Guided Reading Level H - Hurricane Hunters (with Lesson Plan)

Book Snapshot
• Title: Hurricane Hunters
• Genre: Nonfiction (informational, sequence of events)
• Subject: Earth Science + Reading (Informational Text)
• Primary Topic: Airplane missions that study hurricanes
• Estimated Guided Reading Level (A–Z): H

What This Book Teaches Best
• Defines hurricanes as big storms with lots of wind and rain.
• Describes how a special airplane flies into a hurricane to learn about the weather.
• Explains key parts of the storm, including the center called the “eye,” and what it is like.
• Introduces tools and information-gathering (a “dropsonde,” maps, numbers) used to understand wind and rain.
• Connects the airplane’s weather information to helping people stay safe on the ground.

Learning Goals
• Students will describe what hurricanes are like using details from the text.
• Students will explain what the special airplane does to learn about a hurricane’s weather.
• Students will identify what happens when the plane reaches the center of the storm (the eye).
• Students will describe how a dropsonde and parachute are used during the flight.
• Students will explain how the information from the airplane helps people on the ground.

Key Vocabulary From the Text
• hurricanes — very big storms with strong wind and rain.
• runway — long strip where a plane speeds to take off.
• dropsonde — small tool that falls from a plane.
• parachute — cloth that opens to slow something as it falls.
• eye — the center of the storm.

Discussion Prompts
• Pre-reading question: What do you think a “hurricane hunter” airplane might do during a storm?
• Comprehension questions: What does the book say hurricanes bring with them?
• Comprehension questions: What is the eye of the storm like in the text?
• Comprehension questions: How does the airplane’s information help people on the ground?

Printing Tips

1. Best Printing Method (Recommended)
   “Booklet” Printing (Best if Available)
   If your printer or PDF viewer supports Booklet Printing, use this.
   Settings to use:
   • Print mode: Booklet
   • Paper size: Letter or A4 (either works)
   • Orientation: Landscape
   • Print on both sides: Yes
   • Flip on: Short edge
   • Scaling: Fit to printable area
   • Booklet subset:
   o First test: Front sides only
   o Then: Back sides only
   This will automatically:
   • Pair pages correctly
   • Put the cover on the outside
   • Align everything for folding
   After printing, fold in half and staple along the spine.

2. If “Booklet” Printing Is NOT Available
   You can still print this correctly with manual duplex printing.
   Step-by-step:

3. Open the PDF.

4. Choose Print.

5. Set:
   o Orientation: Landscape
   o Pages per sheet: 1
   o Print on both sides: Yes
   o Flip on: Short edge

6. Print all pages.
   Because each PDF page already contains two facing book pages, the result will still fold cleanly into a book.