STAGING
Where do clouds come from?

Where do clouds come from?
Lesson narration:
English Spanish
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DISCUSS:

If you touched a cloud, what do you think it would feel like? Why do you think it would feel that way?

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DISCUSS:

What did you notice as the skydiver fell through the cloud?

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DISCUSS:

What do you think would happen if you took a cup of warm water, but instead of letting any of the water gas escape or go up out of the glass, you trapped it?

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Discuss

Now that your students know about water vapor, discuss what's going on in these situations.

  • When you take a hot shower, why does the mirror in the bathroom fog up?
  • On a cold day, why do you sometimes see your breath?
  • Early in the morning, why is the grass sometimes covered with drops of dew?

Here's what we think:

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cloud


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a collection of tiny water droplets that are visible in the air
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matter


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anything that takes up space; can be in different forms such as solid, liquid, or gas
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states of matter


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the different forms of matter that include solid, liquid, and gas
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solid


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a state of matter, such as water when it is frozen ice
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liquid


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a state of matter, such as water when you can pour it
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gas


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a state of matter, such as water when it is steam
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water vapor


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water when it is a gas, such as steam
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rain


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water drops that fall from clouds
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fog


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a cloud near the ground
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evaporation


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the process of a liquid changing to a gas
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condensation


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the process of a gas changing to a liquid
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melt


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when a solid turns into a liquid, such as when ice melts into water
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boil


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to heat a liquid until it bubbles and turns quickly into a gas
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experiment


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a test used to discover new information about a question
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observe


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to pay close attention to something
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Image & Video Credits

Mystery Science respects the intellectual property rights of the owners of visual assets. We make every effort to use images and videos under appropriate licenses from the owner or by reaching out to the owner to get explicit permission. If you are the owner of a visual and believe we are using it without permission, please contact us—we will reply promptly and make things right.

Exploration
clouds by Unsplash / cropped, adjusted color
cloud in summer by zsoravecz / cropped, adjusted color
sheep clouds by followtheseinstructions , used under CC BY-SA / cropped, adjusted color, flipped
large cloud by Mark Ahsmann , used under CC BY-SA / cropped, adjusted color
cloud shape by ikinitip / cropped, adjusted color
room cloud 2 by Berndnaut Smilde / None
room cloud 1 by Berndnaut Smilde / None
what are clouds? by abogawat / cropped, adjusted color
bonfire by Tomasz Sienicki , used under CC BY-SA / heavily modified
cottoncandy by cyclonebill , used under CC BY-SA / cropped, adjusted color
cloud marco by Jeff Kubina , used under CC BY-SA / heavily modified
Madame Recamier by Jacques-Louis David / heavily modified
hand by Steph684 / heavily modified
mountains behind clouds by Unsplash / cropped, altered aspect ratio
fog by MichaelDiederich , used under CC BY-SA / cropped
foggy street by Cablekid , used under CC BY-SA / cropped, adjusted color
water drops by JB Kilpatrick , used under CC BY / cropped, adjusted color
skydivers by Laura Hadden , used under CC BY / heavily modified
skydiving by Peter Shankman
cloud time lapse by viperior , used under CC BY / cropped, adjusted speed
ocean by kaboompics.com
evaporating puddle by thatwimpydeer / trimmed, adjusted speed
boiling water by LIFEOFVIDS , used under CC BY / altered aspect ratio
pot by Frank C. Müller, Baden-Baden , used under CC BY-SA / heavily modified
ice cube by Pierre (Rennes) , used under CC BY / cropped
water glass by PublicDomainPictures / adjusted color, modified
water evaporation by Conor Shore
droplets by Pink Sherbet Photography , used under CC BY / heavily modified
drinking water by Amanda Mills
sprinklers by Beth Coll Anderson , used under CC BY / cropped
water spray by D Jabi , used under CC BY / heavily modified
waves breaking by Saltvand , used under CC BY / adjusted color
waterfall by Luke Price , used under CC BY / cropped
clouds over field by pcdazero / adjusted color
mist by PublicDomainPictures / heavily modified
squirt bottle by Anne Swoboda , used under CC BY-SA / heavily modified
humidifier by 29cm , used under CC BY-SA / heavily modified
Activity
pencil by Charm / cut out
pencil #2 by JohannPoufPouf / heavily modified
Credits
Lesson narration:
English Spanish

Activity Prep

Print Prep
In this lesson, students examine clues about how clouds look and feel to discover what they’re made of and how they form. In the activity, Gas Trap, students add hot water to clear cups to observe evaporation firsthand. They observe the condensation of the water vapor on the sides of the cup. They use this model to understand how clouds are formed.
Preview activity
Number of students:

I have a Mystery Pack

Gas Trap Experiment printout 1 per student
Clean-up Supplies (Eg. Paper Towels)
In case of spills.
Details
1 roll per class
Container for Water
Any container that can hold about one cup of hot water will work.
Details
1 container per group
Scissors
1 pair per student
Clear Plastic Cups w/ Lids (16 oz)
Any waterproof lid will do. It doesn’t have to fit tightly. You could also use clear jars.
Details
1 cup per student
Prep Instructions

You will need access to hot water for this activity.

Decide How to Distribute Hot Water

Each student will need about 1/4 cup of hot water. Hot water from the tap is hot enough -- in other words, water you can touch without it feeling uncomfortably hot. If you don’t have a sink in your classroom, fill a few bottles with hot water and bring them to the classroom. Keep the water hot by putting the bottles in a cooler or wrapping them in a towel.

We recommend having one container of hot water for each group of 4 students. For each group, you may want to appoint responsible students to help you pour water.

Exploration

16 mins

Hands-On Activity

30 mins

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