Most people have heard the story of Benjamin Franklin s electricity experiment, which involved flying a kite in a thunderstorm in Philadelphia. Tell the class what you know about this legendary American and his story. Explain what you think happened during this experiment and discuss how it helped him understand more about lightning. Think about the last time you were in a thunderstorm. Explain how lightning makes you feel when you see it flash.
Hurricanes can destroy houses by blowing their roofs off, but improper construction can be to blame.
Have your students work in teams of three to build houses made only of index cards, using tape only to anchor the bottom to a tabletop. Have students use drinking straws to simulate hurricanes of different strengths. To simulate a force one hurricane, one student should put a straw in his or her mouth and the other end 2 feet from the house, and then blow on the house to see if it will hold up. A force two hurricane will require two group members to blow on the house. Groups should continue up to force four.