Essential Standard 5.E.1 Understand weather patterns and phenomena, making connections to the weather in a particular place and time.

Today’s Objective 5.E.1.2: Today you will learn how to predict upcoming weather events from weather data collected through observation and measurements. What are some ways we collect and observe weather? Discuss with your elbow buddy and post using a sticky note.

Clouds A visible collection of tiny water droplets or, at colder temperatures, ice crystals floating in the air above the surface. Clouds are classified by their different shapes and altitudes. Clouds can form at ground level, which is fog, at great heights in the atmosphere, and everywhere in between. Clouds offer important clues to understanding and forecasting weather.

Stratus Low level clouds (0-6,500 ft.); means “to spread out” looks like layers or blankets that cover the sky; result is overcast weather and sometimes precipitation; fog is a stratus cloud at ground level

Cumulus Middle level clouds (6,500-18,00 ft); means “heap” or “pile” look puffy, like cotton; grow vertically from a flat base to rounded towers; results in fair weather

Cumulonimbus Tall cumulus clouds (grows vertically up to 50,000 ft); look like an anvil; results in heavy precipitation, especially thunderstorms; nimbus= rain

Nimbus A rain cloud; may be used as a prefix or suffix for rain clouds

Cirrus High level clouds (above 18,000 ft); means “curl of hair” look thin and wispy, like feathers; composed of ice crystals (high altitude= cold temperatures)

How can we use CLOUDS to predict weather? Observe the clouds on the next slide. How would you classify each by their color, size, and shape to predict weather? What are some ways the clouds are alike or different?

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Making Clouds The activity we are going to complete must be done with adult supervision. I need a volunteer to measure and fill the plastic bottle with 1 to 2 CM of warm water. Next, I will lay the bottle on its side. I will light a match and after it burns for a couple of seconds, I will blow it out. I will hold the match in the opening of the bottle so that smoke drifts into the bottle.

Making Clouds I will screw the cap on the bottle and swish the water around to rinse down all parts of the bottle. Observe as I hold the bottle up to the window (squeeze and let go). Now, in your science notebooks, respond to the following questions using descriptive sentences or pictures.

? Questions ? What did you see inside the bottle? How is what you saw like a cloud in the sky? Did the “cloud” form each time I squeezed and released the bottle? Why? What are clouds made of?

Infer…. Based on the results from our science experiment, how are clouds formed? Share your responses with the members of your table. As a collaborative group, use a sheet of chart paper to explain (pictures/sentences) how clouds are formed.

Let’s Review.. Clouds form when warm, moist air rises and cools. Cooler air cannot hold as much water vapor as warmer air. As the air cools, the water vapor condenses to form water droplets. The water vapor MUST have something to condense around (microscopic materials) such as dust, soot, pollen, bits of rock, salt from the ocean, or even car exhaust. In our experiment, what was the microscopic material?

I condensed the water vapor by lowering the air pressure in the bottle’ squeezing the bottle increased the air pressure and then immediately releasing the bottle, lowered the air pressure. Air pressure is related to the formation of clouds b/c the higher into the atmosphere you go, the thinner the air and lower the air pressure.

What must occur before clouds can form? A Water vapor must get warmer. B Water vapor must lose heat energy. C Precipitation must begin to fall and run off. D Transpiration must add water vapor to the atmosphere.