Materials :
- What Makes the Wind, by Laurence Santrey or another non-fiction book about wind or weather
- 1 tall clear 2 liter soda bottle
- 4 to 6 small balls of aluminum foil
- 1 tsp. of clear liquid soap
- 1 to 2 drops of food coloring
Directions :
- Read your non-fiction book on wind, and pay close attention to the things that will be new to your child (for example, when weather reporters talk about “cold fronts” and “warm fronts” they are talking about large amounts of cold and warm air). Make sure you take time with the illustrations.
- Now it’s time to make your own powerful tornado, start by placing a teaspoon of clear liquid soap in a clear plastic soda bottle.
- Drop 4 to 6 foil balls into the bottle (the balls should be folded and pressed so that they will sink).
- Fill the bottle to the top with water. Add 1 to 2 drops of blue food coloring into the bottle.
- Show your child how to hold the bottle just right so the water swirls to form a tornado. Explain that the swirling effect demonstrates a “real” tornado. The force of the foils at the bottom should keep the water in motion.
- Tell your child that this action resembles the motion set up as circular rotations of air in the atmosphere that forms a tornado.
Credits :
This activity was submitted by teacher-librarian Angela De Silva. It was part of a collaborative effort with Maureen Powell, the 2nd grade teacher at P.S. 272 NYC.
