Introduction

You are on a trip flying in an airplane looking out the window. You see all types of beautiful clouds in the sky. How will you describe what you saw to your family when you return?

What are the three types of clouds and what do they look like?
 
 

In order to answer our introductory question, you will need to do the following:

• Create a single cloud formation on construction paper.
• Locate and identify cirrus, cumulus, and stratus clouds using the Internet.
• Label and print out pictures of clouds in your "Cloud Watcher" science journals.
• Create your own story.  Pretend you are one of the types of clouds you learned about.  Write a story about your life as that cloud.  Be creative, but be sure to include accurate information for your cloud type within the story.

You will be assigned to a group responsible for creating one of the three cloud formations using cotton balls and gluing them on construction paper. Your cloud formation will be labeled and placed in the classroom as a reference to help you with your Internet research.

In partners, you will find pictures of clouds on the Internet. The places that you will need to go to are:

• Cloud Guide
• Cloud Boutique
• Cloud Images

Now make your own cloud.  This activity can be found on: Clouds in a Bottle.

4 -Exemplary - Student reflects highest level of performance.

• "Cloud Watcher" science journals will contain three different pictures of each of the cloud formations.
• Pictures must be labeled stratus, cumulus, and cirrus.
• Journals must be neat and organized.
• Students must write a cloud story.
• Total cooperation with team members.

• "Cloud Watcher" journals will contain at least two different pictures of each of the cloud formations.
• Most pictures will be labeled stratus, cumulus, and cirrus.
• Journals will be organized.
• Students must write a cloud story.
• Cooperation with team members most of the time.

• "Cloud Watcher" journals will contain one picture of each of the cloud formations.
• Some of the pictures will be labeled.
• Journals may need organization.
• Students will have part of a cloud story.
• Cooperation with team members some of the time.

• "Cloud Watcher" journals will contain two or less pictures of cloud formations.
• One or less pictures will be labeled.
• Student rarely cooperated with team members.
• Student rarely participated on the computer. 
• Student has no cloud story.

4 - Exemplary - Student reflects highest level of performance.

Story included:

• Complete sentences with great detail.
• 1 or less misspelled words.
• 1 or less mistakes on punctuation or capitalization
• Used paragraph format.
• Cloud was identified and the information was correct

Story included:

• Complete sentences with details.
• 2 or less misspelled words.
• 2 or less mistakes on punctuation or capitalization.
• Used paragraph format.
• Cloud was identified and most of the information was correct.

Story included:

• Most sentences were complete sentences with some detail.
• 3 or less misspelled words.
• 3 or less mistakes on punctuation or capitalization.
• Used paragraph format some of the time.
• Cloud was identified and some correct information was included.

Story included:

• Many incomplete sentences with little or no detail.
• 4 or more misspelled words.
• 4 or more mistakes on punctuation or capitalization.
• Did not use paragraph format.
• Cloud was not identified or the information given was incorrect.

Conclusion

Hopefully, by the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to successfully identify the three types of clouds and broaden your understanding of your surroundings and the importance of science.

Now when you go outside and look at the clouds you will be able to identify them!