• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Start Here
  • Homeschooling
  • Shop
  • Member Log In
  • Cart

Gift of Curiosity

Sparking children's creativity and learning

  • Holidays
  • Seasons
  • Subject Areas
  • Themes
  • Age
Home
  • Blog
    • Holidays
    • Seasons
    • Subject Areas
    • Themes
    • Age
  • Start Here
  • Homeschool
  • Shop
  • Member Log In
  • Cart

How do hurricanes form? {extreme weather science}

4 Comments Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade

Sharing is caring - thank you for spreading the word!

5.6K shares
  • Share112
  • Twitter
  • Email

This post may contain affiliate ads at no cost to you. See my disclosures for more information.

During our weather unit, we decided to spend some time learning about extreme weather conditions. One type of extreme weather we learned about was hurricanes. (See my post reviewing books about all types of weather.)

So what is a hurricane? Unlike a tornado, hurricanes form over water, although they can move onto land. Hurricanes only occur in areas and during times of the year when the ocean temperature reaches at least 80 degrees F at the surface.

Hurricanes form when warm, moist air over the warm ocean water rises, creating a low pressure area near the surface of the water that is immediately replaced by cooler air. The new, cooler air that rushes in quickly warms up and then rises as well, creating another low pressure area where cooler air rushes in. If this cycle continues over and over, a hurricane may form.

We decided to model this process with a few materials we had at home.

Did you know that hurricanes are only called hurricanes in the North Atlantic region of the globe? In the Western Pacific region, hurricanes are called typhoons. And in the region between Australia and Africa, hurricanes are called cyclones.

You’ll find more resources for learning about weather on Weather Unit Study page my Weather Activities Pinterest board. 

How do hurricanes form? With a spiral cut piece of paper and a lamp, you can model how hot air rises off the ocean to create a hurricane over warm water. This is a great way for kids to learn about extreme weather. || Gift of Curiosity

Step 1: I drew a spiral on a sheet of paper and my kids cut it out.

How do hurricanes form? With a spiral cut piece of paper and a lamp, you can model how hot air rises off the ocean to create a hurricane over warm water. This is a great way for kids to learn about extreme weather. || Gift of Curiosity

Step 2: We attached a string to the center part of the spiral.

How do hurricanes form? With a spiral cut piece of paper and a lamp, you can model how hot air rises off the ocean to create a hurricane over warm water. This is a great way for kids to learn about extreme weather. || Gift of Curiosity

Step 3: We held just the string and allowed the spiral to open up.

How do hurricanes form? With a spiral cut piece of paper and a lamp, you can model how hot air rises off the ocean to create a hurricane over warm water. This is a great way for kids to learn about extreme weather. || Gift of Curiosity

Step 4: Note: This step requires adult supervision!

We removed the shade from one of our lamps and moved it near the stairs. We held the spiral above the light bulb. The light bulb gives off heat that causes the spiral to spin. This mimics the rising of warm air off the ocean, just like a hurricane.

How do hurricanes form? With a spiral cut piece of paper and a lamp, you can model how hot air rises off the ocean to create a hurricane over warm water. This is a great way for kids to learn about extreme weather. || Gift of Curiosity

See our hurricane in action in this short video clip (26 seconds).

Please excuse the shaky video – my son was holding the camera. 🙂

More weather resources

More weather posts from Gift of Curiosity:

  • Books about the weather
  • Weather 3-part cards
  • DIY weather station
  • Water cycle demonstration
  • Two ways to make a cloud in a jar
  • Cloud classification activities
  • Cloud classification craft
  • Make it rain in a jar
  • DIY weather vane
  • Wind resistance experiment
  • Make a tornado in a bottle
  • Make a hurricane
  • Printable weather Bingo game
  • Printable weather I Spy game


You’ll find more resources for learning about weather on Weather Unit Study page my Weather Activities Pinterest board. 

Follow Katie @ Gift of Curiosity’s board Unit Ideas: Weather on Pinterest.

Filed Under: Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, Science, Weather

You May Also Enjoy These Posts

Disappearing colors experiment {science activity for kids}Exploring seeds with preschoolers, part 2Christmas grid games {math printable}

Reader Interactions

4 Comments

  1. Erica3

    April 29, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    This was an awesome experiment defiantly something to try again!

    Reply to this comment
    • Erica3

      April 29, 2018 at 8:48 pm

      My daughter loved it! She said she wants to have her friends try it with her next time! So cute!

      Reply to this comment
  2. Elizabeth Norman

    August 24, 2018 at 8:42 am

    I am a classroom teacher. Do you think this would work with powerful flashlights instead of light bulbs from a lamp?

    Reply to this comment
    • Katie

      August 24, 2018 at 1:56 pm

      As long as the flashlight produces enough heat, it should work.

      Reply to this comment

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hey there, I’m Katie

I help parents who are transitioning into homeschooling shed old mindsets and embrace their homeschooling superpowers so they can create a homeschool they love where their children will thrive.

Learn more about me and what I do HERE.

Hands-On

Get 10 ideas for easy, hands-on activities you can do with your kids TODAY to make learning more fun.

Check out these related products in the shop!

Toddler Skills Pack Bundle

Preschool Math Pack Bundle

Printables Pack Bundle

Measurement Activity Packs Bundle

Volcano Printables Bundle

Shop All Resources

  • Contact
  • About Me

Copyright © 2022 Gift of Curiosity  •  All Rights Reserved  •  Privacy  •  Terms of Use  •  Site Design by Emily White Designs

Posting....