I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 is a riveting novel that transports readers to the heart of one of the deadliest tornadoes in recent American history.
On May 22, 2011, an EF-5 tornado struck the town of Joplin, Missouri, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The tornado killed 161 people, injured over 1,000, and caused billions of dollars in damage.
In this powerful book, the author shares the story Dex who survives the Joplin tornado. Through vivid and heart-wrenching descriptions, the reader experiences the moments leading up to the tornado, the terrifying experience of being in the storm’s path, and the long road to recovery in the aftermath.
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 is a must-read for anyone interested in true stories of survival, natural disasters, and the human spirit. It’s a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page.
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 Teaching Activities
Book Unit Samples
You will find the following in this novel study sample:
- Vocabulary Practice
- Comprehension Questions for Chapters 1-2
- Constructed Response Question for Chapters 1-2
Teaching Idea #1 – Creating a Twister
Creating a tornado in a bottle is a fun experiment for students while reading this novel. The video below shows the end results.
Tornado tubes can be bought at many toy stores for under $2.00. This tube attaches two plastic soda bottles together.
Simply fill one bottle 2/3 full with water and screw the Tornado Tube onto this bottle. Then attach the second plastic bottle to the other end of the Tornado Tube. To create the tornado, shake the bottles in a circular motion. Set the bottles on a flat surface and watch the “tornado” in the top bottle.
Teaching Idea #3 – The Science Behind Tornadoes
Teach students about how tornadoes form, the different types of tornadoes, and how to stay safe during a tornado. You can use diagrams and videos to help students understand this topic.
In the handout, you will find a brief explanation of how tornadoes form, the different types of tornadoes, and how to stay safe during a tornado.
All activity handouts are in this one file.
Teaching Idea #4 – Resources from the Author
Lauren Tarshis’s website offers several free activities to use with the book. Each of these links goes to DOC files that can be edited to meet the needs of your students.
TEACHING RESOURCES
Teaching Idea #5 – The Joplin Tornado Historical Account
This one-page article about the Joplin Tornado is an ideal way for students to compare and contrast an actual event to a fictional account. The article comes with comprehension questions.
Teaching Idea #6 – The Aftermath
National Geographic created this extremely emotional video that shows how the people who witnessed the tornado felt during and shortly after the tornado hit Joplin. Be sure to watch this video before showing it in class to make sure it is suitable for your students.
Teaching Idea #7 – Tornado Facts
The handout provides a list of facts about the Joplin Tornado as well as a chart of the “Deadliest U.S. Tornadoes.” The chart is followed by student questions and an answer key.
If you missed the link above, here it is again.
See the product that inspired this post.
I Survived the Joplin Tornado, 2011 includes vocabulary practice, comprehension questions, constructed response writing, and skill practice.
