Students conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects.

In this Dinosaur Train Clip, students learn the importance of rain to all life cycles. [1:24]

This is a very brief overview of the water cycle, but it does have a nice graphical representation.

Observe and annotate various images of weather phenomena in this interactive drawing tool produced by WGBH. Weather is the combination of various factors -- snow or rain, wind, sunlight and clouds, and temperature -- that happen in a specific location at a specific time. As the combination of factors constantly shift, the condition changes and leaves behind evidence that shows how the weather has changed. Students can use the images in this interactive tool to observe weather conditions and document evidence of weather that happened earlier in the day. Teaching materials are provided.

Students explore the impact of changing river volumes and different floodplain terrain in experimental trials with table top-sized riverbed models. The models are made using modeling clay in aluminum baking pans placed on a slight incline. Water added "upstream" at different flow rates and to different riverbed configurations simulates different potential flood conditions. Students study flood dynamics as they modify the riverbed with blockages or levees to simulate real-world scenarios.

In this video, Rain Adams (age 12, Colorado) talks about her passion for healthy eating and how it inspired her to create her Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winning recipe for Rain's Turkey Chili. Rain, who as a nine-year-old started her own vegan pet treat company, learned to cook from her mother. She says it's fun for kids to get in the kitchen and make healthy foods. Rain's advocacy has extended to appearances on the TV news, hosting her own YouTube channel, and contributing to her family's blog, Building a Healthy Family. [2:52]

Hands-on group activity in where children go outside to find clouds, document with pictures, and identify them.

Samples and ProbabilityType of Unit: ConceptualPrior KnowledgeStudents should be able to:Understand the concept of a ratio.Write ratios as percents.Describe data using measures of center.Display and interpret data in dot plots, histograms, and box plots.Lesson FlowStudents begin to think about probability by considering the relative likelihood of familiar events on the continuum between impossible and certain. Students begin to formalize this understanding of probability. They are introduced to the concept of probability as a measure of likelihood, and how to calculate probability of equally likely events using a ratio. The terms (impossible, certain, etc.) are given numerical values. Next, students compare expected results to actual results by calculating the probability of an event and conducting an experiment. Students explore the probability of outcomes that are not equally likely. They collect data to estimate the experimental probabilities. They use ratio and proportion to predict results for a large number of trials. Students learn about compound events. They use tree diagrams, tables, and systematic lists as tools to find the sample space. They determine the theoretical probability of first independent, and then dependent events. In Lesson 10 students identify a question to investigate for a unit project and submit a proposal. They then complete a Self Check. In Lesson 11, students review the results of the Self Check, solve a related problem, and take a Quiz.Students are introduced to the concept of sampling as a method of determining characteristics of a population. They consider how a sample can be random or biased, and think about methods for randomly sampling a population to ensure that it is representative. In Lesson 13, students collect and analyze data for their unit project. Students begin to apply their knowledge of statistics learned in sixth grade. They determine the typical class score from a sample of the population, and reason about the representativeness of the sample. Then, students begin to develop intuition about appropriate sample size by conducting an experiment. They compare different sample sizes, and decide whether increasing the sample size improves the results. In Lesson 16 and Lesson 17, students compare two data sets using any tools they wish. Students will be reminded of Mean Average Deviation (MAD), which will be a useful tool in this situation. Students complete another Self Check, review the results of their Self Check, and solve additional problems. The unit ends with three days for students to work on Gallery problems, possibly using one of the days to complete their project or get help on their project if needed, two days for students to present their unit projects to the class, and one day for the End of Unit Assessment.

Gallery OverviewAllow students who have a clear understanding of the content thus far in the unit to work on Gallery problems of their choosing. You can then use this time to provide additional help to students who need review of the unit's concepts or to assist students who may have fallen behind on work.Chance of RainStudents are given the probability that it will rain on two different days and asked to find the chance that it will rain on one of the two days.PenguinsIn an Antarctic penguin colony, 200 penguins are tagged and released. A year later, 100 penguins are captured and 4 of them are tagged. Students determine how many penguins are in the colony.How Many Yellow?Given the total number of balls in a bag and the probability for two colors, students find the number of balls for the third color.How Many Ways to Line Up?Students decide how many different ways they five students can order themselves as they line up for class.Gumballs There are some white gumballs and red gumballs left in a machine. Students find the probability of getting at least one red gumball.New FamilyA married couple wants to have four children. Students find the probability that at least one child will be a girl.Nickel and DimeStudents find the probability for different outcomes when tossing two coins.Four More FlipsStudents determine how many more tails are likely if a coin has already landed on tails twice.Bubble GumThe letters G, U, or M are printed inside bubble gum wrappers in a ratio of 3:2:1. Students use a simulation to find out how much bubble gum to buy to get a 3:2:1 ratio.A Large FamilyIf a family wants to have six children, what is the probability that there will be three boys and three girls? Students use a simulation to model the probability.No TelephoneUsing census data from 1960 and 1990 in two box plots, students compare the percentages of families that had phones.Pulse RateStudents compare two data sets of different sizes: one for students and one for athletes.Golf ScoresStudents are given two sets of golf scores for Rosa and Chen. They are asked to decide who is the better golfer by constructing and comparing box plots.How Much Taller?Given two sets of data about heights, students determine how much taller one group is than the other.Coin Jar Students determine the contents of a coin jar by sampling.Project Work TimeStudents can choose to work on and complete their project or get help if needed.

Students are introduced to our planet's structure and its dynamic system of natural forces through an examination of the natural hazards of earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, tsunamis, floods and tornados, as well as avalanches, fires, hurricanes and thunderstorms. They see how these natural events become disasters when they impact people, and how engineers help to make people safe from them. Students begin by learning about the structure of the Earth; they create clay models showing the Earth's layers, see a continental drift demo, calculate drift over time, and make fault models. They learn how earthquakes happen; they investigate the integrity of structural designs using model seismographs. Using toothpicks and mini-marshmallows, they create and test structures in a simulated earthquake on a tray of Jell-O. Students learn about the causes, composition and types of volcanoes, and watch and measure a class mock eruption demo, observing the phases that change a mountain's shape. Students learn that the different types of landslides are all are the result of gravity, friction and the materials involved. Using a small-scale model of a debris chute, they explore how landslides start in response to variables in material, slope and water content. Students learn about tsunamis, discovering what causes them and makes them so dangerous. Using a table-top-sized tsunami generator, they test how model structures of different material types fare in devastating waves. Students learn about the causes of floods, their benefits and potential for disaster. Using riverbed models made of clay in baking pans, students simulate the impact of different river volumes, floodplain terrain and levee designs in experimental trials. They learn about the basic characteristics, damage and occurrence of tornadoes, examining them closely by creating water vortices in soda bottles. They complete mock engineering analyses of tornado damage, analyze and graph US tornado damage data, and draw and present structure designs intended to withstand high winds.

In this video segment produced for Teachers' Domain, observe different types of precipitation, including rain, hail, and snow. [1:00]

Explore changes that happen in weather over a day in this live-action video [1:31] from PEEP and the Big Wide World. Follow three kids as they explore their local environment to find evidence from an earlier rainstorm. Students can use the video to help them explore, identify, and describe evidence that indicates weather conditions from earlier in the day.

Explore weather phenomena in this animated video [8:53] from PEEP and the Big Wide World, where three adventurous friends -- Peep, Chirp, and Quack -- encounter their first tumultuous rainstorm. Students can use this video to observe how weather conditions change throughout the day. Changing weather in the video gives students opportunities to identify, describe, and compare factors of different weather conditions. A Background Essay, Teaching Tips, and Non-Visual (NV) supports for this interactive are provided.

Explore key characteristics of weather in these four short, animated videos from PEEP and the Big Wide World. Each video models observations and descriptions for a common weather condition, including rain, snow, wind, and a sunny day. Students observe and compare different weather phenomena and identify key characteristics of weather in each video. A Background Essay, Student Activity, and Teaching Tips are provided.

The lesson introduces students to the steps of the water cycle and rivers. They think about the effects of communities, sidewalks and roads on the natural flow of rainwater. Students also learn about the role of engineering in community planning and protecting our natural resources.

Using language arts, math, and measurement skills, elementary students explore rainfall data and learn how to measure precipitation through an interactive story.

Learn more about the four seasons and the weather that goes along with them. For ages 3-5.

This website offers three activity centers: Questionnaires, Opinion Surveys, and Challenge Questions. Take a look at these interesting water research activities from the US Geological Survey. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.