Lesson 133: Clouds and rain

Objective

I can tell what clouds and rain are. I can say that clouds are made from tiny drops of water in the sky, and that rain falls from clouds and helps plants, animals, and people.

Materials

• Window or safe place to look at the sky (if possible)
• Simple pictures of clouds, rain, sunny sky, and umbrellas
• Small clear cup with water (for a quick water example)
• Pencil and notebook or scrap paper

Mini-lesson — What are clouds and rain?

Guided Practice — Watch the sky and talk about rain

You will look at the sky (or pictures of the sky) and talk about clouds and rain. Use simple words to say what you see.

1. Look at the sky: If it is safe, look out of a window or step outside with an adult. If that is not possible, use simple sky pictures.
2. Describe the clouds: Are they big or small? White or dark? Many clouds or only a few?
3. Check the ground: Is the ground dry or wet? Can you see puddles or drops on glass?
4. Talk about rain: Ask, "Do these clouds look like rain?" and "What happens when it rains a lot?"
5. Draw a quick picture: In your notebook, draw a simple sky with a cloud. Add rain if you think it might rain. Under the picture, write a short label such as "clouds" or "rain".
6. Use the tracing pad: Choose words like cloud, rain, sun, or wet from the dropdown and trace them slowly. Say the word as you write.
7. Finish with a sentence: Write one sentence such as "Rain makes the ground wet" or "Clouds move in the sky".

Tracing Pad

Lines Primary lines Baseline only Grid Blank Trace (none) cloud clouds rain sun sky wind wet dry puddle storm

Pen Clear

Tip: As you trace the words, talk about a time when you saw clouds or rain. What did the sky look like?

Practice 1 — Sort sky pictures

Use real photos or simple drawings of the sky. Sort them into "Clouds", "Rain", and "No clouds".

1. Draw three boxes or circles on your paper and label them: clouds, rain, and no clouds.
2. Look at each picture. Is the sky clear, cloudy, or rainy?
3. Draw a mini copy of the picture in the correct box or write a tiny label such as "dark cloud" or "sunny".
4. Count how many pictures show rain. Count how many show no clouds.

Practice 2 — Wet and dry

Think about what happens before and after rain. Talk about which things stay dry and which things get wet.

• Make two lists: "Wet after rain" and "Still dry".
• In "Wet after rain" you might write: road, pavement, grass, car roof.
• In "Still dry" you might write: inside of cupboard, books on shelf, things under a roof.
• Talk about how umbrellas and roofs help keep us dry.

Practice 3 — Cloud and rain story

Use your imagination to tell a short story about a cloud and some rain.

1. Draw one big cloud in the sky and a small house or tree on the ground.
2. Add raindrops falling from the cloud onto the ground.
3. Write (or say) one or two sentences, such as: "Rain helps the tree grow" or "The cloud was full, so it rained".
4. Share your picture with someone and tell them your cloud story.

Quick Check — Clouds and rain

Answer each question about clouds and rain. Think about what you see in the sky and what happens on the ground when it rains.

Assessment (parent/teacher)

Exit ticket (student)