Download “Storms”

Day
Read Aloud
“Storms”
7
KEY IDEA Storms are alike in that they all have air moving quickly from one
place to another. This article describes seven types of storms: thunderstorms,
snowstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
LEARNING FOCUS
RI.3.1
Students listen closely to ask and answer questions that demonstrate understanding of the text,
referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers.
3 minutes
PREVIEWING THE TEXT
Storms
All storms are alike—they all have air moving quickly from one place to another.
Types of Storms
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms are the most common storms. Huge dark thunderclouds form during
thunderstorms. A lot of rain, and sometimes hail, falls from the thunderclouds.
Who can tell us what this text is going to be about?
How are all storms alike?
Can anyone name the most common type of storm?
CLOSE LISTENING TO THE TEXT
7 minutes
When I read nonfiction, I stop and ask myself questions. I might ask myself questions because
I am confused, curious, or because I just want to be sure I’ve understood what I read. Then
I read on to find the answers. This helps me to read more closely. I will reread the first part of
the text. (Read to the first stopping point.) Who has any questions?
Now I will read on and look for answers to those questions. (Read to the second stopping point.)
Hail forms when raindrops are swept straight down through clouds made of water below
freezing temperature. The raindrops attach to the clouds’ freezing water. When the frozen pellets
become too heavy they fall to the ground as hail.
Lightning often strikes during thunderstorms. Lightning happens between rain clouds or
rain clouds and Earth. When the electrical pressure between the two clouds or clouds and Earth
becomes too great, the air between them breaks down, causing a lightning flash.
MONDO BOOKSHOP GRADE 3 • THEME 3 1
Thunder always follows lightning. After the discharge of electricity, the air around the lightning
expands quickly and then contracts. Currents of air crash into each other, making the noise we
know as thunder.
I noticed the answer to our question in a few sentences. I read that hail is frozen pellets that fall
like rain. Will a volunteer describe hail for us?
Again, keep our questions in mind as we read together. We can add answers to our first
question, What are some other types of storms?
Snowstorms
Snowstorms occur when freezing air meets warm air. When the freezing air collides with a mass
of warm air, the warm air is forced quickly upward, causing a giant bank of clouds to form beneath
it. Snow will fall heavily from the bank of clouds if the temperature is below 40° F.
Tornadoes
A tornado is one of the most dangerous of all storms. A tornado begins as a violent
thunderstorm. Tornadoes look like funnels coming down from the clouds. There is an upward
current of air, called an updraft, along with winds that start to blow in opposite directions. The
winds begin to blow in a circle, getting faster and faster. The winds can spin at speeds of more
than 200 miles per hour.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are similar to tornadoes, but hurricanes always begin at sea. They are powerful,
whirling storms that can be 200–300 miles in diameter. The winds can reach 150 miles per hour.
The calm middle of the hurricane is called the eye. As hurricanes move onto land, they lose some
of their force.
Hurricanes form where the seas are warm. The warm seawater evaporates and is absorbed by
the surrounding air. When this warm air rises, the wind moves under it and air begins to spin in a
column, creating a hurricane.
This text contains a lot of information. Some of it you may know about, like tornadoes and
hurricanes, and some of it may be new. Thinking of questions before we read and pausing to
notice answers and think of other questions give us a purpose for reading. It is a good way to
remember what we read.
DISCUSSING THE TEXT
10 minutes
Who can explain what makes thunder?
Let me reread the paragraph on thunder to find the basis of your answer. The text says,
“Thunder always follows lightning.” This sentence tells us that the two always go together and
are related. The text says, “Currents of air crash into each other, making the noise we know as
thunder.” So your understanding of thunder is really supported by the details in the passage.
When I am going to answer questions on a nonfiction text, I read the question and then go
back in the text to find the answer. I use the text as the basis for my answer.
2 INVESTIGATING WEATHER
Day
Read Aloud
“Storms”
8
LEARNING FOCUSES
RI.3.1, RI.3.4
Students determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases
in a text. In addition, students ask and answer questions that demonstrate understanding of the
text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for answers.
3 minutes
Reflecting on the Text
Let’s review the text “Storms.” Who would like to share what the text was mostly about?
Does anyone else have anything to add?
Now listen closely as I read it again.
Close Listening to the Text
7 minutes
This time as I read the text, think about any unfamiliar words you hear.
Storms
All storms are alike—they all have air moving quickly from one place to another.
Types of Storms
Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms are the most common storms. Huge dark thunderclouds form during thunderstorms.
A lot of rain, and sometimes hail, falls from the thunderclouds.
Hail forms when raindrops are swept straight down through clouds made of water below freezing
temperature. The raindrops attach to the clouds’ freezing water. When the frozen pellets become too
heavy they fall to the ground as hail.
I noticed the word pellets in the section about hail. First, I read the text around it, looking for
clues. I see that “raindrops attach to the clouds’ freezing water.” I know that raindrops are
small drops of water. I think that pellets might be small balls of ice. Making sure I understand
unfamiliar words helps me to better understand what I am reading. Knowing these words can
help me answer questions I have as I read.
When I have trouble reading a word, it’s probably a word I’m not familiar with. I had trouble
with the sentence “Currents of air crash into each other . . .” I’m not sure what currents means.
Who has an idea about what I can do to find out?
Mondo Bookshop Grade 3 • Theme 3 1
Lightning often strikes during thunderstorms. Lightning happens between rain clouds or rain clouds
and Earth. When the electrical pressure between the two clouds or clouds and Earth becomes too
great, the air between them breaks down, causing a lightning flash.
Thunder always follows lightning. After the discharge of electricity, the air around the lightning expands
quickly and then contracts. Currents of air crash into each other, making the noise we know as thunder.
Snowstorms
Snowstorms occur when freezing air meets warm air. When the freezing air collides with a mass
of warm air, the warm air is forced quickly upward, causing a giant bank of clouds to form beneath it.
Snow will fall heavily from the bank of clouds if the temperature is below 40° F.
The text says that they “crash into each other.” This means the air is moving. I remember that
a current in a river is flowing water. I think that a current of air is flowing air. I will try it: Flowing
air crashes into each other. That makes sense!
Tornadoes
A tornado is one of the most dangerous of all storms. A tornado begins as a violent thunderstorm.
Tornadoes look like funnels coming down from the clouds. There is an upward current of air, called an
updraft, along with winds that start to blow in opposite directions. The winds begin to blow in a circle,
getting faster and faster. The winds can spin at speeds of more than 200 miles per hour.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are similar to tornadoes, but hurricanes always begin at sea. They are powerful, whirling
storms that can be 200–300 miles in diameter. The winds can reach 150 miles per hour. The calm
middle of the hurricane is called the eye. As hurricanes move onto land, they lose some of their force.
Hurricanes form where the seas are warm. The warm seawater evaporates and is absorbed by the
surrounding air. When this warm air rises, the wind moves under it and air begins to spin in a column,
creating a hurricane.
Does anyone have any questions or comments?
First, I’ll reread the sentence, “There is an upward current of air, called an updraft, along with
winds that start to blow in opposite directions.” Does anyone see any clues in the sentence to
the meaning of updraft?
Let’s think about what an upward current of air is. Upward means “moving up,” and we know a
current of air is flowing air. Who can use these clues to tell what updraft means?
Great. So figuring out the meaning of this unknown word has really helped us to better
understand how air flows and storms can happen.
Discussing the Text
10 minutes
Who can share a strategy we used to tell the meaning of a word in the text?
Who would like to add another strategy?
Yes, we can also use a dictionary to check a meaning if we are unsure.
Do you have any other questions about vocabulary words or anything else you are confused
about in the text?
Remember the word spiral from our earlier reading. Whirl is a synonym for spiral. Both
tornadoes and hurricanes are whirling storms. The text for tornadoes says, “The winds begin to
blow in a circle. . . .” That is a good definition for whirling.
2 Investigating Weather