Clouds

1st graders have turned into meteorologists and are learning all about clouds.  It's as much fun as being on cloud nine.  We have learned about four main types of clouds: cumulus, cirrus, stratus & cumulonimbus.  Students have learned describing words for these clouds, constructed cloud flip books and even went on a cloud QR hunt with the iPads. 

Playing  Name that Cloud on the Smartboard  

After 1st graders learned all about the four different types of clouds, they used the iPads to go on a QR hunt.  Using the app, Qrafter, students worked in pairs to scan the QR codes located around the classroom.  When students scanned each code it brought them to a question about clouds.  They discussed the answer with their partner and then recorded it on their answer sheet.  Try scanning the code below (all you need is any free QR scanning app).  

Try scanning this code!

Once students became experts on clouds, they made their own cloud flip book.  Students used cotton balls to make realistic looking clouds then flipped open their books to write describing words.  Do you know which clouds are the dark and stormy cumulonimbus clouds?  Or which clouds sometimes look like pancakes?

Can you tell which clouds are high and wispy?

Make sure to take a peek at the clouds with your child.  They have tons of cloud knowledge to share!

Water Cycle

Look right in front of you.  Do you see that?  Yes, right there all around you.  It's water vapor!  

Our water cycle board

1st graders have been hard at work learning about the water cycle.  We began by making our own water cycle board in our classroom. We made sure to label the important vocabulary: evaporation, precipitation, and condensation.  After we finished our introduction to the water cycle we transformed into scientists and began a water cycle experiment.  

 Students were paired up to construct their Mr. Potato head inspired water cup for our experiment.  Cups were filled with water and placed around the classroom.  Some experiment cups have nothing on top of them, other have napkins, tissue paper, duct tape and even plastic bags (some with holes).  We need lots of variables for a good scientific experiment.

Once experiment cups were filled with water, students worked as pairs to make a hypothesis about what they predict will happen to the water in their cup. 1st graders wrote their hypothesis in their water cycle journal.  

Now we wait and observe what happens...