As part of our preschool W is for Weather lesson, we made a tornado in a bottle. Tornadoes are fascinating storms, aren’t they! Simply put, for our little students sake, they are very strong, rotating winds that form a funnel cloud. They happen when there are thunderstorms but not all thunderstorms produce tornadoes.
There is more than one way to reproduce the funnel action of a tornado for your kiddos to see. We used the “soda bottle method.”
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How to Make A Tornado In A Bottle
Supplies
Empty, clear 2-litre soda bottle*
Water
Dishwashing liquid
Glitter
*A glass jar with straight sides works really well, too. In fact, now that I tried it that is my preferred container.
Directions
Remove the label from the bottle and rinse it out.
Fill it 3/4 full of water.
Add several drops dishwashing liquid.
Add glitter.
Put the cap securely on the bottle and invert.
Holding the bottle neck, swish it around several times in a circular motion.
Stop and watch it whirl!
Make a tornado in a bottle to teach your #kids about the weather! #STEM #ece #preschool Share on X
A second way to demonstrate the funnel cloud of a tornado is to use a tornado tube connector to connect 2 bottles. The funnel it makes will be very vivid!
W is for Weather Lesson: includes W is for Weather lesson plan with a “cloud and rain” experiment and weather craft with 3-D marshmallow clouds for kindergarten and preschool.
Enjoy!
