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Storm in the Classroom

Observing the weather can involve all of our senses. In this activity, students simulate the sounds of a storm. 

What might you hear as weather changes?

Can you identify what weather is happening from sound alone?

What kinds of weather make loud sounds, quiet sounds, high-pitched or low-pitched sounds?

The sounds we hear during a storm come from vibrations made by forces in the weather system and we can recreate similar vibrations using our hands and feet. 

Objectives

  • Describe weather in terms of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind speed and direction.

Materials

  • Per Class or Group:
    open area to sit

Key Questions

  • What are all of the elements of a storm?
  • Can you identify what weather is happening from sound alone?
  • What kinds of weather make loud sounds, quiet sounds, high-pitched or low-pitched sounds?
  • Do the sounds happen at regular or irregular intervals?
  • What combination of sounds can your group make to recreate the storms that happen where you live?

What To Do

  1. Sit in a circle so that everyone can see one another and the leader.
  2. Review the kinds of sounds you hear during a storm (e.g. wind, drizzle, rain)
  3. Practice making different sounds for each element. For example:
  • Rubbing your hands together (wind)
  • Snapping your fingers (drizzle)
  • Lightly slapping your knees (light rain)
  • Light clapping (steady rain)
  • Heavy clapping (heavy rain)
  • Foot stomping (heavy rain and wind)
  1. Create a storm soundscape from beginning to end. Start by rubbing your hands together. Transition step by step to heavier and heavier weather, until you have a full-blown storm (foot stomping).
  2. Quiet the storm by working backwards from foot stomping to rubbing hands together.

Extensions

  • Break into groups that represent each element of the storm and lead the storm “orchestra” by pointing at various groups at different times.
  • Use or build some instruments to add effects, e.g. rain sticks, sheets of metal (to represent thunder).

About the sticker

Survivors

Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

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Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

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Artist: Jeff Kulak

Jeff is a senior graphic designer at Science World. His illustration work has been published in the Walrus, The National Post, Reader’s Digest and Chickadee Magazine. He loves to make music, ride bikes, and spend time in the forest.

About the sticker

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Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

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Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

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Artist: Michelle Yong

Michelle is a designer with a focus on creating joyful digital experiences! She enjoys exploring the potential forms that an idea can express itself in and helping then take shape.

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Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

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Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.

About the sticker

Time-Travel T-Rex

Artist: Ty Dale

From Canada, Ty was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1993. From his chaotic workspace he draws in several different illustrative styles with thick outlines, bold colours and quirky-child like drawings. Ty distils the world around him into its basic geometry, prompting us to look at the mundane in a different way.