How can you keep a house from blowing away in a windstorm?

How can you keep a house from blowing away in a windstorm?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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DISCUSS (1 of 2):

Do you have strong winds where you live?

Have you ever experienced a natural hazard like a tornado, hurricane, or dust storm?

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DISCUSS (2 of 2):

What kind of problems do you think strong winds cause?

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DISCUSS:

How could you protect your house during a windstorm?

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storm


1 of 10

weather that usually includes strong wind and rain or snow
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windstorm


2 of 10

a storm with very strong winds
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tornado


3 of 10

a type of windstorm, shaped like a funnel, that happens with little warning
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hurricane


4 of 10

a type of windstorm that starts as a smaller storm over the ocean
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dust storm


5 of 10

a type of windstorm that moves large amounts of dirt and sand
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natural hazard


6 of 10

an event in nature (such as a landslide, earthquake, hurricane, or wildfire) that can be dangerous to living things
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engineer


7 of 10

a person who uses science to come up with solutions to problems
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construction engineer


8 of 10

a person who designs, plans, and builds structures such as buildings
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design


9 of 10

to make a plan for creating or doing something
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model


10 of 10

a pretend version of something that scientists use when the real thing is too big, small, or complicated to work with
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Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students explore the effects of natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and dust storms. In the activity, Design a Windproof House, students build paper house models. Then, using limited materials, students design multiple solutions that will make their houses sturdy enough to survive a wind storm, and compare the merits of their solutions.
Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Design a Windproof House worksheet 1 per student
Paper House Model printout 1 per student
Windmaker printout 1 per student
Blank Paper (8.5 x 11")
Recycled is fine.
Details
1 sheet per pair
Scissors
1 pair per student
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom. Tape also works.
Details
2 stickers per pair
Dot Stickers
We prefer stickers because they are easier to distribute in a classroom. Tape also works.
Details
2 stickers per student
Paper Clips
4 clips per pair
Paper Clips
1 clip per student
Toothpicks
6 toothpicks per pair
Prep Instructions

We suggest students work in pairs. Homeschool students can work on their own.

Prep Supplies for Distribution

Students first need one paper clip and two dot stickers to build their paper house model. For the second part of the activity, each pair will need a blank sheet of paper, six toothpicks, four paper clips, and two dot stickers to design a solution that prevents their house from blowing over in the wind. You may want to separate the supplies for these two parts of the activity for ease of classroom distribution.

Exploration

18 mins

Hands-On Activity

35 mins

Wrap-Up

2 mins

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