SMMART SCIENCE:

"Cloudy, Cloudy Day"

Cloud Categorizer

I found a really cool cloud identification "weather window" on www.nature-watch.com.  Being the frugal lady that I am, instead of buying this handy-dandy hand-held devise of wonder...we made our own Cloud Categorizer.  (Thanks to http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm for the great cloud photos!)

Make your own Cloud Categorizer:
We used the cardboard from a cereal box.  Print the cloud photos from the PDF below and cut out the rectangles.  Make sure you cut out the center rectangle.  Now tape or glue the cloud photo rectangle to the cardboard.  Cut around the photos (and be sure to cut out the center rectangle).   Tape a handle (one or two tongue depresors, plastic spoons...) onto the bottom of your cardboard frame. 
CloudCategorizerPDF

Or you can cut out your own cardboard frame and find pictures in magazines, or print pictures from online to identify the various cloud types.  Cut out the pictures and tape them to your cardboard frame. 
Peek through your window to see the clouds in the sky.  Do the clouds in the sky outside look like some of the clouds on your Cloud Categorizer?

Explain to your child how clouds are formed.  Water vapor condenses into the liquid (water) or solid (ice) form.  Little tiny water droplets are formed when the vapor condenses around a tiny dust particle in the air.  A cloud is a collection of MANY tiny droplets in the air. 
There are basically three types of clouds:
1. Cirrus ("curl"): thin wispy and white. They are located high in the sky and are almost entirely made up of ice particles. These types of clouds often are seen before rain or snow.
2. Cumulus ("heap"): white, fluffy and round. They are seen on nice days.
3. Stratus ("layer"): low hanging clouds that are in layers that look like a gray blanket. They look like haze in the sky. These types of clouds can become fog if they get low enough in the air. 
The word Nimbus means "rain", so: 
Nimbostratus: dark clouds that normally are seen when rain or snow is happening all day long.
Cumulonimbus: tall vertical clouds. Often called thunderheads. They usually produce lightening and storms. (http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ScienceTypesCloudsHowFormedUnit2.htm)
Keep your Cloud Categorizer handy to predict the weather!  Check out how the clouds on your Cloud Categorizer can tell you what type of weather lies ahead:  http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm.

Happy Cloud Watching...

Oooh, I think I see a cloud that looks like an elephant!

SMMART Giveaway: "CHOCOMIZE"

(Giveaway Over-Thanks for entering!)

Winner (Be sure to e-mail me your mailing address):

Jeff.Shauna.Kason said...

My favorite mix in would be the Smore Bar! Looks yummy!

Shauna N

March 30, 2010 1:34 PM

Okay, break it down...CHOCOMIZE... "Chocolate" and "Customize"!

You got it! Create your own delectable, chocolate confectionary sensation!

(Can I use a few more exclamation points?! This is chocolate we're talking about here, folks!)

First, you choose the chocolate (dark, milk, or white). So, what ingredients can you imagine would create the most dreamy, delightful chocolate bar?
You name it, they've got it...Chocomize adds new ingredients regularly. They even have 23 carat Gold Flakes...and Easter candies!

"Chocomize" has over 100 different ingredients (that's over 10 billion possible chocolate customizable creations)!

Can you imagine a beautifully custom created chocolate bar as a favor at your wedding reception or baby shower?

(You can name your chocolate bar, customize lettering, and even put your own image/logo on the bar)

Besides letting you feeling like Charlie in your own chocolate factory, "Chocomize" lets you feel warm fuzzies when you check out. "Chocomize" allows you to choose a charity that 1% of all sales go towards (Action Against Hunger, Doctors Without Borders, or The Michael J. Fox Foundation).

...Birthday and Holiday gifts, Corporate events and gifts, Wedding and Baby shower favors...

Oh, and "Chocomize" even has a Chocolate of the Month Club and of course...

Gift Certificates!

There are three ways to enter the "Chocomize Giveaway Contest"

for a $25 gift certificate...

1) Go to www.Chocomize.com and leave a comment below telling me what your favorite CHOCOMIZE mix-in would be...be sure to leave your first name and last initial.

2) See my label cloud over on the right side of my SMMART blog? Click on "SMMART Math" to peruse the many SMMART Math activities. Leave a comment with your first name and last initial, telling me what SMMART Math activity you'd like to share with your child.

3) Become a follower of SMMARTideas or state that you are already a follower of SMMARTideas...be sure to leave your first name and last initial. (If you follow SMMARTideas, you'll be able to keep up on weekly SMMART learning activities.)

(Enter today March 30th, by midnight!!!!

Winner will be announced tomorrow, March 31st!)

(Open to residents in the United States of America)

OH, and of course, the SMMART Math component: Have your child help you add up the cost of the ingredients as you go along and see if they are correct at the check-out...little mathmeticians can just count up the number of ingredients that you add to the chocolate bar.

(almonds + dried mango + gummy bears =

3 ingredients)