Grade: Elementary
Subject: Science

#4090. Can You Imagine?

Science, level: Elementary
Posted Wed Jan 23 14:37:22 PST 2008 by Morgan Harper (morganharper@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Hagood Elementary, Pickens
Activity Time: 30 minutes
Concepts Taught: Clouds

Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand characteristics of cumulus clouds.

Objectives: Students will be able to identify cumulus clouds.

Resources/Materials: blue construction paper, white paper, glue sticks, "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles G. Shaw, white colored pencils, and Promethean Flipcharts on clouds available at www.prometheanplanet.com, pictures of various types of clouds, chart paper, markers

Activities and Procedures:
*Have several pictures of clouds for students to look at and compare.
*Tell them they will be learning about one type of cloud (the cumulus cloud)
*Discuss Cumulus Clouds and how they are the puffy, white clouds
*Cumulus Clouds are the clouds that you sometimes think look like things
*Have students look at the pictures provided and have them predict which ones are the cumulus clouds.
*Make a list of what clouds could look like.
*Read the book "It Looked Like Spilt Milk" by Charles G. Shaw
*Have the students predict what the next page will be
*After reading the story, compare the book to list of items made earlier
*Have the students create a cloud on a piece of blue construction paper
*Students should make the cloud look like something
*Once the students have decided on their cloud, give them a piece of blue paper and white paper
*Students will draw the cloud shape on the blue paper before gluing the white paper on
*Tell the students to tare the white paper (no scissors) and glue the pieces in the shape
*Once the students have the clouds on the paper they are to write this sentence at the bottom of the paper "It looked like _____________, but it was not a ____________." (white pencil)

Additional Activities
•When there is a clear day with clouds in the sky. Take the students outside and have them lay in the grass. Tell them to observe the clouds. After several minutes of observing the clouds have the students write in his or her journals about what they have observed. The students should describe the clouds that were seen and illustrate their observations. Share journals after returning inside.
•Provide the students with some shaving cream at their desks. Have the students work the shaving cream in their hands and on the desks to create different shapes of clouds. The kids love it and it's also a good way to clean the desks.
•Make a "My Cloud Book." Students create a book of clouds (cirrus, stratus, cumulus, etc.) Each page is a different cloud. Students will write the cloud at the top of the page and then write several sentences describing the cloud. Have the students highlight the "sparkle words" (adjectives). Do a new page each time a new cloud is introduced.
•Once all types of clouds are taught, have the students use cotton balls to represent each type of cloud. One a piece of paper, glue the types of clouds and label them. Make sure to have the students pull apart the cotton balls.

South Carolina State Standards
Science
2-3.5 Use pictorial weather symbols to record observable sky conditions.
Language Arts
2-2.4 Create responses to informational texts through a variety of methods such as drawings, written works, and oral presentations.
2-4.2 Use complete sentences (including simple sentences with compound subjects and predicates) in writing.

Assessment
Students will be assessed on their understanding of cumulus clouds through their "It looked like _______, but it was a _________." picture.