Activity Card

Name of Activity: Cotton Ball Rain

Domain: Cognitive
Goal: Acquire scientific knowledge related to the earth sciences: weather.
Concept: Clouds become filled with water; the water weighs the clouds
down after time. Eventually, the water comes out as rain.
Materials: Grey water (food coloring), cotton balls, bowls, and droppers.
Structuring: In small groups of 3 or 4, hand children one cotton ball and
one dropper. They will fill the droppers with the gray water and slowly
squeeze the water on the cotton balls.
Immediate Objective: Children will understand that rain comes from water
in the clouds.
Procedures:
-Begin with large group discussion brainstorming where rain comes
from
- Model how to use the dropper in an appropriate way.
- Give the children necessary materials
- Help correct grip as needed.
- Encourage children to tell you about what they see and feel.
- Reflect to the children that the cotton balls represent clouds and the
water represents rain.
Extensions: Have the children use multiple cotton balls
Simplifications: Hold the ball or use hand over hand with the dropper.
Assessment: Checklist.
Name
Used
dropper w/o
support

Used
Hand over
dropper
hand
with support

Verbalized
concept of
rain

Michigan Department of Education StandardScience: Children show a beginning awareness of

scientific knowledge related to earth