Our Lessons For the Week: Rain Cloud Experiment
Students will learn more about clouds and do a fun, easy experiment to see how clouds work.
What is our theme?
Science, Spring, Rain Clouds, Water Cycle
What is the lesson (overall purpose)?
Students will learn a bit more about the water cycle and clouds. They will be given an opportunity to experiment with how clouds and rain work.
MA Guidelines/Standards:
PreK-ESS2-5 (MA). Describe how local weather changes from day to day and over the seasons and recognize patterns in those changes.
Clarification Statement: Descriptions of the weather can include sunny, cloudy, rainy, warm, windy, and snowy.
Learning Outcomes:
Songs, Books & Videos (Motivational Techniques)
Youtube link, “The Water Cycle | The Dr. Binocs Show”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncORPosDrjI
Materials
Activity (Procedure):
Begin activity by talking about clouds and looking at them outside or through the window. Follow up this discussion by watching the water cycle youtube link.
Now tell your child they will be conducting an experiment to see how rain falls from a cloud!
Activity Wrap Up:
Review the water cycle.
Review what happens when clouds get heavy with water droplets.
How do I know what my child is learning? (Assessment)
How can you extend this activity? (Modifications)
Talk about what happens to water droplets when the air is freezing.
Helpful Hints: (Pitfalls & Solutions)
Your child may need a few discussions about how rain forms in clouds before fully grasping this concept. Feel free to repeat this fun activity and watch the learning youtube link as many times as you’d like!
Students will learn more about clouds and do a fun, easy experiment to see how clouds work.
What is our theme?
Science, Spring, Rain Clouds, Water Cycle
What is the lesson (overall purpose)?
Students will learn a bit more about the water cycle and clouds. They will be given an opportunity to experiment with how clouds and rain work.
MA Guidelines/Standards:
PreK-ESS2-5 (MA). Describe how local weather changes from day to day and over the seasons and recognize patterns in those changes.
Clarification Statement: Descriptions of the weather can include sunny, cloudy, rainy, warm, windy, and snowy.
Learning Outcomes:
- The student will learn more about the water cycle, clouds and how clouds make rain.
- The student will engage in a science experiment.
Songs, Books & Videos (Motivational Techniques)
Youtube link, “The Water Cycle | The Dr. Binocs Show”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncORPosDrjI
Materials
- Computer/device to watch youtube link
- Glass of water (make sure it is glass so you can see the “rain” fall)
- Shaving cream (paper towel will work if you don’t have shaving cream)
- Food coloring
Activity (Procedure):
Begin activity by talking about clouds and looking at them outside or through the window. Follow up this discussion by watching the water cycle youtube link.
Now tell your child they will be conducting an experiment to see how rain falls from a cloud!
- Fill the cup with water (air)
- Add a thin layer of shaving cream (clouds – water vapor)
(Or use a paper towel across the top of the cup. Use rubber band to hold it in place.) - Allow child to place drops of blue food coloring on the top of the shaving cream (water droplets)
- Wait for the “rain” to fall
Activity Wrap Up:
Review the water cycle.
Review what happens when clouds get heavy with water droplets.
How do I know what my child is learning? (Assessment)
- Is my child showing interest in this activity?
- Does my child understand why clouds fill up with water?
- Does my child understand why rain falls from clouds?
How can you extend this activity? (Modifications)
Talk about what happens to water droplets when the air is freezing.
Helpful Hints: (Pitfalls & Solutions)
Your child may need a few discussions about how rain forms in clouds before fully grasping this concept. Feel free to repeat this fun activity and watch the learning youtube link as many times as you’d like!
RSS Feed
