In the aftermath of a devastating tornado, a teen encounters a brilliant scientist—and both their lives change forever.
Learning Objective: to write a speech from the point of view of a character in the play
Scene 1
Millburn, Ohio, April 4, 1974
SD1: The lights come up on a street clogged with emergency vehicles and news vans.
SD2: Piles of debris—wood, glass, bricks—are everywhere. It looks as if a bulldozer has razed most of the homes on the block.
SD3: In front of one of the few remaining houses stands a teenage girl, Pam.
SD1: The Historian walks to the front of the stage and addresses the audience.
Historian: A tornado can change your life in an instant. (looking at Pam) It is a defining moment—there is life before the tornado, and there is life after.
SD2: A man in a dark suit and wire-framed glasses walks among the wreckage. He picks up a chunk of plaster.
Ted Fujita (to himself): This was a powerful one. Maybe the most powerful I’ve studied.
Historian: Few forces in nature are as destructive as a tornado. But that destruction has a story.
SD3: The man looks up and scans the street.
Historian: Telling that story was the life’s passion of a brilliant meteorologist, Tetsuya Theodore “Ted” Fujita.
SD1: Fujita’s eyes come to rest on the house behind Pam.
Historian: Fujita worked to unravel the mysteries of these deadly storms by painstakingly studying the damage caused by tornadoes. But after nearly two decades, there remained an important puzzle he had yet to fully solve.
Fujita: Could it be?
Historian: Then came one of the largest and most violent tornado outbreaks in history: the Super Outbreak of 1974.
Scene 2
Nine years before the Super Outbreak
Greentown, Indiana, April 12, 1965
SD2: Ted Fujita and his research assistant Henry Miller are in a small plane.
Pilot: We are approaching the damage now. How many tornadoes did you say hit?
Fujita (peering through his camera): Forty-seven, across the Midwest. See those trees? They’ve been ripped out by their roots.
Miller: And look at that house. The roof was torn right off.
Fujita: I’d estimate the winds were 200 to 250 miles per hour. This storm was strong.
SD3: Miller points down at a cornfield.
Miller: What are those corkscrew marks?
Fujita: Most meteorologists think they’re caused by a tornado dragging heavy objects over the ground. But I have a different theory.
Miller: What do you think?
Fujita: I think that within a tornado there can be areas of low pressure, which can create mini funnels—or vortices.
Miller: So tornadoes within a tornado?
Fujita: Precisely.
Pilot: Interesting. But . . . can I ask why that matters?
Fujita: Of course. There is still much we don’t understand about tornadoes—how they form and move and why they are so destructive. The more we understand, the better we can try to prepare for them.
Pilot: That makes sense.
Miller: Have you presented your theory to anyone?
Fujita: Not yet. I need more evidence.
SD1: Fujita motions to the pilot.
Fujita: Can we land? I’d like to get a closer look.
Pilot: Roger that, Detective Fujita.
SD2: Fujita chuckles as the plane descends.
© Ken Stewart/Zumapress.com/Newscom (1974); Jim McMahon/Mapman ® (map)
The Super Outbreak of 1974
On April 3-4, 1974, dozens of tornadoes descended upon a large area of the United States. Within 24 hours, 148 tornadoes touched down in 13 states. At the time, the tornado outbreak was the largest ever recorded.
Scene 3
Five years later
University of Chicago, June 1970
SD3: A group of meteorologists sit in a conference room.
SD1: Fujita stands in front of them.
SD2: He’s surrounded by corkboards pinned with photographs of tornadoes and wreckage, as well as maps and diagrams.
SD3: He points to a photo of corkscrew-like marks in a field.
Fujita: These marks crop up a lot during my research.
Bill Dryers (interrupting): They’re scratches from debris.
Fujita: I don’t think that’s the case.
SD1: A few scientists exchange skeptical glances.
Dorothy Henson: What’s your theory?
Fujita: I believe these marks are made by what I am calling “suction vortices.” These vortices are like mini tornadoes within the larger funnel cloud.
George Gleeson: You’re saying tornadoes can have other tornadoes inside them?
Fujita: Yes. These vortices spin around the main funnel, sucking up debris like superpowered vacuums.
Dryers: Do you have photos of these supposed vortices?
Fujita: Not yet. But it adds up. Multiple vortices would explain why sometimes after a tornado, one house is destroyed and the one right next to it is untouched.
Henson: The house that was destroyed was in the path of one of the suction vortices?
Fujita: That’s right.
Dryers: But you’ve never actually seen this.
Fujita: Not to have seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.
SD2: The room is silent.
SD3: Finally, Gleeson speaks up.
Gleeson: Intriguing. Let’s talk when there’s more to go on.
Dryers (quietly): If there’s ever more to go on.
SD1: The room starts to clear. Fujita gathers his documents.
SD2: Miller lingers behind to help.
Miller: Doesn’t it bother you that they don’t believe you?
Fujita: You should never be scared to propose new ideas. Proof will emerge. It’s our job to find it when it does.
Scene 4
The day of the Super Outbreak
Millburn, Ohio, April 3, 1974
SD3: Pam is staring out her window at a gray sky. On the wall hangs a poster of a sunny beach.
Grandma (knocking): Can I come in?
Pam (still looking out the window): Sure.
Grandma: You know, staring at storm clouds won’t make you feel any better.
Pam: I think they’re sort of beautiful. There were never clouds like these in California. They might be the only things I like about it here.
Grandma: I’ll try to not take offense to that, dear.
Pam (blushing): Sorry, Grams. I just miss home. My friends are there. (pause) Dad was there.
SD1: Thunder rumbles in the distance.
Grandma: With your dad deployed overseas and your mom working full-time, moving here to live with me made sense.
Pam: But that’s just it. If Dad never had to leave, we’d still be in California—together. I just feel like I’m supposed to be there and not here.
Grandma: Some things are out of our control, Pammy.
SD2: Grandma notices a small movie camera, still in its box, on Pam’s desk.
Grandma: Hey, maybe you can start using that. Then your dad can catch up on your life here when he gets back.
SD3: Pam shrugs. Outside, a weather vane slowly spins.
Scene 5
Later that afternoon
SD1: Pam sits on a creaky swing in her front yard, flipping through a family photo album.
SD2: Her grandmother’s wind chimes jingle. Pam looks up.
SD3: In the distance looms a large dark cloud, like a giant spaceship hovering above the earth.
SD1: A bolt of lightning streaks across the sky.
Pam: Wow, this is gonna be some thunderstorm. Dad might want to see this.
SD2: Pam runs inside to get her camera.
SD3: When she comes back outside, the wind is whipping. The weather vane spins wildly.
SD1: Pam stands at the edge of the yard and begins to film.
SD2: At its center, the dark cloud begins to narrow and spiral down toward the ground.
SD3: Pam keeps filming as the funnel forms what looks like a long gray rope.
SD1: The swirling gray mass engulfs a nearby barn.
SD2: Wood splinters with a thunderous crack. Pieces of the barn are scattered into the wind like red confetti.
Mom (coming out of the house): Pam! Inside! NOW!
SD3: For a moment, Pam stands transfixed. Then she turns toward the house.
SD1: Her hair flies around her face. Dust clouds her vision.
Pam: Mom! Where are you?
Mom: Here! I’m here!
SD2: The tornado is almost upon them as Pam reaches her mom.
Mom: We need to get to the cellar!
SD3: Struggling against the wind, they make their way to a pair of doors in the ground at the side of the house. They heave the doors open and rush down the stairs.
Grandma: Pam! Thank goodness.
SD1: The family huddles together as the house shakes and groans.
SD2: Suddenly, a roar fills the room, like a train rushing over tracks right above them.
Pam: What’s happening?
SD3: They huddle tighter. Falling dust and crumbles of concrete coat their hair and clothing.
Mom: I’ve got you.
SD1: Pam squeezes her eyes shut.
AP Images (Xenia); The Cincinnati Post/The E.W. Scripps Company via Newspapers.com (newspaper)
During the Super Outbreak, 335 people died and entire towns were destroyed.
The fictional town of Millburn in the play is based on Xenia, Ohio, pictured above.
Scene 6
About 30 minutes later
SD2: Pam and her family slowly emerge from the cellar.
SD3: Large scraps of metal and wood along with dozens of tree branches litter the side yard.
SD1: They walk around to see the front of their home.
Mom: I can’t believe it.
SD2: Besides some damage to the roof, the house is mostly intact.
Grandma: Oh, no. The Donohues’ . . .
SD3: Pam looks to her right. Wood, broken furniture, and insulation cover the ground where a house once stood.
SD1: An elderly couple is standing on the curb, in shock.
Mom: I’m going to make sure they’re OK.
SD2: Sirens wail in the distance.
Scene 7
The next day
SD3: People sift through debris, making sure no one is trapped.
SD1: A reporter and a camera crew are filming near Pam’s house.
Reporter: We’re coming to you live from Millburn, where a powerful tornado struck just yesterday afternoon. The storm was one of more than 100 tornadoes that have been reported in 13 states since yesterday morning. This is quite possibly one of the worst tornado outbreaks in history.
SD2: Pam is standing outside her house, next to a sign that reads “Water and food inside.”
Mrs. Brown: I’m Mrs. Brown, and this is my son, Jimmy. You must be Pam. I grew up on this street with your mom. I’m glad you are all OK.
Jimmy: Our house isn’t safe to be in. Someone said we should come here.
Pam: Of course. Please go inside. Sandwiches, water, and coffee are on the counter.
SD3: Mrs. Brown and Jimmy walk into Pam’s house, where other neighbors have gathered.
SD1: Across the street, Fujita stares at Pam’s house for a moment before walking over.
Fujita: Are your parents home?
Pam: No. My mom is at the hospital. She’s a nurse. My grandma is helping there too.
Fujita: I see. Can I ask you some questions?
Pam: Um . . . sure. Are you a detective?
Fujita: In a way. My name is Ted. I study tornadoes.
SD2: He extends his hand to Pam.
Pam (shaking Fujita’s hand): I didn’t know that was a job.
Fujita (smiling): It is. I’m studying the damage to help piece together what happened.
Pam: Any idea why our house is still standing and the others aren’t?
Fujita: I have a guess, but I can’t say for sure. Do you mind if I take some photographs?
SD3: A look of realization flickers across Pam’s face.
Pam: Wait here!
SD1: Pam runs into her house.
SD2: Moments later, she emerges with a roll of film and hands it to Fujita.
Pam: I was filming when the storm hit.
Fujita: What made you start filming?
Pam: I used to live in California. We didn’t get a lot of storms there.
Fujita: Well, with any luck, you’ve given me a clue that could unlock a great mystery about these storms.
Pam: But how will that make any difference? The storm’s over now. And . . . look what it did.
Fujita: After a disaster like this, we all struggle to make sense of it. As a scientist, I can’t undo what nature has done. But I can document what happened to learn all that we can. Maybe that can help people in the future.
SD3: Pam glances back at her house. Through the window, she sees her neighbors gathered in her living room.
Fujita: But it looks like you’re already helping.
SD1: Fujita motions to her sign.
Fujita: I’ll let you get back to it.
Pam: It was nice to meet you.
SD2: Pam watches as Fujita walks away, snapping photos.
Scene 8
Three months later
University of Chicago, July 1974
SD3: Fujita sits at a desk strewn with photos and radar images.
SD1: A map of the Midwest is pinned up behind him.
SD2: He pulls a film reel labeled “Pam, April 3, Millburn, Ohio” out of a box.
SD3: Fujita turns out the lights and plays the footage using a projector.
SD1: Dryers walks into the room as a dark, swirling tornado is projected on Fujita’s white office wall.
Dryers (carrying papers): Ted, these radar images just came in. . . .
SD2: Dryers stops to watch the footage.
SD3: The large funnel cloud sweeps across a field.
SD1: As the tornado approaches a barn, another, smaller funnel appears next to the larger one.
Dryers: Multiple vortices! You were right! How did you get this?
Fujita: Someone happened to be in the right place at the right time.
All Canada Photos/Alamy Stock Photo
In the 1970s, there was often no warning before a tornado strike. Today, warning times have been improved. People typically have 8 to 11 minutes to get to safety.
A tornado near Hays, Kansas (above)
Epilogue
Twenty five years later
Ohio State University, 1999
SD2: A professor stands at the podium in a large lecture hall filled with students.
SD3: “Mr. Tornado” is written on a blackboard behind her.
SD1: The Historian enters the stage.
Historian: After the Super Outbreak, Fujita traveled more than 10,000 miles to document the damage. Over a period of 10 months, he collected thousands of photographs, radar and satellite images, maps, and firsthand accounts.
Pam: OK everyone, today we’re going to continue our unit on tornadoes.
Historian: Fujita proved his theory of multiple vortices. But he didn’t stop there. Throughout his life, he continued to advance tornado science.
Pam: Can anyone tell me who Ted Fujita is?
Student: He developed the scale we use to rate the strength of tornadoes: the Fujita scale.
Pam: That’s correct. He did develop the Fujita scale—among many other things.
SD2: Pam looks up at a photo of a man in a dark suit and wire-framed glasses that hangs on a wall of her classroom and smiles.
Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Writing Contest
Imagine you are Pam, working as a professor in 1999. Write a speech to give to students about Ted Fujita’s impact on you, the field of meteorology, and people everywhere. Entries must be submitted to Fujita Contest by a teacher, parent, or legal guardian.* Three winners will each get a copy of Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner.
*Entries must be written by a student in grades 4-12 and submitted by their teacher, parent, or legal guardian, who will be the entrant and must be a legal resident of the U.S. age 18 or older. See Contest Page for details.
This play was originally published in the May 2024 issue.
Essential Questions: How do natural disasters shape our lives? How can understanding natural disasters help us to better prepare for them? In what ways do scientists make a positive impact on the world?
1. PREPARE TO READ (10 MINUTES)
Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)
2. READ AND DISCUSS (55 MINUTES)
Invite a volunteer to read aloud the As You Read box on page 19 or at the top of the digital story page.
Assign parts and read the play aloud as a class.
Close-Reading Questions (25 minutes)
What is the purpose of Scene 1? (text structure) The Historian provides the audience with background information about Ted Fujita and his career as a meteorologist, which is helpful to those unfamiliar with his work and achievements. The Historian also provides the audience with an important piece of information—that after studying tornadoes for nearly two decades, “there remained an important puzzle he [Fujita] had yet to fully solve.” Audience members will likely keep this in mind throughout the play, trying to figure out for themselves what the mystery is and why it is important. Finally, the last line of Scene 1 establishes that the Super Outbreak of 1974 will be the focus of the play.
According to Scene 2, what is Fujita’s theory of multiple vortices, and why is it important to understand as much as possible about tornadoes? (key ideas) Fujita’s theory is that “within a tornado there can be areas of low pressure, which can create mini funnels—or vortices.” In other words, there could be tornadoes within a tornado. It’s important to understand as much as possible about tornadoes because, as Fujita explains, “the more we understand, the better we can try to prepare for them.” By better preparing for tornadoes, we can limit their devastating effects, saving lives and communities.
Describe the conflict between Fujita and the other meteorologists in Scene 3. (conflict, summarizing) Fujita explains his theory of multiple vortices to a group of meteorologists. He presents a photograph of a tornado-damaged field and shares his belief that the corkscrew-like marks in the photo were made by multiple vortices. The other meteorologists are skeptical of Fujita’s theory, presuming that because he has never actually seen the vortices, he must be wrong.
How do Scenes 2 and 3, which take place in the decade before the Super Outbreak, help the audience to better understand the rest of the play? (text structure) Scenes 2 and 3 help the audience to understand that Fujita is searching for proof of his theory of multiple vortices. We know that if he can find evidence, the scientific community will accept his idea. Scenes 2 and 3 help the audience understand the importance—to Fujita and to the world—of the film that Pam gives Fujita in Scene 7.
In Scene 6, the narrators describe how Pam’s home is mostly intact, while her neighbor’s house was destroyed. According to Fujita’s theory of multiple vortices (described in Scene 3), why is this the case? (inference, text evidence) Multiple vortices explain the strange phenomenon of how sometimes after a tornado, one house is ruined while the house next door is unharmed. Pam’s neighbor’s house must have been in the path of suction vortices, mini tornadoes within the larger funnel cloud. Essentially, the house was destroyed by a tiny tornado inside the main tornado.
Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)
In Scene 7, Pam asks Fujita, “Are you a detective?” Fujita responds, “In a way.” How is Fujita’s job similar to that of a detective? Answers will vary. Students may refer to Scene 7, in which Fujita explains to Pam how he studies the damage from tornadoes “to help piece together what happened.” This is similar to how a detective studies clues at the scene of a crime to determine what took place. Students may also write that like a detective, Fujita must have a lot of patience and faith that his work will eventually come together.
3. WRITE ABOUT IT: KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS (45 MINUTES)
Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Key Ideas and Details. This activity will prepare them to respond to the writing prompt on page 24 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:
Imagine you are Pam, working as a professor in 1999. Write a speech to give to students about Ted Fujita’s impact on you, the field of meteorology, and people everywhere.
CONNECTED READING
