
Where it Occurs
Thunderstorms often occur at the end of a hot summer day, when air that has been
warmed by the hot ground rises quickly into the cooling air. There are 18,000 thunderstorms
taking place somewhere in the world each and every day. They occur most often in April,
May, and June. In the United States, thunderstorms are more prevalent east of the Rocky
Mountains.
Safety Rules
If there is no indoor shelter, you need to stay away from high points of the area and
stay away from trees, metal and water. While a thunderstorm is going on you should never
ride a bike, push a lawn mower, or play baseball outside. Stay indoors and stay away from the
windows. Do not take a bath or a shower during a thunderstorm.
Interesting Facts
Each year, there are about 16 million thunderstorms around the world. Every minute,
thousands of newly formed thunderstorms sweep across the earth’s surface and lightning bolts
flash 100 times a second.
In minutes, the cumulonimbus clouds, or thunderheads, may grow several miles wide
and 40,000 or more feet high. Thunderstorms are part of the earth’s air-conditioning system.
They pump heat from the surface high into the atmosphere, where it is released into space
cooling the earth’s surface. Thunderstorms also cleanse the air and carry life-giving water fro
seas and lakes to dry lands.
You can judge the distance of a lightning stroke by timing how long it takes you to hear
the thunder. Count the number between the flash and the thunder. Divide the number of
seconds by five. The number you get is the number of miles away the lightning.
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Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Expert Pages
Tornadoes
Description:
Tornadoes are one of nature’s most violent storms. They are violent rotating columns of
air extending from a thunderstorm in the sky and extend all the way to the ground. Some have
created paths of damage more than a mile wide and more than fifty miles long. Tornado wind
speeds can reach in excess 250 miles per hour. The average lifespan of a tornado is
approximately 15 minutes but they can last up to an hour. Like deadly whirling brooms, they
can sweep away mostly anything in their path.
Cause:
Tornadoes come from energy released by a thunderstorm. As thunderstorms develop, a
change in wind direction along with an increase of wind speed and height create an invisible
horizontal spinning effect in the lower atmosphere. Rising air moving at high speeds within the
thunderstorm, updrafts, tilt the rotating air from horizontal to a vertical. As this happens and as
the atmospheric pressure is lowered the air begins to rush faster and faster. The center of the
funnel is a low pressure area. Air rushes into the column and rises. The air is cooled as it rises
and water vapor condenses for form the familiar funnel shaped cloud. A strong funnel extends
from the cloud and grows downward touching the ground and a tornado is formed.
Effect:
Damage fro tornadoes comes from the strong winds it produces. The biggest threat to
living creatures from tornadoes is from flying debris and from being tossed about in the sky.
Tornadoes are classified by wind speed and damage they cause (Fujita Scale):
Category:
Wind Speed (mph)
Damage Level
Effect
F-0
40-70
Light
F-1
73-112
Considerate
F-3
158-205
Severe
F-4
206-260
Devastating
F-5
261-318
Incredible
Broken
Branches,
chimney damage
Mobile
homes
overturned or pushed
off foundation
Roofs and walls torn
down,
trains
overturned
Heavy
construction
leveled
Entire homes lifted
and
carried
considerable
distances
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Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Where It Occurs:
Tornadoes form where dry, cold air masses mix with warm, moist air masses. Because
of this, they can occur at any time of the year in many parts of the world including Australia,
Europe, Africa, and South America. Tornadoes are most frequently found in the United States
in the central plains states; east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Appalachian
Mountains, especially during the spring and summer months. States in “Tornado Alley” (Texas,
Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska) are most at risk.
Safety Tips:
Take shelter when a tornado is nearby because they can be deadly. Move to a
predesignated shelter such as a basement or move to an interior room or hallway. Keep
windows closed. If outdoors, abandon cars and lie flat in a ditch or ravine face down covering
your head with your hands. After a tornado, watch for broken glass and power lines hat are
down. If you see people are injured, don’t move them unless they are in immediate danger.
Call for help. Pay attention to National Weather Service warnings:
Tornado watch (tornadoes are possible in the area)
Tornado warning (tornadoes have been sighted or are indicated by radar)
Interesting Facts:
Tornadoes can be detected using a Doppler radar. Storm spotters watch out for
approaching tornadoes and relay their information to the National Weather Service. Before a
tornado hits, the wind may die down and the air may become very still. In an average year, 800
tornadoes are reported nationwide resulting in over 1,500 injuries and 80 deaths. No place is
safe from tornadoes. In the late 1980’s, a tornado swept through Yellowstone National Park
leaving a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 foot mountain. The deadliest tornado was
the Tri-State tornado which passed through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana in the United States
on March 18, 1925. In three and half hours it killed 695 people along a 219 mile path.
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Expert Pages
Drought
Description
A drought is when there is an extended period of below-normal rainfall. Although
“normal” rainfall varies from one region to another, droughts occur in almost all the climatic
regions of the world. There are four main types of drought: Meteorological drought, Agricultural
drought, Physiological drought, and Hydrological drought. When we think of droughts, though,
we usually are referring to Meteorological drought in which there is below average
precipitation, or rainfall. During the time of drought, the land turns arid and vegetation or plant
life may not have enough moisture to support life or growth. Droughts do not just occur when it
is hot out; cold winters with little precipitation or snow fall, can also be a period of drought.
Cause
Drought has many causes. A lack of rainfall is one obvious cause. A lack of snowfall
may also be a cause. Another cause of drought is when there is not enough water supply to
meet everyone’s needs. In order to understand why drought occurs, it is important to
understand both weather and climate. Winds cause weather patterns to move around the
Earth and over time, those patterns become a “routine” creating what we call “climate”.
Sometimes, patterns change and cause unusual weather with some areas getting more
precipitation than expected, and in the case of a drought, far less precipitation than expected.
Effect
The effects of drought are far reaching and severe affecting environments, economies
and societies. Common consequences are wildfires or bushfires, “desertification”, loss of
agricultural production, disease, thirst, famine, social unrest or upheaval, threats to public
safety, migration or relocation of those impacted (people and wildlife), and war. Not all places
experiencing drought conditions share the same effects. Although the United States may deal
with economic impacts, it does usually suffer from food shortages. Prices may go up, but
people are not starving. Other countries, however, do experience severe food shortages
resulting in famine and malnutrition.
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Where It Occurs
Drought occurs all over the world. There have been many droughts affecting the United
States and North America. “The Dust Bowl” was a series of droughts affecting the U.S. and
Canada during 1930-1937. Many areas were depopulated because people fled to other places
because the conditions were so dire. China, India, Ukraine and Volga Regions of the former
Soviet Union also had very severe droughts during the early 20 th century. Presently, there are
significant drought conditions in Australia and China.
Safety Rules
Everyone is vulnerable to drought conditions and their effects. The safety rules are
more preventative or proactive than reactive. It is important to monitor and observe rainfall
and compare that to the needs of the people in that area. People, who may be affected by
famine, may need to relocate and stockpile medicine to prevent famine related illness.
Conserving water through rain water harvesting helps maintain agriculture. Creative planning
like growing crops not requiring much water in areas more susceptible to drought is also
something to consider.
Interesting Facts
There have been several significant droughts that occurred during the 20 th century. In
1936, the worst drought in modern history happened in Sichuan Province, China. 34 million
farmers were displaced, forced to move, and 5 million people starved to death. Presently,
Australia is experiencing drought. Although it typically has low rainfall, there have been major
deficiencies of precipitation across much of Australia. In response, the government has placed
heavy restrictions on water usage and some places even import water from other countries.
China is again experiencing severe drought. Two thirds of all rivers have dried up and many
people and cattle are facing water shortage. Because the temperature was high, people used
air conditioning more straining the electricity supply.
Wicked Weather - Level 5 CA
Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Wicked Weather - Level 5 CA
Santa Ana Unified School District - Project G.L.A.D (02/07 JB)
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Project GLAD
Wicked Weather
Process Grid
Severe
Weather
Description
Cause
Effect
Where it
occurs
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Blizzards
Drought
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Safety
Tips
Interesting
Facts