Name________________________

Teacher: Mr. D. Strina

Teacher: Mr. Dan Strina

McCaig Elementary School

NOTES---
Clouds are collections of tiny water and/or ice particles in the air. Clouds
close to the earth are called fog.
Clouds are created when water vapor in the air cools below the dew point
and forms droplets on tiny particles in the air. This occurs when warm air is
pushed upwards into the atmosphere and cools.

1
 NOTES--
TYPES OF CLOUDS
Name: _______________________

Types of Clouds
by Erin Ryan

When you look up in the sky, you realize that no two clouds look exactly alike. Clouds are formed from water vapor that
condenses then clusters together in droplets. There are many different types of clouds that can be seen. The types of
clouds are determined based on what they look like and how high they are in the atmosphere.

High-Level Clouds Mid-Level Clouds Low-Level Clouds Vertical Clouds

High-level clouds are formed Mid-level clouds are found in Low-level clouds are found Cumulus and cumulonimbus
in altitudes above 20,000 altitudes between 6,500 to below 6,500 feet and clouds are both known as
feet. Because the 20,000 feet. They are formed although they are mostly vertical clouds.
temperatures are so cold at mainly of water droplets, but made up of water droplets.
this elevation, these clouds can also be made up of ice They can also be composed Cumulus clouds are also
are formed from ice crystals. crystals when the of ice particles and snow incalled fair weather clouds
temperature is cold enough. very cold temperatures. and look like floating cotton.
Cirrus clouds are thin and They have very flat bases and
wispy clouds that are blown Altocumulus clouds are Stratus clouds are among the are not very tall clouds.
by high winds. They usually composed of water droplets low-lying clouds. They are When cumulus clouds are first
mean the day will have fair or and are gray and puffy. gray clouds that cover the formed from droplets, they
pleasant weather, and follow These clouds are usually seen entire sky and can be the have very distinct edges, but
the direction that the air on warm and humid summer result of very thick fog lifting in as they move through the sky,
moves at the altitude they mornings and are usually a the morning. air causes the edges to
are found at. sign that thunderstorms will appear more ragged and
follow later in the day. Nimbostratus clouds are dark broken apart.
Cirrostratus clouds are like gray clouds that produce
very thin sheets of clouds that Altostratus clouds are made falling rain or snow. Cumulonimbus clouds can
cover large parts of the sky. up of ice crystals and water take up several miles across
droplets. They can cover the the sky and can reach
Cirrocumulus clouds look like entire sky and form before elevations of 39,000 feet or
small round puffs in the sky. rain storms. higher because of very strong
Sometimes they are called updrafts in the atmosphere.
mackerel clouds because Low level cumulonimbus
they look similar to fish scales. clouds are made up of water
droplets, but at higher
elevations, they consist of ice
crystals. Cumulonimbus
clouds are they type of
clouds that bring lightning,
thunder, violent tornadoes
and other intense weather
situations.

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

2
3
 Name: _______________________

Complete the diagram with the correct Cloud Types

1-______________

2-______________

3-__________

4-___________

4
9-___________
5-_____________

6-___________

7-__________ 8-_______

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

 TYPES OF CLOUDS
Name: _______________________

Types of Clouds
by Erin Ryan

1. Name the two types of low-level clouds.

____________________________________________________________

2. What type of clouds are called “fair weather clouds”

and look like floating cotton?

____________________________________________________________

3. Name two types of clouds that are between 20,000

and 6,500 feet in the air.

____________________________________________________________

4. Which type of clouds brings lightning, thunder,

and tornadoes?

____________________________________________________________

5. Are stratus clouds or cirrus clouds found closer

to the ground?

____________________________________________________________

6. What are cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus

clouds made of?

____________________________________________________________

7. What type of cloud is often formed by fog lifting

in the morning?

____________________________________________________________

8. Why are cirrocumulus clouds sometimes called

mackerel clouds?

____________________________________________________________

Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com

5
DRAW THE CLOUD SYMBOL UNDER EACH PICTURE.

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

MULTIPLE CHOICE.

C-

6
Complete the page with the correct cloud names.

1-_______________ 2-_______________ 3-_______________

4-_______________ 5-_______________

6-_______________ 7-______________ 8-______________

9-_______________ 10-_______________

7
 There are different types of clouds. Below is a chart of
COMPLETE WITH THE CORRECT CLOUD.
these types.

1______________
2_______________
3_____________
4___________
5_________________
6_____________
7___________________
8______________
9______________________
10________
11______________

MULTIPLE CHOICE.

8
 -Fill in the missing words.

1 _____________

2,3 _______,_____
4 ______.

_________.

5 ____.

6 _____

7 _________.
8 ____________
DRAW THE CLOUDS BELOW IN THE BOX.

stratus clouds
cirrus clouds cumulous
cumulus clouds
clouds

9
10
11
12
Name: _______________________

Cloud Project
Observe the types of clouds that appear outside each day for a week.

Each day, photograph or draw the types of clouds you see in the sky.

- If you choose to photograph the clouds, print out your photos. Then, write the dates to show
when each picture was taken. Also, write the types of clouds shown in each photo.
Attach your pictures to a sheet of poster board.

- If you choose to draw the clouds, be sure your pictures are clear and detailed. You should
accurately show the color and shape of the clouds. Also include part of the landscape
such as trees, hills, or buildings that you see. Label each type of cloud shown in your
pictures. Also, write the date on each picture you draw. Attach your illustrations to a sheet
of poster board.

Your cloud project is due on ________________________________________________________________.

Your cloud project may be on display at school, so do your very best work!

Cloud Project - Grading Sheet

/1
____________ (10 points) The project has been brought to school on-time.

/1(10 points)
____________ Poster includes five or more photographs or hand-drawn pictures of clouds.
/1
____________ (10 points) The pictures are clear and detailed so cloud types can be identified.

/1
____________ (10 points) Each cloud picture is clearly and accurately dated.

/1
____________ (10 points) The type of cloud is correctly identified for each picture.

/1
____________ (10 points) The poster has a title written in large letters at the top.

/1
____________ (10 points) Handwriting is neat and easy-to-read.

/1(10 points)
____________ Words are spelled correctly, including cloud types.

/1(10 points)
____________ The project is neat and presentable.

____________/1(10 points) The student's first and last name has been written on the front of the poster.

/10
Total - ____________ (out of 100 points)

13
Super Teacher Worksheets - www.superteacherworksheets.com
14
JetStream An Online School for Weather

l Weather S
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CloudSpotter
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for Safety, for Work, for Fun - FOR LIFE

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Cutout

Lesson plan: Head in the clouds. Cut along dotted lines and make a small hole in the center of both wheels. Attach
wheels together using a brass fastener. Record cloud observations onto a cloud observation form. Complete lesson
plan and PDF versions of wheels/forms are located at...
http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/synoptic/ll_clouds1.htm

There are over 35 lesson plans in the National Weather Service education website
JetStream - An Online School for Weather, a free resource at www.srh.noaa.gov.
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There are over 35 lesson plans in the National Weather Service education website
JetStream - An Online School for Weather, a free resource at www.srh.noaa.gov.
 A C T I V I T Y

Cloud Key
C L O U D S

I dentifying clouds is a terrific way for students to put their skills of obser-
vation and classification to work, as well as to launch them into weather
prediction. Clouds are only one of the many factors—including fronts, winds,
pressure systems, etc.—that contribute to predicting weather, but they are Materials
one that students can easily observe. Note: Identifying clouds can be difficult (for each student)
at first. Encourage students to make their best guesses based on the dominant reproducible pages
kind of clouds they see, or to list more than one type. 45 and 46
brass paper fastener
Directions scissors

Make a copy of the reproducible for each student. Show students how to make
1 the Cloud Key by cutting out both circles on pages 45 and 46, cutting out and
discarding the two shaded areas on page 45, and fastening the wheels togeth-
er. Page 45 goes on top.
Show students how to use the key. Move the wheel until the
2 cloud you want appears, then read the name and weather
information in the box.
Have students make a chart with these five headings:
3 “Date/Time,” “Cloud Type,” “A.M. Weather,” “P.M. Predicted
Weather,” “Actual P.M. Weather/Time.” (See the sample
shown here.) Invite students to fill in the chart every morn-
ing for a week, comparing their predictions to the actual
weather in the afternoon.

39
 46
ht Flu
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Cloud Finder

y. ll

way.

lightning
are on the

winds, and
or at least

The Wow’s and Why’s of Weather Scholastic Professional Books

cloudy skies.

heavy rain, hail,

Thunderstorms with
Rain or snow likely,

tower to high heights.

Altocumulus
clouds made of ice and
water at middle heights.

Cumulonimbus
Thick blue-gray blanket-like

Giant thunderhead clouds that

. ch weat
ely an bu ange her!
d t
y lik ain
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en m e
sn o w v ights lowe plet
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rk oc s.
rus
Da r a t
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 Cloud Key
Cut out the wheel.
Cut out the two shaded areas inside the wheel.
This is the top wheel of your cloud key.

45
The Wow’s and Why’s of Weather Scholastic Professional Books