Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students look at NASA technology and how the study of clouds provides scientists with information about the global environment, weather patterns, and climate changes. Students then collect and analyze data about the size and shapes of raindrops.  Students have the opportunity to compare a 2-D representation to a 3-D representation to understand why scientists use multiple sources of data to study Earth Systems. Students may also build a simple cloud chamber.  This lesson is developed using the 5E model of learning.

Essential Questions:

• What is the water cycle and what roles does it play in Earth’s systems?
• Why do scientists use multiple sources of data to study Earth Systems?  

Instructional Objectives:
Students will: 

• explain what scientists learn from studying clouds;
• explore the changes of state occurring within the water cycle;
• explain how clouds and precipitation form;
• measure the size of raindrops using metric units;
• compare a real world and virtual experience; and
• create a color-keyed graph to summarize collected raindrop data.