Storms and Warnings

Daily News Special Report 22nd February 2022 UK News Three Storms Hit UK in One Week Clean-up operations have begun in many parts of the UK after three storms hit the country in one week. Heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph caused damage and disruption when Storm Why are some storms named? • Storms are named when they could cause damage that might need an amber or red warning. • They are given short and clear names to help make people more aware of them and their potential dangers. Dudley hit the UK on Wednesday. Storm Eunice then battered the UK on Friday. The storm caused the Met Office to issue a rare red warning. Snow and ice affected Northern Ireland and Scotland. On the Isle of Wight, a gust of wind of 122mph was recorded - the highest ever in England! Storm Franklin then blew in on Sunday. More heavy rain, snow and high winds lashed the country. Hundreds of homes needed to be evacuated due to flooding. Emergency services have been helping people affected by the storms. Power companies have been working hard to bring electricity back to hundreds of thousands of homes that lost power. People have also been working to clear fallen trees from roads and railway lines. What Are Weather Warnings? The Met Office issue weather warnings in three colours: yellow, amber and red. Photo: The storms blew down many trees. A yellow warning means some people in an area might be affected by the weather. An amber warning means the weather may cause power cuts and even road and rail closures. A red warning means that weather conditions are dangerous. A red warning is the highest alert given by the Met Office. issue Give out; share with the public.

Glossary disruption When something stops things continuing as normal. Met Office The UK's national meteorological service. They track and give information about the weather. Reflect Have you been affected by the storms?

Overview

This lesson develops Year 6 students’ understanding of how news reports convey information about severe weather events and the importance of clear communication in public safety. Students will engage with a real-world text about recent UK storms to hone their reading comprehension, inference, vocabulary, and summarising skills. The lesson supports spoken language through discussion and reflection activities, aligned with the National Curriculum (England) for English in Year 6.

Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 10 students

National Curriculum Links

English – Reading (Comprehension):

Understand what they read by identifying and discussing themes, summarising key points (NC PoS: Y6 Reading Comprehension)
Develop inference and deduction skills by justifying inferences with evidence from the text (NC PoS: Y6 Reading Comprehension)
Expand vocabulary by exploring words in context and using dictionaries to understand meaning (NC PoS: Y6 Vocabulary)

English – Spoken Language:

Use discussion to explore ideas and clarify understanding (NC PoS: Spoken Language Year 5-6)

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will:

Read and comprehend a factual news report on UK storms, identifying key facts and main ideas.
Develop inference skills by answering questions that require using evidence from the text.
Understand specific vocabulary related to weather warnings and safety.
Summarise the main impact of the storms in their own words.
Reflect and discuss real-life effects of storms, promoting empathy and awareness.

Resources

Printed copies of the Daily News Special Report (provided text)
Whiteboard and markers
Glossary cards of key terms (disruption, Met Office, amber warning, red warning, evacuation)
“Storms and Warnings” worksheet (comprehension questions and summarising task)
Mini whiteboards and pens for group activities

Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes)

Activate Prior Knowledge and Introduce Topic

Begin by asking: "What do you know about storms and weather warnings in the UK?"
Brief class discussion to share ideas; teacher writes key ideas on the board.
Introduce the concept of storm naming and weather warnings (yellow, amber, red) using the glossary cards.
Show a quick weather warning chart on the board and explain the colours, linking to the report’s info.

2. Reading Activity (15 minutes)

Guided Reading of the News Report

Hand out the "Daily News" report on the three storms.
Teacher reads aloud first two paragraphs modelling pronunciation and intonation.
Students read the rest silently.
Pause to clarify difficult vocabulary using context and glossary cards.
As a class, annotate the text, highlighting:
- Names of storms
- Dates and places impacted
- Key facts about the highest recorded wind speed and unusual weather conditions

3. Comprehension and Inference (15 minutes)

Worksheet and Paired Discussion

Pupils complete the "Storms and Warnings" worksheet individually, which focuses on:
- Retrieval questions (e.g., "When did Storm Dudley hit the UK?")
- Inference questions (e.g., "Why are storms given short, clear names?")
- Vocabulary questions (e.g., "What does 'disruption' mean in this text?")
After completion, pairs discuss answers to promote reasoning skills.
Teacher circulates to support and probe deeper understanding.

4. Summary and Reflect (15 minutes)

Write and Discuss

Ask pupils to write a short paragraph summarising the impact of the storms, using their own words and key vocabulary.
Share summaries aloud to practise spoken language and listening skills.
Prompt reflection by asking: "How might people’s lives be affected by these storms?" "What would you do if you had to evacuate your home?"
Encourage empathy and community awareness through discussion.

5. Plenary (5 minutes)

Review and Extend Learning

Quick quiz using mini whiteboards: Teacher reads out statements; students show thumbs up/down if true/false (e.g., "Storm Eunice caused the Met Office to issue a red warning." - True)
Recap the meaning of yellow, amber, and red warnings with examples.
Highlight importance of clear communication in reporting news for public safety.

Assessment

Formative assessment through observation during paired discussions and class annotations.
Completed worksheets assessed for comprehension and vocabulary understanding.
Summaries assessed on clarity, use of vocabulary, and understanding of the impact of the storms.
Spoken contributions during discussion and plenary provide evidence of oral comprehension and reasoning skills.

Differentiation

Support: Provide sentence starters on the worksheet for pupils needing help with writing summaries.
Challenge: Extension task to create their own short news headline and weather warning based on another extreme weather event.
Visual aids such as glossary cards and weather warning colour chart to support EAL and SEN pupils.

Cross-Curricular Links

Geography: Understanding weather systems and storm impacts.
PSHE: Discussing safety, community support, and emergency preparedness.

Teacher Reflection

Note levels of engagement with real-world contexts and vocabulary acquisition.
Reflect on success of paired talk activities in deepening inference skills.
Consider adapting text complexity or adding multimedia (weather footage) for future lessons.

This lesson makes KS2 comprehension engaging and relevant by connecting the English curriculum to real events, allowing students to practise vital literacy skills while becoming informed citizens.

Teaching Instructions