Tornadoes!

Gr 2–4—Lightning flashes from a heavy, dark cloud, and dramatic music conveys that a serious event is about to unfold. Warm, humid air, pictured in red arrows, rises from the ground, creating an updraft. Blue arrows represent the downdraft that occurs when warm and cool air meet. The drafts spiral together and create a funnel cloud, called a tornado when it touches the ground. The Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale is named for the scientist who developed the measurement, and the video features artwork of each level of destruction (from EF-0 to EF-5 tornadoes) and notes the corresponding wind speeds, from 65 to more than 200 miles per hour. Areas where most U.S. tornadoes occur are colored yellow on a map—the central states of South Dakota, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas (aka Tornado Alley)—and Florida. Statistics and facts are presented along with Gail Gibbons's finely detailed, bright illustrations. Scenes demonstrate what to do when a tornado approaches. The piece wraps up with soft piano music in the background, and final facts are offered along with useful websites. Sounds of wind and thunder provide a backdrop to the storm sequences.