Geography/ History
Strand: Natural Environment
Strand unit: Weather, climate and atmosphere
Strand: Story
Strand unit: Story from the Lives of People in the Past
Aims:
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Revise the water cycle
Describe the different cloud types
Identify the different types of clouds
Use simple equipment to make detailed weather observations about the clouds
Observe, record and predict what the weather will be based on cloud observations
Demonstrate making a cloud in a bottle
Define weather terms associated with cloud cover and visibility
Research the life of Luke Howard
Suggested Ideas:
 Revise the water cycle and the formation of clouds Visit http://www.kidzone.ws/water/ for
information. Be careful not to forget the process of transpiration, this is the process that is
most commonly forgotten by children in the water cycle.
 Identify three main types of cloud: cumulus/ cirrus/ stratus.
Examine the pictures (attached) of the three main types of clouds and fog. Get the children
in their pairs to come up with describing words for them. Match the correct names to their
describing words e.g. the cirrus cloud is the _______________________ cloud. The stratus
cloud is the __________________ cloud. The cumulus cloud is the
__________________________ cloud. The cumulonimbus cloud is the ___________ cloud.
 Visit http://www.met.ie/education/pdfs_eng/OP%20Fun%20Facts%20Clouds.pdf to find out
further information on clouds. What other types of clouds did you find out about?
© www.followthefleet.ie 2010
 Visit http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/reproducibles/profbooks/cloudkey.pdf and
get the children to make a cloud wheel. Using the cloud wheel have the children identify the
clouds each day of the week and predict what the weather will be like.
 The amount of cloud is shown by the amount of shading in the circle. It is measured in
eighths, or oktas.
Taken from www.scalloway.org.uk/images/oktas.gif
 Use an A4 acetate, cut it to the size of the cloud picture and divide it into an eight squared
grid, estimate how many oktas of cloud cover are in the pictures. Describe the pictures using
the term oktas e.g. this picture has _____oktas of cloud cover.
 Use the outdoor environment –go outside with your grid and estimate how many oktas of
cloud cover are in the sky
 Make a cloud in a bottle taken from: http://www.weatherwizkids.com/experimentscloud.htm
This should be a teacher demonstration for the class.
Materials needed:
 2-litre clear plastic pop bottle
 matches
 warm water
© www.followthefleet.ie 2010
Process:
1. Fill the clear plastic 2-litre bottle one-third full of warm water and place the cap on. As warm
water evaporates, it adds water vapour to the air inside the bottle. This is the first ingredient
to make a cloud.
2. Squeeze and release the bottle and observe wha
tha
ppe
ns
.
Y
ou’
l
l
not
i
c
et
ha
tnot
hi
ng
happens. Why? The squeeze represents the warming that occurs in the atmosphere. The
release represents the cooling that occurs in the atmosphere. If the inside of the bottle
becomes cover with condensation or water droplets, just shake the bottle to get rid of them.
3. Take the cap off the bottle. Carefully light a match and hold the match near the opening of
the bottle.
4. Then drop the match in the bottle and quickly put on the cap, trapping the smoke inside.
Dust, smoke or other particles in the air is the second ingredient to make a cloud.
5. Once again, slowly squeeze the bottle hard and release. What happens? A cloud appears
when you release and disappears when you squeeze. The third ingredient in clouds is a drop
in air pressure.
Explanation of the process:
Water vapour, water in its invisible gaseous state, can be made to condense into the form of
small cloud droplets. By adding particles such as the smoke enhances the process of water
condensation and by squeezing the bottle causes the air pressure to drop. This creates a cloud!
 Go to the section on weather forecasting on the Follow the Fleet website
http://www.imdo.ie/followthefleet/weatherForecasting.asp . Find out what is meant by the
following terms:
Term
Description
Cloudy
Fair
Mist
Haze
Good visibility
Moderate visibility
Poor visibility
Fog
© www.followthefleet.ie 2010
Cloud cover in Oktas (if
given)
 Research the life of Luke Howard www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/history/howard.htm
Create a timeline of major events in his life
Luke Howard
1772
1783
1802
1818
1821
1826
1833
1864
© www.followthefleet.ie 2010
Cirrus
Cumulus
Stratus
© www.followthefleet.ie 2010