KS3-4: What are super tornadoes and why are scientists simulating them?

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Suitable for 11-18-year olds (secondary and high schools, and college), this article and accompanying activity sheet can be used in the classroom, geography/computing clubs and at home.

It can also be used as a careers resource and links to Gatsby Benchmarks:
Gatsby Benchmark 2: Learning from career and labour market information
Gatsby Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers

The article includes an explanation of tornadoes and why the USA experiences more than anywhere else in the world, plus an interview with atmospheric scientists Dr Leigh Orf.

The activity sheet includes discussion points - seven questions the students can answer in groups or individually; and atmospheric pressure experiment and links to relevant education resources from the likes of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This resource links to KS3 Geography: Human and physical; Chemistry: Earth and atmosphere; Physics: Atmospheric pressure; and KS4 Geography: Changing weather and climate; Chemistry: Earth and atmospheric science. It is also internationally relevant.

This resource was first published on Futurum Careers, a free online resource and magazine aimed at encouraging 14-19-year-olds worldwide to pursue careers in science, tech, engineering, maths, medicine (STEM) and social sciences, humanities and the arts for people and the economy (SHAPE).

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