Visualization of global clouds

Clouds Teaching Box

Clouds are both universal and mysterious. The science of clouds helps students feel closer to the sky and in awe of nature as they learn elementary concepts of physics, the water cycle, and atmospheric science. Explore the educational resources in this teaching box and bring cloud science to your elementary students.

Teaching Boxes are themed collections of classroom-ready educational resources to build student understanding of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Resources highlighted within teaching boxes are from various science education programs and all have been vetted by the education team at the UCAR Center for Science Education.

  • Topic: Clouds
  • Level: Upper elementary
Students identifying clouds by look up at the sky through the rectangular hole in the paper cloud viewer.

Observing Clouds

Students learn how to observe and describe clouds.

Marine Stratocumulus Clouds

How Clouds Form

Students learn about the ingredients needed to make a cloud, and the role that air pressure and temperature play in cloud formation.

Cloudy Day Weather Timelapse video: Lyons, Colorado, July 4, 2017

How Clouds Change

Students learn that clouds change over time.