Grab an umbrella, It’s raining worms
In the Chinese province of Liaoning people were told to find shelter after it looked like it started to rain worms
READING LEVEL: GREEN
Citizens* of the Chinese province of Liaoning were told to find shelter after it looked like it started to rain worms.
A viral clip showed the area apparently being showered with little worms, which were splattered all over cars
The video showed residents covering themselves with umbrellas as they wander past.
While the cause of the slimy creature calamity* has yet to be uncovered, the scientific journal Mother Nature Network suggested that the animals were dropped after being swept up by heavy winds.
The journal reported this type of occurrence* happens after a storm when insects are caught up in a whirlpool*.
Another theory suggested that the worms were actually poplar flowers — a tulip tree whose blooms resemble the squirmy* beasts.
Viewers were stunned by the city’s current problem, with one person stating: “These are not worms or animals, but flower stalks dropped from trees.”
Someone else claimed that the video was fake and looked like a prank.
A similar odd event went down last December when it was believed that iguanas could rain down from trees in Florida due to colder temperatures.
“They slow down or become immobile when it’s below 4.4 degree celsius,” meteorologist* Brian Shields posted on Twitter* last winter.
“They may fall from trees, but they aren’t dead.”
The incident* is reportedly not uncommon when colder weather hits the state. When temperatures drop, the reptiles become stiff and tumble to the ground.
While temperature plunges stun* the reptiles, the iguanas won’t necessarily die. Many will simply wake up as temperatures rise.
GLOSSARY
- citizens: a member of a particular community
- calamity: a disastrous event with lasting distress and suffering
- occurrence: something that takes place
- whirlpool: water moving rapidly in a circle which floating objects may be drawn in
- squirmy: moving with a wriggling motion
- meteorologist: a specialist who studies the weather
- Twitter: social media application
- incident: an instance of something happening; an event or occurrence
- stun: knock unconscious or into a dazed or semiconscious state
EXTRA READING
The big weather change coming to Australia
Moon wobble blamed for mass mangrove death
Supermoon helps free stuck ship
QUICK QUIZ
- In what province were the “rain worms” found?
- What caused the “rain worms” to splatter on the cars?
- What else did the “rain worms” look like?
- What happened to the iguanas in Florida?
- What happens to the iguanas when it get warmer again?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. What would the worms say?
Rewrite this story from the point of view of the worms (or iguanas).
Time: allow 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Geography
2. Extension
Design an invention or describe an idea that could help to protect reptiles from falling out of trees in very cold weather.
Time: allow 45 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, Design and Technologies, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
It’s raining … WORMS!
This sounds like a birds dream day. If you could have anything rain from the sky, what would you choose and why?
Write a short outline for a narrative where it rains exactly what you have asked for.
Where is the story set?
Who is involved?
What is the problem?
What will the solution be?
How will the story end?
This is just a planner, you don’t need to write the story, but practise getting the ideas flowing.