Science·Weather & Climate·conceptual
Thunder & Lightning
Know that thunder and lightning happen during thunderstorms: lightning is a giant spark of electricity that forms in clouds, thunder is the sound the lightning makes, and we see lightning before hearing thunder because light travels faster than sound
Suggested ages 7–9
Learning journey
Your child is learning about weather science — how meteorologists forecast weather, what causes different weather patterns like wind and storms, and understanding the water cycle that brings us rain and snow.
Evidence of understanding
- Describe lightning as a large electrical discharge in clouds
- Explain that thunder is the sound caused by lightning
- State that we see lightning before hearing thunder because light travels faster than sound
Assessment prompt
During a thunderstorm, can Thunder & Lightning explain that lightning is electricity in the clouds, thunder is its sound, and that we see the flash before the boom because light is faster than sound?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.