Clouds

Clouds

Unit: Earth and Space

Kindergarten

Focus Question: What do we see in the sky?

K	W	L

Launch/Hypothesis/Prediction:

            "What do you know about what you see in the sky?; What do you wonder about what you see in the sky?; After the investigation, What did you learn about what you see in the sky? This is to engage the students' background knowledge and get them involved in the topic.

-       If we see the gray clouds in the sky, then it will rain outside.

-       If we don’t see clouds, then it will not rain outside.

-       If we could touch the clouds in the sky, then they would feel fluffy.

             Making predictions in science investigations are important because scientists form hypotheses and search to prove or disprove them. Kindergarten students are also learning about how changes may occur because of their actions. Simple predictions such as “what will happen if we see gray clouds in the sky?” or “If there are no clouds in the sky, what kind of weather is happening outside?” are examples of predictions which can be investigated independently. Students learn how to think independently when doing science investigations.

Materials:

-       Paper

-       Markers/pencils

-       Cotton balls

-       Fog machine

Planning:

            First, we have to use our four senses to observe the sky. Then, we will draw what we see in the sky. Next, we will make what we saw in the sky. The importance of planning is to prepare to investigate and follow the correct steps in order to come to the conclusion.

Data:

What do you think the clouds feel like?	What do the clouds look like?

Claims and Evidence

We thought clouds would feel fluffy, but we experimented by touching the fog from the fog machine, and could only feel moisture. We thought that if we looked outside that we would see many different shapes, colors, and sizes of clouds. We were correct, when we made our picture in class no two groups had the same kinds of clouds. There were many different shapes, sizes, and colors of clouds. We thought that we would be able to hold a cloud in our hands, but we were incorrect. When we tried to hold the fog from the fog machine we could not grasp it.

The importance of the claims and evidence section was to show the class that even though the clouds looked like they would feel fluffy, clouds cannot actually be felt. The fog machine helped to show the class that clouds are not a solid despite the way they look in the sky. This section also pushed the idea that clouds come in many different shapes and sizes. This section helped to bring it all together for the class to see that no two groups in the class had identical pictures of clouds. Claims and evidence also helped to bring out the big idea that clouds are made up of water.

Conclusion/Reflection:

            We will refer back to our KWL chart to record our conclusions. What else could be in the sky during the daytime? What else could be in the sky at nighttime?

Questions at the end of the lesson gets the students thinking about their next science lesson/investigation. It keeps their minds active in learning science. Science skills for Kindergarten students are part of everyday activities in school and outside the classroom. The skills they learn allow them to make sense of the world around them and how they fit into their environment. The scientific skills develop slowly, which means the answers to the questions at the end of the lesson helps them recall background information/prior knowledge to get them thinking independently. The "why" questions at the end of the lesson also get the students' thinking process on the right path for their future science classes.