Can I Make a Rain Cloud?

This lesson developed by Reach Out!

Recommended Age: Preschool and Early Elementary



Questions

What are clouds?
What happens when it rains?
What are rain clouds?



What You Need


What You Do

  1. Dip the sponge into water. Let the sponge absorb lots of water. It will keep feeling more and more heavy as it is taking in more and more water.

  2. Hold the sponge over the big bowl. The sponge is like a cloud that has become really filled and heavy with water it has absorbed. The bowl is like our earth. Move the sponge in the air and pretend it is a cloud floating above the earth or bowl.

  3. When the sponge gets so heavy with water, it is like a rain cloud. It has to let go of some of the water when it gets so heavy. Gently squeeze the sponge and watch the water drop into the bowl. This is like a rain cloud dropping water onto our earth.


What Is Happening

Clouds absorb the little water drops that are in the air. The air is absorbing water from the streams, lakes, oceans, puddles and rivers on the earth. Over time, clouds take in lots of water drops and become heavy with water. Then they have to let go some of the water. This is what happens when it rains or snows.

Water is pretty neat. Every living creature must have water on our earth in order to live. Water recycles itself everyday. Water evaporates and goes into the air and water comes back down to the earth in the form of rain, snow, sleet and hail.



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