SEVERE WEATHER

SEVERE WEATHER AND SAFETY LESSON

Directions:

Print the Severe Weather reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

     People need to know what the weather is going to do.  Sometimes severe weather can happen.  Severe weather can cause property damage, injuries to people and animals, and even loss of life.  Three common types of severe weather in the United States are thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes.

     Thunderstorms are happening all the time.  All thunderstorms produce lightning. Lightning is a giant spark of electricity. In the same way that metals are attracted to a magnet, lightning is attracted to the ground. A lightning bolt can be 50,000º F!  The sound of thunder we hear is lightning exploding the air. 

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