Severe Weather Special | News Quiz
Videos
Grades3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8Earth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by PBS
What it is
- This 8-minute episode of a student news program explores how to stay weather aware, covering severe weather and wildfire watches and warnings, the differences between tornadoes and hurricanes, and the types of wind scientists examine when determining a storm's strength alongside a meteorologist.
- Students answer four quiz questions throughout the video as a check for understanding.
Teaching tips
Classroom Implementation:
- Have students record their answers on a piece of paper to keep them engaged until the end of the video; alternatively, pause and discuss answers as a class before the video reveals the answers in the end.
- Follow this video with an activity where students investigate and categorize weather events based on geographical location, prevalence in your local context, and actions for emergency preparation.
Differentiation:
- Provide translations and visuals for key vocabulary terms for multilingual learners and have them practice using this academic language orally or in writing.
- Pause at challenge questions to give developing readers extra time to understand and answer the questions.
Related Resources:
- Use this activity book to explore disaster preparedness with K-5 students.
- Complement this news video with activities from this social-emotional learning climate emotions guide.
From the scientist review
The video briefly explains what a meteorologist is and covers some of the basic weather vocabulary that is often confused, such as watches vs. warnings. It also provides a brief overview of different types of severe weather, such as wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and more. The information presented is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
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