Online+Resources

Hello fellow teachers! There is loads and loads of information on the world wide web about cyclones. Some websites are helpful, others are not so helpful! To save you the trouble of sorting through the unhelpful websites, here are a few links to websites that I believe are most beneficial for the classroom:

This website is essential when students are learning about cyclones. The Bureau of Meteorology assist people in dealing with environmental happenings including droughts, floods, fires, storms, tsunamis and tropical cyclones. There is a lot of information on the website which can be handy to use in the classroom. This website could be used by teachers to help explain what a cyclone is and could also be used by students during research projects. Not only are the explanations easy to understand, but there are also a lot of diagrams to help with visual learning. Useful classroom resources include:
 * The Bureau of Meteorology -**
 * Glossary of weather terms
 * Tropical cyclone services provided by the Bureau of Meteorology
 * Information about severe cyclones to cross the coast (pictured below is an image from the website showing the formation and path of cyclone Larry in 2006).
 * Satellite images and diagrams of cyclones
 * Definition for tropical cyclone

The part that I think would be the most useful resource for teachers is the Modelling Tropical Cyclones link. If you click on this link you will find information regarding the life cycle, development and the hazards of tropical cyclones. Included on this page are three animations which demonstrate the formation and directional movements of a cyclone.



This eight minute youtube video explains the difference between a hurricane, typhoon and a cyclone; the evolution of the prediction of cyclones and the importance of cyclone prediction; the cyclone physical structure; and the formation of cyclones. This video would be an excellent resource to use when introducing a unit on cyclones. Click here to see the video.
 * Forecasting Cyclones:**

This website provides an engaging description of the impact cyclones can have on communities. I recommend this site to help those students who think cyclones are just a bit of wind and rain! This resource tells of the devastating impact cyclones are capable of. Click here to view the website.
 * A look at the impact of cyclones - Cyclone Tracy, 1974:**

This website is the blog of Dick Whitaker, a man who has worked in the field of meteorology for almost 30 years. Dick's blog provides insightful information into the Indigenous Australians way of predicting cyclones. He states that the Indigenous Australians make observations between the weather and the behaviour of plant and animal species. The knowledge of Indigenous Australians were once dismissed by Western culture, however recent research shows that there is scientific evidence to support the Indigenous weather beliefs.
 * Indigenous Perspective:**

Dick states: //"A belief common to several Pacific Island peoples concerns the flowering of the mango tree – if this happens earlier then normal it is said to imply an increased number of tropical cyclones in the upcoming season. The modern explanation is that the mango tree will flower early if temperatures are warmer than normal and this occurs across island areas when the surrounding sea surface temperatures are warmer than normal. And warmer ocean temperatures promote increased tropical cyclone formation."//

This blog is a great resource to use to acknowledge Indigenous perspective. Click here to view Dick's blog.

**The difference between a cyclone and a hurricane, and the naming of cyclones:** This website is set up for kids. The beginning is a bit confusing with lots of big words which the students may have trouble with. However there are parts of the website which kids might find interesting to read, such as information on cyclone Tracy in 1974, and also information on the process of naming cyclones. Click here to view the website.