A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that forms underneath a thunderstorm and makes contact with the ground. Here's a breakdown of what makes a tornado:

• Connection: It's attached to the base of a strong thunderstorm cloud, usually a cumulonimbus cloud.

• Rotation: The air within the tornado spins incredibly fast, creating a powerful vortex. Wind speeds can reach up to 300 miles per hour (almost 500 kilometers per hour)!

• Destruction: Tornadoes can cause serious damage to buildings, trees, and anything else in their path. The debris they pick up can also become dangerous projectiles.

TRY THIS TASK! Tornadoes are measured using the  Fujita scale (F scale)
The F-scale ranges from F0 to F5. What does each number represent? For each category (F0, F1, F2, F3, F4, F5), describe the typical kind of damage caused by a tornado of that strength.

Choose ONE real tornado that has happened in the past. Use the internet or library resources to find out he F-scale rating of the tornado, the kind of damage it caused and any interesting facts about the tornado!

ANIMAL AND PLANT CASE STUDIES

On our journey we will visit the Bornean rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef, Japan, the Sahara Desert and Antarctica. We will meet many amazing plants and animals on the way.  Can you produce a case study of a plant or an animal that you are really interested in and show your teacher?