At school, a bell rings three times. "Tornado drill!" says Raven.
Rocket heads for the big windows. "I want to see!"
"What do you notice about where everyone goes?" Raven asks. "They go to the inside hallway."
Nova hovers beside Rocket. "Windows can break in strong wind," she says. "Where would walls protect you?"
The National Weather Service gives clear advice.
Go to a basement, a safe room or an inside room.
Stay away from windows.
Practice drills help everyone know where to go fast.
A safe room is a very strong room built with special rules from FEMA.
FEMA is the government agency that helps people prepare for disasters.
A safe room built the FEMA way gives near-total protection in tornadoes and hurricanes.
| Hazard | Design solution | How it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Lightning rod | Sends the strike safely into the ground |
| Flood | Levee or floodwall | Holds back high river water |
| Tornado | Safe room | Very strong walls protect people inside |
A claim is an answer you can back up with evidence.
Example claim: a safe room is a good design for tornadoes.
Evidence: FEMA says safe rooms give near-total protection.
Reasoning: strong walls block the wind, so people inside stay safer.
A tornado drill is practice for a real warning.
When people practice, they know where to go without stopping to think.
Basements, safe rooms and inside rooms are the best places.
Rooms with big windows are the worst places.
| Place in a tornado warning | Good choice? |
|---|---|
| A basement | ? |
| A room with big windows | ? |
| An inside hallway with no windows | ? |
| Outside, to watch the sky | ? |
You think like a real engineer! Tomorrow is our final Launch Lab.