Rain & Water Cycle

On a partly cloudy day, take your child outside and spread out a blanket on the grass.  Lie down on your backs to observe the clouds floating by.  Identify the cloud formations (i.e., cirrus, cumulus, and stratus) that you see.  It is also fun for you and your child to use your imaginations and suggest what objects you see in the clouds (i.e., "that cloud looks like a...").

Chart:  http://ellerbruch.nmu.edu/classes/cs255f02/cs255students/abarker/p4/clouds.html

Reading skills:
While still outside read from the following book suggestions:
Clouds by Anne Rockwell

Down Comes the Rain by Franklyn Branley

Rain by Marion Dane Bauer

Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee

Math Skills:

Use a worksheet such as the one below to create a color by numbers activity.  In each umbrella, write a number between 1 and 6.  Include a key indicating which number corresponds to which color (i.e., 1 = red, 2 = orange, 3 = yellow, 4 = green, 5 = blue, 6 = purple).  Help your child read the key to color each umbrella the appropriate color.

Source:  http://www.prekinders.com/weatherunit/UmbrellaBingo.pdf

Fine Motor Skills:

Give your child a paintbrush and water colors to create a masterpiece.  The below worksheet makes a great and relevant canvas for painting.  Talk to your child about the four stages of the water cycle while they are painting.  

Source:  www.kidzone.ws/water/

Gross Motor Skills:

Have your child gear up for puddles and raindrops!  Fill a container with a variety of rain-appropriate clothing (i.e., rain coat, rain hat, rain boots, child-friendly umbrella).  Instruct your child to put on the rain clothes as quickly as possible.  Use a timer or count out loud to add to the urgency of this activity.  If you want to take it to the next level, allow your child (still dressed in rain clothes) to play outside in the "rain" (or sprinkler) if it's not cold outside.

Photo:  www.squidoo.com

Science Experiments:

For the younger ones:

Illustrate the water cycle.  You'll need cotton balls and a small shallow container with some cold water.
(1) Give your child a cotton ball to hold. Tell them to pretend that they are holding a cloud.
(2) Ask them how the cloud feels: heavy or light? soft or hard?
(3) Instruct the children to place the "cloud" (cotton ball) gently over the cold water. Explain that water that has evaporated has traveled up to the cloud and it is a lot colder up in the sky, so the vapor turns into water, and it is filling up the cloud. Ask: Can you see the "cloud" (cotton ball) filling up with the water?
(4) Ask the children to gently pick up the "cloud" (cotton ball) from the pan. Ask: How does the "cloud" feel now? Light or heavy? Warm or cold? What is happening with the water? Yes, the water is dripping from the "cloud". Why? The cloud cannot hold all that water, is too, too, heavy. What do we call it when water falls from the clouds because they are too heavy with water? Yes, you are right, rain! It is raining! And what happens to the water? Yes, it is coming right back into the pan, and the pan could be a stream, river, ocean or the ground.

Source:  http://www.first-school.ws/theme/climate.htm

For the older ones:

Make fog in a jar!  Please note that because this project involves fire, your child should observe this project rather than actively assist you.  
Supplies:  

* black construction paper

* gallon jar

* colored warm water (blue food coloring)

* matches

* gallon size bag of ice

Illustration: http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloudact1.html  Instructions: (1) Tape the black paper on the back of the jar, so you can't  see through the jar. (2) Fill one third of the jar with colored warm water. (3) Light the match and hold it over the jar opening. (4) After a few seconds, drop the match into the jar and cover  the top of the jar with the bag of ice. (5) You should see a little cloud form. Repeat the experiment  until you do. Source: http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/cloudact1.html Snack: Serve "cloud cookies" or meringues with a cup of ice water.  These desserts are light and fluffy as clouds.  Meringues can be purchased at the grocery  store or made at home.  If baking yourself please allow ample cooking time. Most recipes call for a bake time of at least two and a half hours.  Point out  that the drips on the outside of your child's cup are an example of  condensation.  For a quick tutorial on condensation, use this link: http://youtu.be/Y13u8ZHvGhw Photo:  http://stylishcuisine.com