We Made a Cloud!

I recently read about the book, Shapes in the Sky, A Book About Clouds by Josepha Sherman on the Almost Unschoolers blog.  The book is probably better for children about seven or eight years old, but it is short enough that it managed to hold the attention of C and R.  I think the page with ice cream and dragon shaped clouds helped a lot.  I also tried to read about the different types of clouds with great excitement in my voice - not sure if I was fooling anyone with that.  

At the end of the book, there are directions to make your own cloud.  First, put some ice cubes in a metal bowl.  Then add one inch of warm water to an empty jar.  Bring the bowl of ice, the jar of water, and a flashlight into a dark room (we were in a tiny bathroom).  Place the bowl of ice on top of the jar and shine the light toward the top of the jar. 

A cloud forms near the top of the jar as the warm water evaporates, rises and then condenses. 

Hmmm...I thought it was neat.  I think my children expected something more; they seemed to want the cloud to be more tangible.  I think this means that in the end it was a great lesson.  Clouds are not cotton balls or swirls of whipped cream in the sky.

I am linking this to Science Sunday at Adventures in Mommydom.

Clouds

I currently host a preschool story hour at a local coffee shop.  This week, I read two books about clouds.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw is a fun book for kids because they recognize the familiar shapes on each page and after a few pages, the repetitive text allows the children to read along with you.  Is it spilt milk or a bird or a birthday cake or an angel?  No, but what is it?  Use your imagination because there really are no wrong answers.  It's all about what you see in the clouds.

We also read Little Cloud by Eric Carle.  This book is about a little cloud that drifts away from his friends and changes shape to become many different objects.  In the end he joins his friends to form one big cloud and it rains.   I think Eric Carle is a wonderful author/illustrator and this book is no exception.  It's a fun read for children.

The story hour attracts children between the ages of one and five, so I try to keep the craft portion simple and yet fun.  This week they all made their own clouds.  I provided blue paper, glue, and cotton balls.  Older children can draw a picture on the paper first (using white chalk is great to create the cloud effect) and then fill in the picture with cotton balls to make their clouds look like something specific.  Younger children can just enjoy the tactile experience and stick the cotton balls on the paper however they like.  This is a very open-ended craft that translates well for children of all ages.  Story hour was a success!