Making a Cloud Spotter

Did you know there are different types of clouds? Today, we’ll build an interactive cloud spotter that will get us outside and teach us about cumulus, stratus, and cirrus clouds!

 MATERIALS:

  • Rectangular piece of cardboard, about the size of a sheet of paper

  • Scissors 

  • Sharpie

  • Glue

  • Cloud pictures (you can either draw or print them) 

TIME ESTIMATED:

15 minutes

DIRECTIONS: 

  1. First, cut out a small rectangle (about the size of your hand) near the top of your cardboard.

  2. Next, find some pictures of the classic cloud types, like cumulus, stratus, and cirrus. You can draw them yourself or print them off the internet.

  3. Cut out the cloud pictures and glue them below the rectangular cutout. Be sure to leave space at the bottom so we can describe them.

  4. Now add the cloud names and basic facts about them:

    1. Cumulus clouds are fluffy, low in the sky, and a sign of fair weather

    2. Stratus clouds are in flat, streaky sheets, are low in the sky, and block the sun. 

    3. Cirrus clouds are feathery and wispy, high in the sky, and can be a sign of warm weather. 

  5. If you’d like, you can decorate your cloud spotter more. 

  6. Time to test it out! Take your cardboard outside, hold it up, and compare the sky to your cloud pictures. See if you can use your spotter to name the cloud type. 

  7. Keep this and use it to identify the clouds on different days!

Think LIke a Scientist!

  1. Why are there different types of clouds?

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

Clouds occur when the water droplets in the air condense and clump together into masses large enough for us to see. Clouds differ depending on the amount of water in the air (humidity),  how high they form (altitude), and the surrounding air. When clouds form at low altitudes, they’re made of water droplets. Both stratus and cumulus clouds occur at low altitudes. Cumulus clouds look puffy because they grow upwards (vertically). They have flat bottoms and fluffy, rounded tops, and most often mean fair weather. However, because they're so dense (lots of water droplets in a small area), they can occasionally mean rain or thunderstorms. 

Stratus clouds form sideways (horizontally), so they appear to stretch out and cover the sky like a flat, streaky plane. They block the sun and make the sky overcast, and they can sometimes cause light rain. Status and cumulus clouds occur below 6,500 feet, while cirrus clouds occur above 20,000 feet. Also, because it’s so cold at this altitude, cirrus clouds are mostly made of ice crystals. This is why they look wispy and feathery. They still make rain, but it happens too far up to ever reach us! They can also predict when a warm-front is coming.

Further exploration:

Many different types of scientists study clouds, such as climatologists. Climatologists study clouds to understand how they impact the climate, which is basically the long term weather. Clouds can tell us a lot about the air around us, including its temperature, pressure, and humidity levels. Climatologists study clouds to better understand how our atmosphere works and how it is changing over time. This knowledge is important for understanding and fighting climate change.

Anticipated Concerns

Be sure to have an adult nearby when using the scissors!

Looking for more fun at-home STEM activities for your young scientist? Check out our workbook full of exciting science experiments and empowering activities! 

Learn more and purchase today!