Thundermuffs
by Cindy Blobaum
MITCHELL (Rubbing arm): I’m
not afraid of lightning. I just like it
quiet.
THERESA: More shocking news
is that lightning is what causes
thunder. The air around lightning
heats and cools so quickly that it
causes a shock wave, a big
noise that we call thunder.
(Takes poster from top of dresser
and waves it to create thunder)
MITCHELL (Squirming to get
under covers): I’m not shocked,
Theresa—I just like it quiet.
OLIVIA: Did you know that by
counting the seconds between
when you see a lightning flash
then hear the thunder, and
dividing by five, you can estimate
how far away the lightning is?
You should try it!
What is it that Mitchell says
bothers him?
a. He says he likes it to
be quiet, not noisy.
b. He says he does not
like being shocked.
c. He says he does not
know how to do the
math.
d. He says he is afraid
of lightning.