Megan O’Leary
Truro Central School
Truro, MA
CLOUDS
Watching wonderful cloudscapes has been a favorite pastime of many for centuries. I often
find myself staring skyward looking for unique shapes, pictures, or clues about the weather in
the clouds. Clouds have been the subject of countless songs, poems, and paintings, pictures
and scientific studies. Recently, I had the once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to the
equatorial Pacific to study the constant layer of stratus clouds off the coast of Chile. Scientists
meet each year for about a month aboard the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown to conduct
research on clouds, sea surface temperatures, ocean currents, direct and diffuse solar
radiation, heat flux and weather conditions. In fact, the Stratus 8 Buoy which we deployed will
keep weather, ocean current and sea temperature data for the next year when the scientists
will arrive again to deploy Stratus 9 and unload all of the data from Stratus 8 for study.
Clouds come in many different forms. There are cirrus, or high level clouds; cumulous, or midlevel clouds; and stratus, or low-level clouds. Each of these clouds has its own unique look
and function in the atmosphere. Also, each of these clouds types can form sub-categories
which will change their function. For instance, a nimbostratus cloud will have precipitation
falling from it, and a cumulonimbus cloud has the potential for severe weather. The following
link to the WeatherBug TV station affiliate in my area (WBZ in Boston) will take you to a brief
video story about different cloud types.
http://wbztv.com/video/?id=33888@wbz.dayport.com
THE CLOUD MATCH GAME
Each of the four hidden cloud photographs gives six clues for students to attempt
identification. As you go through the clues you can “cut” away the box and a piece of a
cloud picture will appear. (Click on the box and move it away to view what is
underneath). Use your classroom cloud chart as a nice visual clue to assist in the
identification of the clouds. After you’ve played the game, use a few different shades
of blue construction paper to put together a journal for the students to sketch the
different kind of clouds they view close to home. Keep the journal going for a few
months to see how many different types of clouds you can locate at your school.
There are two versions of the match game on the following pages. Try them both to
see which works best for your students.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Version 1
CLOUD #1
To begin: Cut out the image and each clue and cover the image as shown at the right.
Remove clues one at a time to see part of the picture.
Cumulus
Cumulus
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
I am a puffy cloud that
contrasts the blue sky.
I can be a fair weather
cloud.
If I grow tall, I can
become a
thunderstorm…
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
I sometimes look like
huge puffs of cotton.
Sometimes I get dark
and gray and rain and
hail will fall from me.
My name means heap,
and I am classified as
a mid-level cloud.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
IClue
am a4
puffy
cloud
I
that
someti
contras
mes
ts
the
look
blue
like
sky.
huge
IClue
can 5
be a
fair
Someti
weathe
mes I
rget
cloud.
dark
If
I 6
Clue
grow
tall,
My I
can
name
becom
means
eheap,
a
thunde
and I
rstorm
am
…
classifi
puffs
of
cotton.
and
gray
and
rain
and
hail
will
fall
from
me.
ed as a
midlevel
cloud.
CLOUD #2
To begin: Cut out the image and each clue and cover the image as shown at the right.
Remove clues one at a time to see part of the picture.
Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus
Clue 1
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
Sometimes I get
dark and gray and
rain falls from me.
I can tower all
alone or I can be
part of a squall
line.
I have been
known to reach
more than 10
miles into the
atmosphere.
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
While my lower
levels contain water
droplets, my higher
levels have been
known to contain ice
particles.
Under favorable
conditions, I can
become a super
cell thunderstorm
that might even
drop a tornado.
I cannot be
classified as a
low, mid, or high
level cloud.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Someti
mes I
Clue
get 4
dark
While
and
my
gray
lower
and
levels
rain
contai
falls
nfrom
water
me.
droplet
s, my
higher
levels
have
been
known
to
contai
n ice
particl
es.
Clue
2
Clue
3
I can
Clue
tower
5
all
alone
Under
or I
favora
can be
ble
part
condit
of a
ions,
squallI
can
line.
beco
me a
super
cell
thund
erstor
m that
might
even
drop a
tornad
o.
I
Clue
have
6been
know
Cum
In to
ulon
canno
reach
imb
tmore
be
us
classi
than
fied
10
as
a
miles
low,
into
mid,
the
or
atmos
high
phere
level
.
cloud
.
CLOUD #3
Cut out each clue and cover the image as shown on the right. Remove the clue as to
see part of the picture.
Stratus
Clue 1
These clouds bring
gray days.
Clue 4
I have been known
to hide tall
skyscrapers, and
make it difficult for
planes to land.
Clue 2
Clue 3
I sometimes sit
near the ground.
Sometimes I am
fog.
Clue 5
Clue 6
My name means
stretched or layers
which is why I
take up most of the
sky.
I am classified as a
low level cloud.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Clue 1
Clue 2
These
Clue
clouds4
bring
Igray
have
been
days.
known
to hide
tall
skyscr
apers,
and
make
it
difficu
lt for
planes
to
land.
I
Clue
someti
5
mes sit
near
My
the
name
ground
mean
.
s
stretc
hed or
layers
which
is
why I
take
up
most
of the
sky.
Clue
3
Clue
Some
6times
I am
St
Ifog.
am
ra
classi
tu
fied
s
as a
low
level
cloud.
CLOUD #4
Cut out each clue and cover the image as shown on the right. Remove the clue as to
see part of the picture.
Cirrus
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
I am primarily
composed of ice
crystals.
I am typically thin,
wispy, white and
feathery in
appearance.
I bring a
magnificent array
of colors to the sky
when the sun is
low on the
horizon.
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
I am common
throughout North
America at almost
any time of the
year.
My name can be
translated to mean
curls of hair.
I am classified as a
high level cloud.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
I am
primari
ly
Clue 4
compos
ed of
I am
ice
commo
crystals
n
.
through
out
North
Americ
a at
almost
any
time of
the
year.
I am
typicall
y thin,
Clue 5
wispy,
white
My
and
name
feather
can be
y in
translat
appeara
ed to
nce.
mean
curls of
hair.
I bring
a
magnifi
Clue 6
cent
array of
I am
colors
Cir
classifi
to the
ed rus
as a
sky
high
when
level
the sun
cloud.
is low
on the
horizon
.
Version 2
The following versions work in online, interactively within the Word document by
clicking on the clue you wish to move and dragging it away from the image which is
hidden. These work great with a SmartBoard or similar device.
Cloud #1
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
I am a puffy cloud that
contrasts the blue sky.
I can be a fair weather
cloud.
If I grow tall, I can
become a
thunderstorm…
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
I sometimes look like
huge puffs of cotton.
Sometimes I get dark
and gray and rain and
hail will fall from me.
My name means heap,
and I am classified as
a mid-level cloud.
Cumulus
Cloud #2
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
Sometimes I get
dark and gray and
rain falls from me.
I can tower all
alone or I can be
part of a squall
line.
I have been
known to reach
more than 10
miles into the
atmosphere.
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
While my lower
levels contain water
droplets, my higher
levels have been
known to contain ice
particles.
Under favorable
conditions, I can
become a super
cell thunderstorm
that might even
drop a tornado.
I cannot be
classified as a
low, mid, or high
level cloud.
Cumulonimbus
WeatherBugSchools.com
Cloud #3
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
These clouds bring
gray days.
I sometimes sit near Sometimes I am
the ground.
fog.
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
I have been known
to hide tall
skyscrapers, and
make it difficult for
planes to land.
My name means
stretched or layers
which is why I
take up most of the
sky.
I am classified as a
low level cloud.
Clue 1
Clue 2
Clue 3
I am primarily
composed of ice
crystals.
I am typically thin,
wispy, white and
feathery in
appearance.
I bring a
magnificent array
of colors to the sky
when the sun is
low on the
horizon.
Clue 4
Clue 5
Clue 6
I am common
throughout North
America at almost
any time of the
year.
My name can be
translated to mean
curls of hair.
I am classified as a
high level cloud.
Stratus
Cloud #4
Cirrus
WeatherBugSchools.com
Michelle Rainer
Calhoun MS
Denton, TX
1, 2, 3 ….say Clouds!
Activity: Clouds
Subject: Science, technology, and writing
Grades: All
Time: 2 - 4 full class periods
Objective:
o Students will be able to use a camera to take pictures of clouds in the sky.
o Students will be able to create a picture book or power point presentation using
the pictures taken.
o Students will be able to make observations of the type of clouds seen and their
shapes.
Materials: Camera, computer or construction paper, glue and map pencils
Procedures: Part one
1. Take students out with a class camera. First have them make observations of
the clouds in the sky then have them decide which clouds to get pictures of.
(You can do this as a class, in small groups or individual. It will depend on how
many cameras your school has and your class size.) *You may want to give
students a limit on how many pictures they can take.
2. Load the pictures on the computer in student’s folders or have them printed.
Procedures: Part two
Depending on your school resources and class size you can follow the steps for
either the power point project or cloud book.
WeatherBugSchools.com
Power point:
1. Have your students create a short power point presentation of the cloud pictures
they took.
2. They should have the following:
a. Title page
b. On the first slide have your students give the definition of clouds and how
they form.
c. Next slides, 2-3 cloud pictures and a description of the shape they see or
type of cloud.
d. Ending page
3. Have students share their power point to the class.
* If you have several classes throughout the day you may want to take some of the
pictures and make a cloud power point showing how the sky changes throughout
the day and discuss why the sky is always changing. You could include the
weather map of the day to help students see the relationship of weather patterns
and cloud cover. Weather maps found in the Tools section and then Map Gallery in
WeatherBug Achieve are a great resource.
Cloud Book:
1. Print out students’ pictures.
2. Depending upon how many pictures your students took will determine how
many sheets of construction paper they should have.
3. Have your students put a title on the front and their name as the author.
4. On the first page have your students give the definition of a cloud and how
clouds form.
5. On the following pages have your students paste their cloud pictures to the page
and write what type of cloud is in the picture or describe the shape.
6. Have your students share with the class or have your students share their book
with a younger student within the school.
* To extend this lesson you could use the weather maps, in the Tools section and
then Map Gallery found in WeatherBug Achieve, to discuss the relationship
between weather patterns and cloud cover.
WeatherBugSchools.com