Kristy Berger

April 14th, 2022

Dr. Tracey Keys - Department Chair
24 students
60 minutes
Grade 3
Topic:  Clouds

PA Academic Standards:  
S4.D.2.1.1
 Identify basic cloud types (i.e., cirrus, cumulus, stratus, and cumulonimbus) and make
connections to basic elements of weather (e.g., changes in temperature,
precipitation).
3.2.1.A6 Science as Inquiry
 Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions
require different kinds of investigations. 

Next Generation Science Standards:

 N/A

Performance Objectives:
 The students will be able to identify basic cloud types and make connections to
basic elements of weather by completing the pre-lab activities.
 The students will be able to plan and conduct a simple investigation by using the lab
sheet and materials provided to record their findings.

Instructional Materials:
 Science Journals
 Experiment Sheet
 Clear jar
 Shaving cream
 Plastic cup with blue-dyed water
 Pipette
 “What I Learned About Clouds” exit ticket

Subject Matter/Content:
I.  Prerequisite Skills
 Lab safety
 Types of precipitation
 Water cycle
 Measuring skills
II. Key Vocabulary
A. Clouds- a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the atmosphere,
typically high above the ground.
B. Cumulus- puffy clouds that look like cotton.
C. Stratus- flat sheets of clouds.
D. Cirrus- high feathery clouds.

I. Content
Types of Clouds
0. Names and shapes/descriptive properties
1. Weather associated with each

Implementation:
Introduction:
Students will take their seats at their desk, and I will play the short YouTube Video, “Where do
clouds come from?” In this video they will learn about the three main types of clouds.
Next, they will visit the website, https://web.extension.illinois.edu/treehouse/clouds.cfm?Slide=5,
to see more descriptions and pictures of these 3 main types of clouds. After exploring for a few
minutes, we will have a classroom discussion on the different clouds they have seen and what
type of weather was happening when they saw the cloud (i.e., rainy, clear, snowy).
We will then open their science journals to page 22,
https://www.elementaryschoolscience.com/_files/ugd/fe60fb_f9da11fe18fd402f8e92660d17e26
df7.pdf , I will also project the journal on the board as we go over the life cycle of a cloud and
how clouds form. There are also two pages of all different cloud types, but we will mostly be
focusing on the three main ones, cumulus, stratus, and cirrus.

Development:
The students will break up into groups of 4 as I write the steps for the “Rain Cloud in a Jar”
experiment. Each group will collect materials from the front, a “How many raindrops?”
experiment sheet (4), a jar that they will take to the sink and measure out ½ cup water into,
shaving cream, a plastic cup with dyed-blue water (I will have these ready for the students), and
a pipette. The students will first fill out column one of the experiment sheets, each student will fill
out their own sheet, but they can collaborate as a group. Next, the students will take the jar that
they filled with ½ cup of water and spray shaving cream on the top (shaving cream cloud). Next,
the students will begin to place drops of the blue-dyed water onto the shaving cream. The
students will keep track of how many drops it takes before the shaving cream (cloud) becomes
saturated and it “rains.” Students will have 15 minutes to complete this experiment as a group.
We will then reconvene and have a classroom discussion on what they discovered.

Closure:
We will go over key vocabulary again and discuss anything the students still might be confused
on or explore any questions they might still have about clouds. They will then complete the exit
ticket, “What I Learned About Clouds.” I will remind students to really focus on the type of clouds
they learned about, and the weather associated with each. This will help me determine how
much information the students learned and where to next take instruction.

Accommodations/Differentiation:
 Students who do not have the necessary writing skills to complete the experiment sheet
or “What I learned about Clouds” independently will be provided with a scaffolded
version of the sheet that has some parts pre-filled in and other parts with sentence
stems or fill-in-the-blank statements already provided.  If parent helpers, paras, or
learning support teachers are available, students who need support can have one-on-
one or small group support from another adult to complete the written tasks.
 English Language Learners will be supported in this lesson through grouping with
students who can support and help them, verbal and written repetition of new vocabulary
words, and multiple representation of vocabulary words through printed images and
video.
  Students who do not have the gross or fine motor skills to complete the experiment
safely and productively will have jobs for the lab pre-assigned to their table to ensure
that the child with gross or fine motor needs is doing a task that is within his or her ability
level. 
 Words and sentence stems will be provided on the “What I Learned About Clouds”
worksheet support any students who struggle with invented spellings for larger words.  

Evaluation of Students:
Formative Assessment:
 The teacher will be using a 4-point rating scale to evaluate students’ participation
during the lab to determine how well students were able to plan and conduct a
simple investigation by working well with their group, filling out their experiment
sheets, and following procedure for the experiment they conducted.  (4 = all
components complete and correct, 3 = most components complete and correct, 2
= partially complete/correct, 1 = required step-by-step assistance to complete).
 The teacher will be using a 4-point rating scale while reviewing the students’
written work on the exit ticket to determine how well students are able to correctly
identify basic cloud types and make connections to basic elements of
weather. (4 = thorough and accurate in all instances, 3 = thorough and accurate
in most instances, 2 = some accuracy, 1 = no accuracy)

Summative Assessment:
 There will be no summative assessment for this lesson. 

Reflective Response:
A.  Report on Students’ Performance in Terms of Stated Objectives - Remediation Plan

A. Personal reflection
1. Should I have picked the groups instead of letting the students pick their own
groups?
2. Is there enough support in the classroom to help my struggling writers and ELL
students? What can I do to make sure they have enough support?
3. What else could I have done to improve this lesson?

Resources:
Elementary School Science (2017). On Cloud Nine.
https://www.elementaryschoolscience.com/lesson-plan-about-clouds

Gift of Curiosity (2019). Make a Rain Cloud in a Jar.

https://www.giftofcuriosity.com/make-a-rain-cloud-in-a-jar/

University of Wyoming (2013). Where Do Clouds Come From?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o6bJENuqzo