Hurricane Season, Grades 6-8
Learn How Hurricanes Are Formed, Tracked and Affected by Global Warming
Lesson Plans
- Hurricanes Background (
PDF, 133 KB, 7 pgs.)
In this unit, students in grades K-8 learn hurricane science and safety. Saffir-Simpson and Beaufort Wind scales are explained. - Hurricane!Students in grades 6-8 learn how wind speed and water depth influence wave height.
- Response and Recovery ( PDF, 405 KB, 12 pgs.)
Students in grades 6-8 build “hurricane” resistant houses and formulate disaster response plans. - Hurricanes as Heat EnginesStudents in grades 6-12 examine authentic sea surface temperature data to explore how hurricanes extract heat energy from the ocean surface.
Additional Lessons
Activities
Hurricane Applet – Atlantic
Drag the hurricane and see the effect of sea surface temperature.
- Hurricane Bingo (Grades 5-12)
- The Surge of the Storm (Grades 5-12)
- Exploring Latitude and Longitude (Grades 6-8)
- Making, Using, and Understanding a Barometer (Grades 6-8)
- Make Your Own Anemometer (Grades 6-8)
- Create-a-Cane
- Aim a Hurricane
Background Resources
- How Do Hurricanes Form?
Tropical Twisters - NOAA - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Hurricane Center - NASA's Hurricane Resource Page
- Storm Surge Overview
- Global Warming and Hurricanes
Printables
- The Anatomy of a Hurricane ( PDF, 777 KB, 1 pg.)
- Atlantic Basin Hurricane Tracking Chart ( PDF, 906 KB, 1 pg.)
- Eastern Pacific Hurricane Tracking Chart - National Hurricane Center ( PDF, 290 KB, 1 pg.)
- The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale
Animations & Video
Animations
- Evolution of a Hurricane
- CBS News Hurricane Animation
- Hurricane Katrina IR Animation
- Animation of Hurricane Katrina's lifespan
- Storm Surge Animations from NOAA's SLOSH model
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