Preschool-Meteorology & Astronomy

Meteorology

Activity #1
To show the rain cycle put 1/2 cup water in a sandwich size plastic bag. Explain to the children that this is a pretend puddle that will help us to find out where water goes. Hang it with some tape on a window in the sunlight. Now wait and see what the sun does to puddles. After the bag has hung for a few hours, look on the sides of the bag for condensation. Tell the children that clouds are made of little drops of water like those on the bag. After condensation has occurred, I will hold some ice against the top of the bag and then additional water should condense. Some water will drop from the top of the bag while the children watch. The cool air high in the sky does the job of the ice and makes rain fall out of the real clouds like we can make "rain" fall from our pretend clouds

Activity #2
Weather dial
Use a pen and divide a paper plate into four different sections and have the children draw pictures in each different section of a sunny day, rainy day, cloudy day and snowy day. Make an arrow and poke a hole through the center of the plate and arrow. On each day the children can change their weather dial to the appropriate weather.

ASTRONOMY

Activity #1
Moon
Have large circle pre-cut
Have children take turns painting with grey poster paint
Use the top of markers to dip in black paint then on moon to make craters.
Adult discusses characteristics of the moon, there is no gravity, no oxygen to breathe, etc.

Activity #2
Sun
Have a large circle pre-cut.
Several children at a time take turns crushing yellow tissue paper and gluing on circle.
Adult talks about how the sun is different that the earth.
Children brainstorm on why we need the sun.