What should you do in a lightning storm?

You are going to 

• listen to a short radio interview about lightning
• look at vocabulary connected with storms, thunder and lightning and extreme weather
• do a comprehension exercise

1) Discuss

Public domain

• What kinds of extreme weather do you have in your country?
• What are the most dangerous kinds of weather?
• What is lightning?
• Are you afraid of it?
• Have you ever been struck by lightning?
• Do you know anyone who has been struck by lightning?
• What should you do in a lightning storm?
• Should you swim in the sea?
• Are you safe in a car?
• What are "wellies" and is it OK to wear them in a thunderstorm?
• What happens when lightning strikes a plane?
• Can lightning strike twice in the same place?
• What's a myth? Can you think of any examples?

Suggested examples of extreme / dangerous weather (students may have more).
Highlight below
tornado  hurricane  blizzard  thunderstorm  flood  hurricane  drought  lightning  ice  fog  heatwave  gales / high winds monsoon






2) Listen
Listen to lightning engineer Rhys Phillips on BBC Radio 4's PM program talking about lightning. 
How many of the questions above do you hear the answers to?

listen to ‘Thunderbolts of lightning, very very frightening’ on Audioboo

Listen again.
A) Do the vocabulary match and listen again.
Then do the comprehension exercise below.

B) Now fill in the gaps in the summary.

Download exercises here




3) Discuss

• What other dangerous kinds of weather are there? Think of some examples. 
• What should you do to avoid being hurt?

4) Write
Turn the information about lightning into an advice leaflet.
or
Make an advice or information leaflet about weather in your country.





5) Check Vocabulary
Can you explain the meaning of these words?

More
Weather forecast Elementary, Intermediate, Listening, Upper Intermediate, Weather 

The Truth About British Rain - The Great British W...Advanced, Describing a cycle, IELTS, Life in the UK, Listening, Upper Intermediate, Weather, Writing

Suggestions and Advice (Why don't you...? / Have you tried?) Advice, Intermediate, Modal Verbs, Suggestions

Giving Advice - should / ought to / had better / must / have to / can't. Advice, Intermediate, Modal Verbs, Pre-Intermediate 




More on lightning

What is lightning? https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-%E2%80%93-electricity-lightning-workshop-what-lightning

Lightning protection of aircraft https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-%E2%80%93-electricity-lightning-workshop-aircraft-design

Making a news report https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/science-schools-electricity-lightning-workshop-making-a-news-report