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Weather Lab 6-8 / Week 09 / Station Day
6/6
Week 09 · Storms and Staying Safe

Station Day

Station Day: The family plan
// Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and the family plan
⏱ about 20 min

Station Day: The Family Plan

Saturday is calm and bright, the kind of day Nova says is perfect for planning the other kind.

Rocket has set out paper, markers and a flashlight on the lab table. "Supplies for the plan," he says.

Raven reads from the list she copied. "Four questions. How will we get alerts? Where will we shelter? What is our route? How do we reach each other?"

"What do you notice about the questions?" she asks Rocket.

"None of them are about the storm," he says. "They are all about us."

Nova dims her lights to a warm glow. "That is the secret of a good plan," she says. "The storm has its rules. Now your family writes yours."

  1. A thunderstorm needs moisture, unstable air and a lift. One cell lives about 30 minutes, and the mature stage brings its hazards.
  2. A tornado is a rotating column of air from a thunderstorm to the ground. A hurricane is a tropical cyclone with winds of 74 miles per hour or more.
  3. A watch means possible: get ready. A warning means happening: go to the safe place.
  4. When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors, and wait 30 minutes after the last thunder. Turn Around, Don't Drown.
  5. Past storms show patterns, like the April to June tornado peak and the September 10 hurricane peak. Patterns help forecasters say when to be ready.
◇ WRITE THE FAMILY PLAN
Step 1: meet as a family. Answer the four questions: how you get alerts, your shelter plan, your evacuation route and how you reach each other.
Step 2: think about what your household needs, such as medicines, pets, or a family member who needs help moving.
Step 3: write the plan on one page and post it where everyone can see it. Add the safe spot and the walk time from Wednesday.
Step 4: practice it. Walk calmly to the safe spot together. Then check the supplies: water, food, a flashlight, a radio, batteries and a first aid kit.
Finish by deciding who checks the forecast each morning during your area's busiest storm months.
For a grown-up
The four plan questions and the supply list come from the national preparedness site ready.gov. The storm rules come from the National Weather Service at weather.gov.
The basic kit list starts with one gallon of water per person per day for several days. It adds several days of food that does not spoil, a radio, a flashlight, extra batteries and a first aid kit.
Keep the tone practical and calm. The goal is a plan the whole family knows, not worry about any one storm.
PLAN CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Which is one of the four plan questions?
How much water does the basic kit suggest per person per day?
What is the last step of making a plan?
Complete the rule: When Thunder Roars, Go ____. Type one word.
WHY THIS EXERCISEThis is the one rule every family member can remember and act on alone.
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