Grade 5 — Science: Common Cloud Formations and the Water Cycle

Overview

Students research print and electronic sources to identify how clouds are formed, what are the three common cloud types (i.e., cirrus, cumulus, stratus) and to relate cloud formation to precipitation and the water cycle. Students create labelled diagrams, animations, and illustrated stories describing cloud formation and its relationship to the water cycle.

Activate

Using a K-W-L Plus strategy, students list what they know and want to know about cloud formation, types of clouds, and the appearance of clouds. [Plan and Question]

Using a digital camera, students record daily the appearance of cloud formations over the course of a week. [Gather and Make Sense] Using a suitable application, students create a three-column and five-line chart. [Gather and Make Sense] In one column, they insert the digital images, and in the others they note a description of the clouds and the current weather conditions.

Teacher Tip:
Use Common Cloud Formations as an example.

Acquire

Using print and electronic resources, students research the stages of the water cycle (i.e., evaporation, condensation, water vapour, precipitation) to identify how cloud formation relates to precipitation and the water cycle. [Gather and Make Sense] Using painting or drawing tools, students illustrate the four stages of the water cycle leading to cloud formation. [Produce to Show Understanding]

Using print and electronic resources, students research the main three cloud formations (i.e., cirrus, stratus, cumulus). [Gather and Make Sense] Using a word processor and the file Common Cloud Formations, students insert an image of each cloud type, and note a description of the clouds characteristics, and relevant facts. [Gather and Make Sense] Students should have sufficient information for each category [Gather and Make Sense].

Teacher Tips:
The three main cloud types are identified in learning outcome 5-4-15. Numerous combinations of cloud types are possible. It is not necessary for students to know the names of all possible types, only the main three and their characteristics.
Encourage students to create their own file similar to Common Cloud Formation. [Gather and Make Sense]
The images students use can consist of ones they photographed themselves or one from a website that allows use of its photos.

Apply

Using an appropriate application, students create  an illustrated brochure titled: "Cloud Watchers Field Guide".[Produce to Show Understanding] Students insert images representing the types of cloud formations and label each image with its name, a description of its characteristics, its relation to the water cycle, weather that may accompany that formation, and a poem describing clouds. Students share and discuss their products with peers in order to get constructive feedback for revision [Collaborate, Produce to Show Understanding, Reflect].

Teacher Tip:
Students need to work in columns to set up a brochure. Selecting a legal size paper as forma will give them more space to work.

Using animation software or animation features of multimedia presentation software, students animate the formation of common cloud types showing their relation to the water cycle (i.e., evaporation, condensation, water vapour and precipitation). [Produce to Show Understanding] Products may be discussed, revised and posted on the class or school home page [Communicate].

Suggestions for Assessment:
Work Sample: Verify student’s understanding of the water cycle by checking their illustrations and labels of how clouds form and relate to precipitation, to cloud formation, and the water cycle.
Conference: Students describe the characteristics of the three common cloud formations; discuss their use of ICT to support their learning [Reflect, Motivation and Confidence].