Precipitation

We begin our unit on precipitation this week, looking at the water cycle. We discuss how the same water returns to earth over and over again, through God's creation of the water cycle. We will make bracelets to help us remember: white clouds form (condensation), blue rain falls (precipitation), watering the green grass, warmed by the yellow sun, which turns water into clear water vapor (evaporation) and back to white clouds again. We learn the cycle -- evaporation, condensation, precipitation -- by singing a song to the tune of "Clementine." Ask your child to sing it for you!

Our class activity is fun. We toss ping pong balls up into a suspended umbrella (evaporation), the balls roll to the center of the umbrella and the kids gather together under it (condensation), then we turn over the umbrella and the balls bound all over the children and around the classroom (precipitation)! We will pop paper bags to simulate the loud rushing sound of air that we call thunder. We will rub balloons on our hair to see the results of positive and negative charges present in lightning. We will finish by having a "thunderstorm parade." All in all, a very busy day.

PLEASE NOTE: Although Friday's class will not be meeting due to a CISD school holiday, this topic will be taught to the Friday class the first week of February during conference week.

Books We Read: Kids Book of Clouds and Sky (Frank Staub): Why Is It Raining? (Judith Williams)

Next Week: Snow Days--Properties of Snow, Sleet, and Hail