Author:
RHONDA BURGESS
Subject:
Science
Material Type:
Lesson Plan
Level:
Upper Primary
Grade:
5
Tags:
  • Clouds
  • License:
    Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike
    Language:
    English

    Education Standards

    Clouds with Attitudes

    Clouds with Attitudes

    Overview

    Students will create a narrative as if they are one particular type of cloud.  This task is only intended to engage students in showing their knowledge of cloud types.  This resource does not completely cover 5.E.1.2.

    Cloud Narrative

    **This lesson should occur after students are familiar with cloud types: stratus, cumulus, cumulonimbus, cirrus. (what each looks like, the weather that accompanies each, and which type of air pressure is associated with each)**

    Lesson Steps

    1. Whole group/pairs/small groups: Brainstorm descriptive words or phrases to describe the four types of clouds (stratus, cumulus, cumulonimbus, cirrus).  This can be done on paper, sticky notes, chart paper, SmartBoard, etc.
    2. Discuss any misconceptions or incorrect descriptive words.  Facilitate the discussion, but allow students to point out anything that they disagree with.
    3. Ask students how clouds and humans are alike.  They will have confused looks and may even laugh, so if students have no idea guide them with the following questions.
      1. Who woke up grumpy this morning?  Which type of cloud may be grumpy? (stratus or cumulonimbus because they're "rainy" or "stormy")
      2. Who gets mad when they have to clean their room? Which type of cloud may get mad? (cumulonimbus because its "stormy" and can be destructive)
      3. Who has ever been to a birthday party?  Which type of cloud may like to go to a birthday party? (cirrus or cumulus because they're "happy")
    4. Have students choose one cloud type to become.  They will write a narrative as if they are spending a day as the cloud.  For example, students may write "I was so excited to wake up from my nap!  When my eyes opened, I saw the sun shining through my window.  It was the perfect afternoon for a pool party.  I had to be sure not to forget my sunscreen and floaties.  Everyone would be happy to see my new shape - last time I saw my friends I looked like a whale but now I was looking more like a dinosaur."   This narrative describes a cumulus cloud.  *Depending on your class, students may need to work in small groups.*
      1. To engage students a little more, have students write their narratives without explicitly stating which cloud type they chose.  Classmates can listen to each narrative and decide which cloud type is being described.

    The narratives can be used as a formative or summative assessment depending on where you fit this lesson into your weather study.  

    Quick Notes of Cloud Types for 5.E.1.2 (stratus, cirrus, cumulus)

    • stratus - most often gray but can be white, low lying, blanket-like, low air pressure, brings light rain
    • cirrus - white, high in the sky, made of ice crystals, thin/wispy, high air pressure, brings fair weather
    • cumulus - white, puffy, high air pressure, brings pleasant weather
    • cumulonimbus - dark, puffy, low air pressure, brings stormy weather

    Now that we've studied cloud types, choose ONE cloud to become.  Yes, you are now a cloud!  How would your attitude be if you were a cumulus cloud for a day?  What would you do if you were a cirrus cloud?  A cumulonimbus cloud?  Would you do happy things, or would your day be full of destruction?  The sky is the limit, so let your imagination fly!

    Change of Altitude (Attitude)

    Students could take it one step further - starting out their day/week as one type of cloud, when the winds change and the terrain changes, how they would change from one type of cloud to another!