Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: The Art of Clouds

For Teachers 2nd - 5th
Learners use a cloud identification guide to identify clouds in landscape paintings, then make their own art to identify cloud types.
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Clouds, a Teaching Box

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
A collection of educational resources to bring cloud science to elementary students.
Unit Plan
Globe

The Globe Program: Clouds Module

For Teachers K - 1st
Activities give students the opportunity to describe the shape and appearance of cumulus clouds and learn the types of weather that are associated with them. They identify cloud types using cloud classification names and explore the...
Activity
NASA

Nasa: Genesis Kids: Roping Rainbows

For Students 3rd - 6th
Provides fun activities to do involving sunlight.
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Elementary Globe: To Spread or Not to Spread

For Students K - 1st
Students will explore the difference between the three types of contrails. Then they will make observations of contrails outside, record their observations, and then make follow-up observations 15 minutes later to see how the contrails...
Lesson Plan
OpenSciEd

Open Sci Ed: 6.3 Weather, Climate & Water Cycling

For Teachers 5th - 7th
Why does a lot of hail, rain, or snow fall at some times and not others? This unit contains four separate lesson sets built around answering this question. In the first two lesson sets, students explain small-scale storms. In the third...
Website
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Soaring the Glory

For Students 9th - 10th
Absolutely fascinating site on an interesting cloud phenomenon called the Morning Glory! Discover something new as you learn all about this massive backwards-rolling cloud formation.
Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Dirtmeister's Science Lab: Weather or Not

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Simple experiments for exploring clouds and cloud formation. You'll find out whether dust in the air helps cloud formation and discuss how dust helps meteorologists make weather predictions.
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Clouds [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Teachers and/or students are given four science experiments related to clouds in our atmosphere. Photos and brief descriptions of the main types of clouds ..Cirrocumulus, Cirrus, Altocumulus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus, Stratus .. are included.
Website
University of Illinois

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign: Cloudsand Precipitation

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about the development of clouds, types of clouds, and precipitation. Includes diagrams and illustrations.
Activity
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Web Weather for Kids: Create a Portable Cloud

For Students 9th - 10th
Using six common objects you can make a portable cloud. Get all the directions you need at this site.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Clouds

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity is designed to assess a student's comprehension of a basic meteorological phenomenon.
Handout
Environmental Education for Kids

Eek!: Water Wonders

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site from the Environmental Education for Kids contains colorful and detailed information on water resources. Site covers fascinating tips and facts, as well as engaging quizzes on the wonderful world of water. Best suited for...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Investigating How Do Clouds Form? What Are the Different Types of Clouds?

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this investigation, students will observe and learn about the different types of clouds and be able to explain in their own words how clouds are formed. They will also observe an experiment illustrating how clouds form.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Looking at Clouds: Making a Book That Identifies Cloud Types

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
While creating their own cloud book, students will identify and classify the different cloud types and the weather conditions that they bring.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: How Clouds Are Made

For Teachers K - 1st
Introduce young learners to clouds and weather with guided discovery and inquiry to learn what makes up clouds.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Identifying Clouds

For Teachers K - 1st
Students work together to learn how to identify clouds. They take pictures, create models, and identify various forms of clouds. Since this is an immersion setting, students also learn the names of the clouds in the German language.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: I Can Forecast the Weather

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The learners will study and be able to tell the difference between cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds. As they tell the difference they will be able to tell what the weather will be like.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Cloud Inquiry Investigation & Id

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students describe and create an experiment to indicate that a cloud will form under specific conditions.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Looking at Clouds: Identifying Cumulus, Cirrus and Stratus Clouds

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Using photos of the three basic cloud types, small groups of learners will sort the clouds into 2-3 groups, list traits of each group, and name each cloud group. They will share their information on posters which are studied for...
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Cloud Protocols

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students observe ten types of clouds and visible contrails, and determine how much of the sky is covered with clouds or contrails.
Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Clouds

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what clouds are, how they are formed, and provides a chart listing the four main categories of clouds in the Earth's atmosphere - cirrus, nimbus, cumulus, and stratus. (Updated: July 25, 2012)
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Aren't We Only Using Solar Power?

For Students 9th - 10th
Solar power is cheaper and more sustainable than our current coal-fueled power plants, so why haven't we made the switch? The real culprits here are the clouds, which make solar power difficult to control. Alexandros George Charalambides...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: How Did Clouds Get Their Names?

For Students 9th - 10th
Richard Hamblyn tells the history of Luke Howard, the man who classified the clouds and forever changed humanity's understanding of these changeable, mysterious objects. [5:07]