A.

Complete the Tornado Alley activity utilizing the worksheet. Use the worksheet to guide your conclusions and class discussion.

B.

Conduct your research - you may use your Science text book, especially pages D75 D77. In computer lab, use these websites to help you research.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/forces-of-nature-kids/tornadoes-101-kids/ http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-tornado.htm http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/ (temporarily unavailable) http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/thunderhome.html (temporarily unavailable) http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/weather/tornado.html http://skydiary.com/kids/tornadoes.html

Use your research to answer these questions in report form. 1. Find out about the weather conditions that cause tornadoes to form. Use any sources that may be helpful. Make sure to write down what you learn to use in composing your report. 2. Research the climate in the Central Plains region of the United States. What are the weather conditions like there during the spring and early summer? 3. Why do you think tornadoes are common in the central Plains region? 4. Compare the climate where you live to the climate in the Central Plains region. Are tornadoes common where you live? Why or why not? Your report structure (3 total paragraphs): Your first paragraph should talk about weather conditions that cause tornadoes to form. Your second paragraph should talk about the climate in the Central Plains region and how the climate conditions there affect the formation of tornadoes. Your third paragraph should talk about the climate in NC and how that is the same or different from the Central Plains region. Discuss whether you think that tornadoes are common here and link your thoughts to our climate.