Extreme Weather: Storms, Floods and Droughts — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 6 earth, rocks & weather worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 6 · Science · Earth, Rocks & WeatherExtreme Weather: Storms, Floods and Droughts — Answers
Part A: Weather and climate
Read the passage, then answer the questions.
Weather is what the air is like at a particular place and time: its temperature, rainfall, wind and cloud. Climate is the usual pattern of weather in a place over many years.
Weather scientists, called meteorologists, use instruments to measure the weather and computers to make forecasts.
Extreme weather is weather that is much more severe than usual. It can damage homes, crops and habitats and put people in danger.
- AIt is raining this afternoon.
- BTomorrow will be windy.
- CThis region usually has hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters.
- DThere was a thunderstorm last night.
Answer: This region usually has hot, wet summers and mild, dry winters.
Climate is the usual pattern of weather in a place over many years. The others describe weather at a particular time.
- thermometer
- rain gauge
- anemometer
- barometer
- temperature
- air pressure
- wind speed
- the amount of rainfall
Answer: thermometer → temperature; rain gauge → the amount of rainfall; anemometer → wind speed; barometer → air pressure
Answer: drought
Part B: Extreme weather events
Circle the best answer, or write True or False.
Thunderstorms form when warm, moist air rises quickly. They can bring lightning, thunder, hail, strong winds and heavy rain.
Tropical cyclones are huge spinning storms that form over warm tropical oceans. They bring destructive winds, heavy rain and high seas.
Floods happen when water covers land that is usually dry, often after very heavy rain. Droughts are long periods with much less rain than usual. Heatwaves are several days in a row of unusually high temperatures.
- Aa gentle breeze near the coast
- Ba huge spinning storm with very strong winds and heavy rain that forms over warm oceans
- Ca long period without rain
- Da small shower of hail
Answer: a huge spinning storm with very strong winds and heavy rain that forms over warm oceans
Tropical cyclones form over warm tropical oceans. In some parts of the world they are called hurricanes or typhoons.
- Aa long dry spell
- Bvery heavy rain in a short time
- Ca cold, still night
- Dstrong sunlight
Answer: very heavy rain in a short time
When a lot of rain falls quickly, the ground and rivers cannot hold it all, so water spreads over land.
- Aone hot afternoon
- Bseveral days in a row that are much hotter than usual
- Ca warm ocean current
- Da storm with lightning
Answer: several days in a row that are much hotter than usual
A heatwave lasts for several days. It can be dangerous for people, animals and plants.
Answer: True
Without enough rain, soil dries out, plants die and dams and rivers shrink.
Answer: True
Electric charge builds up in storm clouds and is released as lightning.
Answer: False
Flood water can be deeper and faster than it looks and can hide hazards. Never enter flood water.
Part C: Working with weather data
Monthly rainfall in Hillview (mm)
Month 1: 80 · Month 2: 95 · Month 3: 10 · Month 4: 5 · Month 5: 0 · Month 6: 320
The usual rainfall for each of these months is between 60 mm and 100 mm.
Answer: About 3 km
- 9 ÷ 3 = 3
- about 3 km away
Answer: 510 mm
- 80 + 95 + 10 + 5 + 0 + 320 = 510 mm
Answer: 85 mm
- 510 ÷ 6 = 85 mm
Answer: Months 3, 4 and 5 suggest drought risk, because rainfall (10, 5 and 0 mm) was far below the usual 60–100 mm. Month 6 suggests flood risk, because 320 mm is more than three times the usual amount.
Model answer: Floods are caused by very heavy rain in a short time, or by rivers overflowing, so water covers land that is usually dry. They can damage homes and roads, wash away soil and crops, and put people in danger. A community can prepare by building homes on higher ground or raising them off the ground, and by having warning systems and evacuation plans so people can leave before the water rises.
Success criteria:
- Correct cause of the chosen event
- Effects on people and on the environment
- Two sensible preparation strategies
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.