Tracking Tornadoes
Data Story
In this Notice & Wonder Data Story, students explore a real dataset of 25 tornadoes recorded in 2020. Students begin by examining where tornadoes occurred, then investigate tornado strength and distance traveled. Rather than looking for one "right answer," students make observations, ask questions, and identify patterns in the data, just as meteorologists and scientists do when studying severe weather. Students will: Read and interpret multiple graph types. Compare frequencies using graphs. Describe patterns in tornado data. Ask meaningful questions about data. Compare two numerical variables using a scatterplot. Recognize that relationships in real-world data are not always perfect. Big Mathematical Idea: Different visual representations help us notice different patterns in the same dataset. Looking carefully at data helps us ask better questions and discover relationships.
Tornadoes are powerful storms that can happen in many places across the United States. Scientists collect data about tornadoes to learn when and where they happen. In this data story, you will look at graphs about 25 tornadoes recorded in 2020. Look carefully for patterns, make observations, and think about questions you have about the data. Click Next to begin!
Topics and standards: Notice & Wonder, 3-MD-B-3, Tuva Jr., 4-MD-B-4, 3-E-15-1, 3-E-15-2, 4-E-12-1, 4-E-12-3, 4-E-12-4, 5-E-10-3