12.2.2010 Reflection

Today I taught the first part of the tornado lesson.  I started with a KWL chart and discussion about what the students knew about tornadoes and what they wanted to learn. 

Know

• Moves from side to side
• Spin at least 300 mph
• Big giant vacuum
• Can such up anything in its path
• Most happen in OK
• Can be deadly
• Mini tornadoes inside big tornado
• Could be right next to it and won’t suck you up
• Sometimes can last a whole day

Want to Know

• What they are made out of
• How many have been recorded in the last few years
• Could it suck up a little tiny island

After we discussed what they knew about the tornadoes and what they wanted to know, I played a video about tornadoes for them from BrainPop website.  After the video,  I had them all gather around the back of the room and we read a book together called, Aunt Minnie and the Twister.  It was about an old aunt Minnie who looked after her nine nieces and nephews.  They lived on a farm and were hit by a tornado, and after the tornado they had to all pull together with their neighbors to fix up the damage that the tornado had done to the farm. 

After reading the story we discussed the story and talked about how everyone came together to help after the tornado.  I also showed them a map of tornado alley in the United States and read some facts to them about tornado alley, and then I had them all go back to their seats and they were given maps of the United States and I had them color the sections that were tornado alley so that they could put this in their weather folder. 

I wrapped up the lesson with a discussion about what we are going to do during the second half of this lesson, which is to read a short handout about tornadoes together, conduct a tornado in a bottle experiment, finish coloring in our maps and complete the KWL chart. 

I think that the lesson went well, the students seemed to be interested in it, and I brought some books from the library about tornadoes that they could keep in their classroom for a week or so while we finish the lesson. I tried to include discussion between each segment of the lesson, but I think that I need to work on developing questions, or using thinking maps.