HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. K-Lesson 12Tornadoes are some of the strongest and most dangerous storms on
Earth. Tornadoes have powerful winds that blow heavy things around like
they were feathers. These winds can tear down buildings and fl ip over trucks.
They can even pick up things and drop them miles away.
Tornadoes begin inside of some really big thunderstorms. The strong winds
in the thunderstorm make the air start spinning. The air spins faster and
faster. Then a giant funnel is made. A funnel is shaped like a cone. The funnel
can reach down from the clouds and touch the earth. When this happens,
the funnel can act like a giant vacuum cleaner. It can suck up everything in
its path, even water. Tornadoes have sucked up whole ponds with everything
in them. Later, when the tornadoes let the water go, people have seen fi sh
and frogs falling from the sky.
Sometimes tornadoes seem to skip along the ground. A tornado might
spin near three buildings and hop over the fi rst building without doing any
damage. This building might not be harmed in any way. The tornado might
shake the second building like a rattle. But this building might not be ruined.
Then the strong winds of the tornado might break the third building into
little pieces.
In most parts of the world, tornadoes almost never happen. You may
never be near one. But if a tornado does come near you, you should go to
a basement or cellar, or to a room on the fi rst fl oor that has no windows.
Follow directions very carefully. Grownups will know what to do. One good
thing about tornadoes is that they don’t last very long. Most tornadoes are
over in a few minutes.
COMPREHENSION What words tell you about how strong tornadoes
can be? In what ways are tornadoes different from other kinds of
storms you know about?
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It was the end of the school day. Mr. Powell looked out the window. It was
beginning to snow.
Mr. Powell turned to the class. He said, “It might snow all night long. We
may not have school tomorrow. For homework, I would like you to write
stories about a snow day. You can each turn in your paper when we get back
to school.”
The bell rang and the children went home. The snow was coming down
faster now. When Cora got home, the ground was already covered with snow.
Cora said, “Dad, do you think we will have a snow day tomorrow?”
“I’m not sure. We’ll have to listen to the radio in the morning. Then we can
fi nd out if school will be closed for the day,” said Dad.
Cora told him about her homework assignment. “Our teacher asked us to
write a story about a snow day,” said Cora.
“Do you have any ideas?” Dad asked.
“Not yet,” Cora said.
The next morning, Cora woke up early. She turned on the radio. Dad came
into the room. That’s when they both heard, “No school in Oakville today.”
“All right!” Cora said. “I’m going outside to play in the snow!”
“Just don’t forget your homework assignment,” Dad said quietly.
Cora dressed in warm clothes and went outside. The snow sparkled on the
ground. Cora watched a squirrel run by—its tracks were much smaller than
hers. She walked all around the yard. In one spot, she made a snowman. In
another, she made a snow angel. When Cora began to feel cold, she went
inside and drank hot chocolate with her dad.
Then Cora said, “I’m going to write my story for school now.”
“What will you write about?” asked Dad.
Cora answered with a smile. “My story will be about all the things I did on
this snow day!”
COMPREHENSION What homework assignment does Mr. Powell give to
the class? What words tell you about this assignment? How do you think
Cora feels about the snow day?
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