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Lesson 17 of 84 · Climate

Experiment30 XP🌋 Rock Realm

Clouds and Weather Prediction

🧪Lab Brief #17

Clouds and Weather Prediction.

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Weather isn't random — it's just complicated.

🤯

Mind = Blown

🌊 The deepest part of the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Before you observe: what shape will it leave?

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

  • earthquake
  • volcano
  • atmosphere

Materials Needed

  • plastic tray
  • magnifying glass
  • newspaper
  • spray bottle
  • cups

Safety First

  • Keep small objects away from young children.
  • Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.

Steps

Step 1Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2Do

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.

Step 3Observe

Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.

Step 4Record

Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is precipitation?

🌍

Where you see this in real life

This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

🏆

Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

What's the slowest change you can think of?

🎯

Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

💧Share card

Share this experiment

Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.

🖨️

Checkout complete lesson on Climate for 8th Grade

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