Lesson 17 of 84 · Natural Resources
Experiment⭐ 30 XPClouds and Weather Prediction
Natural Resources.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Clouds form when water vapor rises, cools, and condenses on tiny particles in the atmosphere. Different cloud types—cumulus, stratus, cirrus—indicate different weather conditions.
Key Words
- watershed
- erosion
- weathering
Materials Needed
- newspaper
- spray bottle
- cups
- thermometer
Safety First
- Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
- Keep small objects away from young children.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.
Steps
Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.
Model erosion: tilt a tray of soil and pour water from a cup at the top. Observe how channels form. Try adding plants or rocks to slow the erosion.
Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.
Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is precipitation?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Checkout complete lesson on Natural Resources for 6th Grade
Get the full Natural Resources track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.