Developmental Lesson Plan

Teacher Candidate: Nayeli Tapia Date: April 14th

Group Size: 24 Allotted Time: 55 minutes Grade Level: 2nd grade

Subject or Topic: Tornadoes (Inquiry Lesson) (Day 3)

Common Core/PA Standard(s):

3.3K.A.5 Identify seasonal changes in the environment.

Learning Targets/Objectives:
The students will identify seasonal changes in the environment by describing how tornadoes
form and discussing the impact they can have.

Assessment Approaches: Evidence:

1. Partner Discussions 1. Observation
2. Recording Sheet 2. Content of recording sheet
….
Assessment Scale:
Students will be assessed by rubric on a scale of 10/10.
Below Basic: 0-5 (Student doesn’t show knowledge or effort towards labeling the water cycle
in a bag.)
Basic: 5-7 (Student shows some knowledge when labeling the water cycle in a bag. Gets
mostly all correct.)
Proficient: 8-10(Student shows necessary knowledge to label the water cycle in a bag
correctly.)
Subject Matter/Content:
Prerequisites: Students have learned about daylight and length of a day in the previous unit.
Key Vocabulary:
■ Forecast - This is a prediction made by meteorologists of what the weather will be like
in the future.
■ Funnel Cloud - A rotating column of wind that hasn't touched the ground. Funnel
clouds are called tornadoes when they reach the ground.
■ Hail - Frozen precipitation (ice) that forms in mid-latitude thunderstorms.
■ Meteorology - The science that deals with weather.
■ Meteorologist - A scientist who studies the weather (meteorology).
■ Overcast - This is the term used to describe a sky that is covered with clouds.
■ Tornado - A violent, funnel-shaped rotating column of air that has contact with the
earth's surface and is extended from a thunderstorm base.
 ■ Tornado Alley - a phrase used to describe an area in the United States where
tornadoes frequently develop.
■ Tornado Warning - A tornado warning is issued when an actual tornado funnel has
been sighted or detected by weather radar.
■ Weather Map - A map that shows current and future weather conditions for specific
areas. They generally show storms, fronts, temperatures, rain, snow, sleet, fog, etc.

Content/Facts:

● Tornadoes are violent weather events that can cause a lot of damage and loss of life.
● A tornado is sometimes referred to as a cyclone, twister or whirlwind.
● Tornadoes are columns of air that rapidly rotate from the base of a cumulonimbus or
cumulus cloud and make contact with the Earth’s surface.
● When a tornado forms, but doesn’t contact the Earth's surface it’s called a funnel
cloud.
● Tornadoes in the southern hemisphere rotate clockwise and counterclockwise in the
northern hemisphere.
● Tornadoes come in a wide variety of colors. The color is affected by the debris that it
picks up.
● Tornadoes can have wind speeds as low as 65 mph (105 km/h). Powerful tornadoes
can have wind speeds greater than 200 mph (321 km/h).
● The United States experiences more tornadoes annually than any other country.
● Tornado alley is an area in the United States with the highest frequency of tornadoes.
● A tornado watch means the weather conditions are right to support the formation of
a tornado.
● A tornado warning means a funnel cloud, or a tornado touchdown has been reported.
A warning is also issued when meteorologists using Doppler weather radar detect
strong low-level rotation.
● The current Enhanced Fujita Scale measures them from EF0 to EF5. The higher the
number the stronger the tornado.

Introduction/Activating/Launch Strategies: (5 minutes)

- “Welcome back scientists! Oh wait, today we are METEOROLOGISTS! That means we
are going to work hard to study extreme weather. Does anyone remember what we
will be learning about today?”
- Students will say: TORNADOES!
- “That is correct, today we will learn all about tornadoes and how they form along with
the damage they can create. So like always, meteorologists, we are going to need to
put on our thinking caps and make sure they are on tight. We have a lot of learning,
observing and experimenting to do.”
- Teacher will play a youtube video for the student and hand out a “Fact Sheet” about
tornadoes.
- After the video is done, the students will work with a partner to read the fact sheet
 and discuss 2 interesting things they remembered about the video.

Development/Teaching Approaches (40 minutes)

- The teacher will create an anchor chart while reviewing a powerpoint with the
students.
- Teacher will discuss safety tips on tornadoes and hand out a guided worksheet with
safety tips.
- Students will need to fill in the guided notes as the teacher is explaining the different
safety tips when a tornado hits.
- “Please make sure to take the tornado safety tips and glue them into your science
journals along with the tornado fact sheet”
- “Now, what do you all think has to happen in order for a tornado to form?
- Think about it, and share with the person next to you.
- Teacher will walk around and observe students responses
- “Would you meteorologists like to observe a tornado first handedly?”
- Students will answer: “YES!”
- Teacher will have students count off by four creating six groups of 4
- The teacher will distribute necessary materials to complete the experiment.
- “We are going to be forming our very own tornado in a bottle! Now, we have to
remember the important steps to how a tornado is formed. It is up to your group to
figure out if you will be able to create a tornado in a bottle.”
- The teacher will asks students to come up with a prediction of what they think will
happen while trying to conduct their own tornado.
- The students will write their prediction into their science journals
- Then, the teacher will asks the students “Do you think this experiment will work, why
or why not”
- The students will write their answers on a post it note and post it on the black board
under “PREDICTIONS”
- “Remember to complete your worksheets individually with your group while
conducting your experiment. I will walk around to each group if you have any
questions”
- Teacher will assist students. Students will complete their experiment along with the
worksheet.
- After the students are finished, the teacher will ask the students to hand in their
worksheets.
- Then, as an exit slip the teacher will say “Can I have each group explain their
prediction and their final results?”
- Students will say:
- “My group was able to form a tornado by shaking the bottle really fast”
- “Our group was able to form a tornado by creating a vortex”
- “My group was able to form a tornado because we shook the bottle
fast to see it spin”
- “Our group rolled the bottle on the floor in order to create a vortex”
Closure/Summarizing Strategies: (5 minutes)

- “You all did a great job being meteorologists today! Please take a sticky note and ask
any further questions you may have about this lesson and be sure to include a check
mark or an x on the back of the sticky note. A check mark for “I feel confident about
tornadoes” and an x for “I am still confused about tornadoes”. Thank you all for some
amazing predictions and results. I have great news for you all, you will get to be
meteorologists again tomorrow! As we discuss “the eye of the storm”!

Accommodations/Differentiation:
- For ELL students, there will be a translated instructions on the worksheet provided.
- Students may choose to work alone.

Materials/Resources:
- 12 empty liter soda bottles
- 6 tornado tubes
- glitter
- food coloring
- water
- recording sheet
- science journals
- Glossary of Tornado Terms and Meanings | TornadoFacts.net
- Fun Tornado Facts for Kids - Interesting Information about Twisters (sciencekids.co.nz)
- 23 Tornado Facts for Kids, Students and Tornado Enthusiasts (factsjustforkids.com)
- What is a Tornado? - YouTube
- Tornado in a Bottle : Best Weather Science Activity (gosciencegirls.com)

Reflective Response:
Report of Student Learning Target/Objectives Proficiency Levels

Remediation Plan (if applicable)

Personal Reflection Questions

Was my timing okay?

Did the students have enough time to complete each assignment?
How did the interactive reading aloud go?
Were students actively engaged?
How was my tone of voice?
Anchor Chart

From Pinterest
Recording Sheet
Tornado in a Bottle