TORNADO IN A BOTTLE (1 Hour)

Addresses NGSS
Level of Difficulty: 3
Grade Range: K-2

OVERVIEW
In this activity, students will learn about tornadoes and simulate one inside a small bottle.

Topic: Severe Weather

Real-World Science Topics:

• An exploration of the movement of vortexes.

Objective
Students will observe and explore of the rotation of tornadoes by simulating a tornado in a bottle.

NGSS Three-Dimensions:
Science and Engineering Disciplinary Crosscutting
Practices Core Ideas Concepts

Analyzing and ESS2.D Weather and Climate Patterns

Interpreting Data • Weather is the combination • Patterns in the natural world
Analyzing data in K–2 builds on of sunlight, wind, snow or can be observed, used to
prior experiences and progresses rain, and temperature in a describe phenomena, and
to collecting, recording, and particular region at a particular used as evidence.
sharing observations. time. People measure these
Cause and Effect
• Analyze data from tests of an conditions to describe and
• Events have causes that
object or tool to determine if record the weather and to
generate observable patterns.
it works as intended. notice patterns over time.
Developing and Using Models ESS3.B Natural Hazards
Modeling in K–2 builds on prior • Some kinds of severe weather
experiences and progresses to are more likely than others
include using and developing in a given region. Weather
models (i.e., diagram, drawing, scientists forecast severe
physical replica, diorama, weather so that the communi-
dramatization, or storyboard) ties can prepare for and
that represent concrete events respond to these events.
or design solutions.
• Use a model to represent
relationships in the natural
world.
Developing and Using Models
Modeling in 3–5 builds on K–2
experiences and progresses to
building and revising simple
models and using models to
represent events and design
solutions.
• Develop models to describe
phenomena.

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Analyzing and
Interpreting Data
Analyzing data in 3–5 builds on
K–2 experiences and progresses
to introducing quantitative ap-
proaches to collecting data and
conducting multiple trials of
qualitative observations. When
possible and feasible, digital
tools should be used.
• Represent data in tables and
various graphical displays
(bar graphs, pictographs
and/or pie charts) to reveal
patterns that indicate rela-
tionships.

Background Information
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air often extending from a thundercloud to the ground. Typically,
a tornado happens in the US when warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico meets cold, dry air from Canada.
The warm air is lifted upward over the cold air because it is less dense than the cold air. As the warm, moist
air rises it becomes saturated (filled with as much moisture as it can hold). This produces a thunderstorm.
Why do some storms become tornadoes? There are some mystery ingredients that scientists don’t entirely
understand, but one important factor is wind shear. Wind shear occurs when winds at varying distances
above the ground blow in different directions or at different speeds. This can cause a column of air to rotate
like a giant rolling pin. A strong, upward wind (updraft) can lift the column of air until it is perpendicular to
the ground and looks like a funnel. When the funnel cloud reaches the ground, it is called a tornado. Tornadoes
don’t always have the look of a funnel, though. They can range in shape from narrow and rope-like, narrow
or fat cylinders, or be cone or wedge-shaped.
Tornadoes have been reported in every continent except Antartica, but the most tornadoes occur in the
United States. Every state has had at least one tornado, but certain states (South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas,
Oklahoma, Texas) have been deemed by the media as “Tornado Alley” due to the frequency of tornadoes
in that area. It is a flat region in the middle of the United States that is between the Appalachians and the
Rocky Mountains. Part of the reason why is a front separating moist Gulf of Mexico air from dry air from the
Southwest (called the dryline) often sits across these states. As stated above, warm moist air meeting cooler
dry air is a recipe for a thunderstorm.

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Tornado Facts:
• Typically, 600-1000 tornadoes are reported in the US every year
• On average, a tornado’s path is 4 miles long and 400 yards wide but can be as long as 100 miles and
as much as a mile wide.
• Tornadoes can reach heights of 60,000 feet.
• The average tornado travels at a speed of 25 to 40 mph., but tornadoes can reach speeds up to 70 mph.
• The wind speeds of a tornado can reach 300 mph.
• Tornadoes stay on the ground for an average of four to five minutes

Key Vocabulary
Funnel cloud – a rotating cone-shaped column of air extending downward from the base of a thunderstorm,
but not touching the ground. When it reaches the ground it is called a tornado.
Vortex – a mass of swirling air or fluid

Materials Needed for Student Activity

For the large demonstration tornado, you will need:
• 2 clear 2-liter soda bottles (empty and labels removed)
• One washer (approximately the size of the bottle opening and with a 5/16” or 3/8” diameter hole)

• Water
• Environmentally friendly dish soap
• Duct tape

For each student tiny tornado, you will need:

• 1 small, clear, plastic bottle with a screw-on cap (empty and label removed)

• Water
• Environmentally friendly dish soap
• Glitter
• Food coloring

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Teacher Preparation
Two weeks before the activity, begin collecting small, clear, plastic bottles with a screw-on cap from the
students. (Bottles can then be used from year to year.) Children’s vitamin bottles are ideal. It is helpful if the
bottle has a child safety cap so the students can’t open it and make a mess! The activity does not work with
all dish soaps. Choose an “environmentally friendly” brand because they do not generate as many suds. Build
a tiny tornado for yourself. To create the tornado, hold the bottle in one hand and rotate your wrist. Practice
the rotating motion until you have it down pat. After two or three tornado attempts, let the bottle sit for a
minute until the water is clear again.

Build a large demonstration tornado for the warm-up activity. Use duct tape to attach a washer to the
opening of one bottle.

Fill the other bottle about 2/3 with water. Add one drop of dish detergent. Use duct tape to attach the
openings of the two bottles together (put the bottle with water on the bottom). Turn the contraption upside
down and give the upper bottle a few rotations while holding the bottom bottle relatively still. A vortex or
water tornado will form as the water flows from the top bottle to the lower bottle.

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1. Warm-up Activity: Begin a class discussion about what the students know about tornadoes. Record
ideas on a KWL chart on the board. Then ask students what they want to know about tornadoes. Again,
fill out the chart during the discussion. Tell them a tornado is an example of something called a vortex. A
vortex is a mass of swirling air or fluid. A tornado is not the only kind of vortex in nature. Hurricanes,
waterspouts (a tornado over water), the red spot on Jupiter, and even our galaxy are also vortexes.

2. Tell the class you will make a vortex in water. In other words, you will make a water tornado in a bottle.
Demonstrate the large, 2-liter bottle tornado.

Another option is to have the students build the two bottle tornado instead of the tiny tornado.

3. The students will build their own tiny tornado in a bottle. Break the class into groups of two or three.
Distribute the materials to each group. Have the students build their tornado step by step as you give
the instructions.

Students may follow written instructions rather than verbal.

Step 1: fill the bottle 2/3 with water

Step 2: add one drop of dish detergent
Step 3: add a pinch of glitter
Step 4: screw on the top very tightly
Step 5: try to form a tornado by shaking the bottle – experiment with different types of shaking
to find the most effective method

Kindergarten: Demonstrate the proper way to shake the bottle.

*After making two or three tornadoes, let it sit one minute, then try again. In general, you should
be able to see clearly through the water before you start rotating the bottle.

Step 6: record observations on the Tiny Tornadoes Student Handout

4. Wrap-Up Activity: Let students share their observations from their tiny tornado. As a class, look at
the list of things they want to know about tornadoes. Have each student pick an unanswered question
and research the answer for homework. They will share their findings the next day.

Tiny Tornadoes Extension Activity

1. Have students make a prediction about what will happen if one of the following factors is changed
to the tiny tornado or the larger demonstration tornado and then test the prediction:
• Amount of water in bottle
• Size of the bottle
• Shape of the bottle
• Type of liquid in the bottle
• Temperature of the water
• The amount of dish soap added

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Sources
http://www.kidzone.ws/science/
http://www.inlieuofpreschool.com/
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather
http://www.educationworld.com/
http://www.theweatherchannelkids.com/weather-ed/
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/
http://www.weather.com/
http://www.universetoday.com

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STUDENT HANDOUT

Name:

Date:

Describe how you shook the bottle to make a tornado.

Draw a picture of what happened.

Write with words what happened.

What did the glitter do?

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TEACHER HANDOUT

Describe how you shook the bottle to make a tornado.

Answers will vary

Draw a picture of what happened.

Write with words what happened.

Answers will vary

What did the glitter do?

Rotate in a circle around the outskirts of the bottle

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