8 Weather-Related Science Projects for Kids

Science Projects for Kids

This is dedicated to science projects for kids and the rest of the family to help with understanding weather and other aspects of meteorology. These are all weather experiments and projects that you can make freely on your own. I think they would be good for any school-age child. Meteorology is an excellent beginning for the budding scientist in your family!

If you are looking for fun, educational activities for you and your family, then this is the place for you.

This is meant to be a helpful resource for anyone, including, but not limited to:

• Classroom education
• Home schooling
• Summer education
• Scouting groups
• Community and environmental education
• Science fair projects
• Parents

Each of these weather experiments should be done with a parent's approval and guidance.

Project 1: How to Make a Barometer

A barometer measures air pressure.

You will need the following:

• A glass or beaker with straight (vertical) sides
• A 12-inch ruler
• Clear tape
• One foot of clear plastic tubing (or a clear straw)
• A stick of chewing gum
• Water

Directions

1. Begin by standing the ruler straight up in the glass and holding it against the side. Tape the ruler to the inside of the glass. Make sure that you can see the numbers on the ruler.
2. Stand the plastic tube against the ruler in the glass. Make sure that the tube is not touching the bottom of the glass by positioning the tube up a half inch on the ruler. Secure the tube by taping it to the ruler.
3. Chew the stick of gum so that it is soft.
4. While you're chewing the gum, fill the glass with water—about halfway to the top of the glass. Use the plastic tube like a straw and draw the water halfway up the tube.
5. Use your tongue to trap the water in the tube. Quickly stick the gum to the top of the tube to seal it.
6. Make a mark on the ruler to record where the water level is in the tube. Each time you notice a change in the water level, make another mark. You'll notice, over time, that the water level rises and falls. Pay attention to the change in weather as the water level changes.

Does the Water Rise or Fall When It Is About to Rain?

The water in the tube rises and falls because of the air pressure on the water in the glass. As the air pressure increases (meaning more atmospheric pressure) on the water in the glass, water is pushed up into the tube, causing the water level to rise. When the air pressure decreases on the water in the glass, some of the water will move down out of the tube, causing the water level to fall.

The change in barometric pressure will help you to forecast the weather. Decreasing air pressure often indicates the approach of a low-pressure area, which often brings clouds and precipitation. Increasing air pressure often means that a high-pressure area is approaching, bringing with it clearing or fair weather.

Project 2: How to Make a Hygrometer

A hygrometer measures humidity (the amount of moisture in the air).

You will need the following:

• A piece of wood or flat, hard foam (about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide)
• A flat piece of plastic (about 3 inches long and 3 inches wide), thin enough that you can cut
• 2 small nails
• 3 long strands of human hair (about eight inches long)
• A dime
• Glue
• Tape
• Hammer
• Scissors (able to cut plastic)

Directions

1. Cut the piece of plastic into a triangular shape. Then, tape the dime onto the plastic near the point.
2. Poke one of the nails through the plastic pointer near the base of the triangle. Wiggle the nail until the pointer moves freely and loosely around the nail.
3. On the plastic pointer, between the dime and the nail hole, glue the hair strands to the plastic.
4. Position the pointer on the wood or foam base about three-quarters of the way down the side. Attach the nail to the base. The pointer must be able to turn easily around the nail.
5. Attach the other nail to the base about one to two inches from the top of the base, in line with the pointer.
6. Pull the hair strands straight and tight so that the pointer points parallel to the ground. Make sure the point of the pointer is perpendicular (like a T) to the hair. The hair should hang perfectly vertically, and the pointer should point perfectly horizontally.
7. Glue the ends of the hair to the nail. If the hair is too long, trim it down.

How Does This Project Work?

The cells in the human hair will indicate the level of moisture in the air by expanding and contracting. When the air is moist, the hair will expand and lengthen, making the pointer point down. When the air is dry, the hair will contract and shorten, making the pointer point up.

You can make your hygrometer observations each day. You should make a mark to indicate where the pointer points. After a while, you will be able to see the humidity patterns that will help you forecast the weather.

Project 3: How to Make an Anemometer

An anemometer measures wind speed. It's a device that tells you how fast the wind is blowing. A real anemometer will be able to accurately measure how fast the wind is blowing. However, yours will only give you an approximation of the wind speed.

You will need the following:

• Five 3-5 ounce paper cups
• Two straight plastic straws (any color)
• One straight pin or push pin
• One pencil with an eraser (the larger the eraser, the better)
• Paper hole punch
• A small stapler
• A notepad (to record wind "speeds")
• A marker (to write on a cup)
• Scissors
• Ruler

Directions

1. Take four of the paper cups. Using the paper punch, punch one hole in each cup, about a half inch below the rim. Use the ruler if you need to measure it.
2. With the fifth cup, punch a hole in the bottom center.
3. Next, punch four equally spaced holes about a quarter inch below the rim. This will be referred to as the four-hole cup.
4. Take one of the four cups and push a straw through the hole. Fold the end of the straw and staple it to the side of the cup across from the hole. Repeat this process for another one-hole cup and the second straw.
5. Slide one cup and straw assembly through two opposite holes in the cup with four holes. Push another one-hole cup onto the end of the straw just pushed through the four-hole cup. Bend the straw and staple it to the one-hole cup, making certain that the cup faces in the opposite direction from the first cup.
6. Repeat this procedure using the other cup and straw assembly and the remaining one-hole cup.
7. Align the four cups so that their open ends face in the same direction (either clockwise or counterclockwise) around the center cup.
8. Push the straight pin through the two straws where they intersect. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the bottom hole in the center cup. Push the pin into the end of the pencil eraser as far as it goes.

Your anemometer is ready!

How Do I Use My Anemometer?

Take the anemometer outside. It should rotate with the wind. It doesn't need to be pointed into the wind to spin.

Make a small yet visible mark on one of the cups. By seeing the mark as the anemometer spins, you will be able to count the revolutions. Record the number of times the cup makes a complete revolution around the vertical axis (pencil) in a minute. This number will be the revolutions per minute (RPM). Record your results on this data collection sheet.

Try this at different times in the day or on different days. Record the wind conditions such as: no wind, light winds, medium wings, heavy winds, or very heavy winds.

• Do you notice a pattern?
• Does the anemometer spin faster in the morning, afternoon, or evening?
• Is it windier when there is a storm approaching?

How Does an Anemometer Work?

An anemometer is a device for measuring wind speed and is one instrument used in a weather station. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind.

The simplest type of anemometer is the cup anemometer, invented in 1846 by Dr. John Thomas Romney Robinson of Armagh Observatory. It consisted of four hemispherical cups each mounted on one end of four horizontal arms, which in turn were mounted at equal angles to each other on a vertical shaft. The airflow past the cups in any horizontal direction turned the cups in a manner that was proportional to the wind speed.

Therefore, counting the turns of the cups over a set time period produced the average wind speed for a wide range of speeds. On an anemometer with four cups, it is easy to see that since the cups are arranged symmetrically on the end of the arms, the wind always has the hollow of one cup presented to it and is blowing on the back of the cup on the opposite end of the cross. (Source: Wikipedia)

Project 4: How to Determine the Distance of Lightning

Note: You can only do this project during a thunderstorm.

You will need the following:

• A watch (preferably a stopwatch) or the ability to count
• A calculator or the ability to divide numbers

Instructions

1. After you see a flash of lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder. How many seconds did it take?
2. For every 5 seconds counted, the lightning is one mile away.
3. Divide the number of seconds you count by 5 to get the number of miles.

Examples:

• Ten seconds would be two miles away
• 18 seconds would be 3.6 miles away

Why Do You See the Lightning Before Hearing the Thunder?

Light (from the lightning) travels faster than sound (from the thunder).

What Causes Thunder?

Thunder is caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground, it actually opens up a small "hole" in the air called a channel. Once the lightning is gone, the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder.

See where lightning is happening right now in the U.S.!

Project 5: Make Your Own Lightning

You will need the following:

• A small piece of wool fabric
• An aluminum pie pan
• Styrofoam plate
• A pencil with a new eraser
• 1 thumbtack

Instructions

1. Turn the aluminum pie pan upside-down and push the thumbtack through the center.
2. Push the eraser end of the pencil into the thumbtack. The pencil should be standing straight up.
3. Put the styrofoam plate upside-down on a table. Very quickly, rub the bottom of the styrofoam plate with the wool for a minute or two.
4. Pick up the aluminum pie pan using the pencil as a handle and place it on top of the upside-down styrofoam plate that you were just rubbing with the wool.
5. Touch the aluminum pie pan with your finger. You should feel a shock. If you don't feel anything, try rubbing the styrofoam plate again with the wool.
6. Once you feel the shock, try turning the lights out before you touch the pan again.

What Did You See?

The answer is static electricity, which refers to "the accumulation of excess electric charge in a region with poor electrical conductivity (an insulator), such that the charge accumulation persists."

Lightning happens when the negative charges, which are called electrons, in the bottom of the cloud (or in this experiment, your finger) are attracted to the positive charges, which are called protons, in the ground or in this experiment, the aluminum pie pan. The spark that you had seen is like a miniature lightning bolt!

Project 6: Tornado in a Jar

The purpose of this experiment is to observe how a vortex forms.

You will need the following:

• A mayonnaise type of jar (with a lid for less mess)
• Water
• Clear liquid dish soap
• Vinegar
• A pinch of glitter (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill the jar 3/4 full of water.
2. Put in one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of dish soap.
3. Sprinkle with a small amount of glitter. **You can also use food coloring.
4. Close the lid and twist the jar to see a vortex like a tornado form. You can also use a spoon or swizzle stick to create the vortex (without the lid on, of course!).

Explanation: As you twist the jar, the fluid toward the inside takes longer to get moving. After you stop rotating the jar, the fluid inside keeps spinning. A mini tornado can be seen for a few seconds when the outer fluid slows down, and the inner fluids continue to spin rapidly.

Project 7: Making a Cloud in a Glass

You will need the following:

• A clear glass or similar see-through container
• Warm water
• Ice
• Metal dish (or another flat object that transfers the cold well)

Instructions

1. Place the ice into the metal dish. Wait for it to be really cold.
2. Pour a small amount of warm water into the bottom of the glass.
3. Place the cold plate on top of the glass.

Do you see a "cloud" forming? You should see one form near the top of the glass.

Explanation: This is the way clouds form in the real world. Warm, moist air, like that in your glass, is cooled (cold plate). When the warm, moist air is cooled, it condenses into tiny water droplets, which appear as clouds.

Project 8: How to Make a Rainbow

You will need the following:

• A clear glass jar with a wide mouth
• Water
• A mirror (small enough to fit in the glass)
• A flashlight
• A room with white walls

Instructions

1. Fill the glass with water. Then, carefully place the small mirror into the glass jar, at an angle.
2. Turn the lights off so that you will able to see the rainbow better.
3. Aim the flashlight toward the mirror in the jar. Change the angle of light from the flashlight or change the angle of the mirror until you can see the rainbow on the wall or ceiling.

What colors do you see?

Explanation: The mirror reflects light as it passes through the water, traveling at an angle. The water refracts (or bends) the light. As light bends, it separates into the colors of the rainbow, which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

More Fun Projects

• Plant Cell Model Project: A Wearable T-Shirt
  Does your elementary or middle-school child need to make a plant cell model for class? Make one that can be worn with this simple photo tutorial.
• Science Project for Kids: What Will my Dog Eat?
  Want a science fair project using your pet? Full instructions for a quick and easy science experiment for elementary students.
• Visual Aids for Middle School Research Projects
  Need to make a visual aid for a research project or a speech? Learn about some different types of visual aids and what you can use to make them.

Related Sites of Interest

• The Weather Channel Kids
  The Weather Channel Kids provides interactive weather games, maps, activities and educational teaching materials for classrooms.
• Weather Wiz Kids
  All sorts of weather information, geared toward kids.
• Welcome to Web Weather for Kids
  Learn what makes weather wet and wild, do cool activities, and become hot at forecasting the weather on Web Weather for Kids!
• Sky Diary for Kids
  This kids weather site offers facts, links and pictures on pages about tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes and storm chasing. It's part of Sky Diary, devoted to storm chasing and weather photography.

Feedback

AKROUT JAMEL on April 08, 2018:

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORKS AND SPECIALY FOR SHARING

hi on May 02, 2017:

Good job

PearlsForever on September 03, 2013:

Educational Lens! Great Work

steadytracker lm on August 15, 2013:

What a great education lens on weather. Than you so much for sharing this information.

Northerntrials on April 21, 2013:

Nice resources, Except the videos were both the same. Nice though.

cleansweeping on March 25, 2013:

I need to design more weather activities. Thanks for the resource!!

anonymous on February 13, 2013:

Wow, This is the best kids activity lens, I've read so far.

JackNorbridge on December 19, 2012:

I am going to make lightning using your method with the aluminum pie tin. What an easy experiment.

coolaunt on October 29, 2012:

What a fantastic lens it will be bookmarked.

kulla on October 02, 2012:

Makes science interesting. Liked it.

JeanJohnson LM on June 05, 2012:

Will have to try some of these projects with the kids, great lens.

Natalia Toro on May 13, 2012:

This is a great page! I featured it on my list of hobbies under meteorology. Would you mind backlinking to it? You can find my lens here: https://discover.hubpages.com/games-hobbies/the-wo...

EducationInfo4U1 on April 23, 2012:

Thanks for all of the neat projects! Gotta keep the kids thinking over the summer!

anonymous on April 12, 2012:

im a kid and don't like sciance but this amazed me

waldenthreenet on March 24, 2012:

Important topic for STEM Education. How do we connect this to STEM Challenges for teachers, students, PTA and Community support ? Conversations helps. Congrads on your Squidoo level. Thanks.

anonymous on March 18, 2012:

very good thankssssssssssssss

anonymous on January 04, 2012:

@Buchamar: looks nice love it

Buchamar on December 14, 2011:

I love this, need to start getting my grandson into science at an early age.

anonymous on November 28, 2011:

activities like this should be endorsed to our children as early as possible. In that way, they will be aware about environmental issues that we are facing now.

waldenthreenet on November 14, 2011:

Most valuable topic, earth science for study and science careers for kdis today ! I vote "Like" on this one. Will visit with you again soon. Thanks.

whoisbid lm on May 26, 2011:

@Link2 LM: Great work. Must of taken some time to do!

Link2 LM on May 17, 2011:

Great lens. Learning about weather is fascinating. We especially like observing different shaped clouds and seeing rainbows. We can't wait to do some of the projects and see the results. Thank you for sharing.

CruiseReady from East Central Florida on April 26, 2011:

What a great resource, and no wonder it has a purple star! Lensrolling to my lens on 2011 Hurricane predictions and also Project Weather Scholarships.

Philippians468 on April 14, 2011:

i shall try my hand at making a rainbow too! thank you for this delightful lens! cheers

Lee Hansen from Vermont on March 03, 2011:

Way cool - dad used to do these fun projects with us when we were kids. Learned more from him than in the classroom! I'm featuring this lens on my Brainy Kids Gifts lens as a learning resource I really like.

grandma deal on February 15, 2011:

Always looking for ways to entertain the grandkids while they're here. This is full of great things for them to do. Thank you for sharing.

anonymous on February 14, 2011:

Great lens.TASKey.com

WindyWintersHubs from Vancouver Island, BC on February 12, 2011:

Great Ideas for weather experiments. Weather is always an interesting topic and all these explanations are very helpful. Lensrolling to weather calendars! :)

Barb McCoy on February 11, 2011:

Love your lens. Adding to my favorites, lensrolling to my nature lenses, and blessing.

***Blessed by an Angel***

dwnovacek on February 09, 2011:

Great fun and educational lens. Angel Blessings!

anonymous on January 24, 2011:

a really good website

robertpaul123 on January 12, 2011:

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triathlontraini1 (author) on January 12, 2011:

@EdTecher: Huge Thank You! :D

Heidi Reina from USA on January 12, 2011:

Wonderfully described science projects. Blessed by an angel.

Jeremy from Tokyo, Japan on January 12, 2011:

Great collection of experiments. I just might do a weather unit with my kids sometime soon!

sukkran trichy from Trichy/Tamil Nadu on January 11, 2011:

awesome lens.

Lisa Auch from Scotland on January 11, 2011:

fantastic from someone who used to spend hours online looking for these resources, thanks for having them all in one place, you gave me a few ideas too

aligooner on January 10, 2011:

I like this lens, I might try some of these experiments.

anonymous on January 08, 2011:

This has always been one of my favorite lenses Shea, still is! Just thought I'd tell you that. Best wishes to you....always!

glowchick on January 07, 2011:

What a great lens! Such a resourse for Homeschool moms :)

Thanks for sharing.

Fcuk Hub on January 07, 2011:

I'll certainly make some of your ideas with my kids. Thanks for sharing :)

triathlontraini1 (author) on January 07, 2011:

@mariaamoroso: Have fun!

irenemaria from Sweden on January 07, 2011:

Trippel WOW - so many fun things to do with children or for myself! Thanks

anonymous on December 20, 2010:

what a wonderful lens, my eldest is sience-aholic and I am sure he will want to try each on of those projects! love it

thehiplady lm on December 06, 2010:

Love it. I've been reading about weather and will try some of these for sure

anonymous on September 29, 2010:

Great experiment. Seems interesting enough, I will certainly try it, and I will recommend to some friends. How to make hot ice

Oliversbabycarecouk on September 28, 2010:

What A Great Lens. Very Fun and Informative For The Kids And Even The Parents Could Learn Something.

puzzlerpaige on September 24, 2010:

These look fun. I think my daughter will want to make the Anemometer (new word for me). As soon as she wakes, I'll have her take a look. The wind has been howling here lately with autumn on the way and hurricanes passing offshore recently.

JJNW from USA on September 08, 2010:

SO cool! I have this bookmarked to use when homeschooling my son. We're gonna have a BLAST! Thanks!

Samantha Lynn from Missouri on August 27, 2010:

Outstanding lens...I had to print off some rainy day kid distraction ideas!

aitsavemyfiles on August 15, 2010:

Awesome lens, my girls aren't quite old enough to appreciate these experiments yet but I'm bookmarking it for next summer.

triathlontraini1 (author) on July 08, 2010:

@VarietyWriter2: Thank you! :D

VarietyWriter2 on July 07, 2010:

Blessed by a SquidAngel :)

projectmeasure on March 13, 2010:

What nice your ideas! It so much wanted to child. Your content are most informative to learn about these. Fantastic lens.

Thanks.

utilizingproject on March 11, 2010:

I have like all of your content. Specially instrument making picture and videos. Your information so much useful. I will right back to your page.

Thanks for sharing a creative lens.

peggyc on January 30, 2010:

5 Stars! This is a cool and interesting lens that I'll have to use with my kids.

Samantha Lynn from Missouri on January 25, 2010:

How cool!

AlinaWarner on January 21, 2010:

Favorited and 5 *****

Excellent lens.

Thank so much for sharing this information. :)

Kylyssa Shay from Overlooking a meadow near Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA on January 15, 2010:

Great projects! This is an awesome resource for parents. Thank you!

Nancy Tate Hellams from Pendleton, SC on January 14, 2010:

My grandson has a Science Project due in a couple of weeks. I will make sure he sees this great lens about Weather Related Science Projects. Thanks.

anonymous on January 13, 2010:

Great lens! 5***** and Fav.

anonymous on January 13, 2010:

Great lens! 5***** and Fav.

justholidays on January 13, 2010:

You worked a lot on this lens! It's extremely creative! Don't know where you found all these experiments and ideas but worth the visit!

Dom.

anonymous on January 12, 2010:

I've taken up kite flying (not during the winter) and love to watch the sky. The lighting moving picture is beautiful. There's nothing like a storm like that and the freshness of the air during and after. No, I don't fly kites in a lightening storm.

When my grandchildren get older they will find out about some of the science experiments from this lens. I'm sure it will fun and make some big eyes even bigger.

julieannbrady on January 12, 2010:

You know, I sure have tried multiple times to put THAT fire under my hubby's butt to get busy and write science-topic lenses. He would love this lens. I'll grab him by the collar and let him sit down and check this one out -- he was a high school science teacher -- and the two lenses we have co-authored both earned purple stars.

triathlontraini1 (author) on January 09, 2010:

@Sylvestermouse: Thank you! :)

triathlontraini1 (author) on January 09, 2010:

@SpellOutloud: That is wonderful to hear! I hope the experiments and projects inspire more questions. :)

SpellOutloud on January 09, 2010:

What great information all in one place. I favorited it as a resource for our homeschool.

Cynthia Sylvestermouse from United States on January 08, 2010:

Absolutely wonderful! I always loved the tornado in a jar. Angel Blessings for an awesome lens!

anonymous on December 09, 2009:

@triathlontraini1: Just stopped by to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I still love this teaching lens of yours Shea. ~ Best wishes!!!

Carol Goss on November 18, 2009:

My son who is a weatherman now. Would have probably loved these things when he was little.

triathlontraini1 (author) on November 10, 2009:

Thank you everyone! :)

Susan Deppner from Arkansas USA on November 08, 2009:

Fantastic resource! I love studying weather. We could have used this lens when my kids were little and we were homeschooling. Congratulations on the purple star!

eclecticeducati1 on November 06, 2009:

Awesome lens! Thank you for this collection of projects. Going into my favorites for sure!

Dianne Loomos on November 04, 2009:

Fun Stuff! We did a lot of this kind of thing when we were homeschooling.

anonymous on November 03, 2009:

[in reply to Kate-Phizackerley] Kate, I'm right with you on the blessing.

It is nice to visit this refreshing lens again.

Good on you!!!

Kate Phizackerl1 on November 03, 2009:

I like the fact that you provide so much free information. That for me is what Squidoo is all about. Blessed.

anonymous on November 03, 2009:

Yay I done it for the grade five science day project.

anonymous on November 03, 2009:

Make your own lightning really works its awesome.

Karicor on May 20, 2009:

Lots of interesting and fun stuff. I can see my kids enjoying these hands-on activities. They are very curious but it's much better to actually show them and let them participate than to just give them a verbal explanation. SquidAngle blessings for a really useful lens! ^:)^

anonymous on April 14, 2009:

This is very impressive, I can see how both children and their parents would enjoy doing your projects here. This is wonderful! My best to you!

religions7 on April 12, 2009:

Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)

PosterChildSmile on January 16, 2009:

This is a master-piece lens. Great information here. :)

anonymous on January 11, 2009:

Really nice, good information...

MommaKnows LM on December 24, 2008:

This is wonderful! It's going in my favorites, and my kids and I will use it this spring when we study weather. (We homeschool.)

Thanks!

anonymous on December 23, 2008:

This is the response I received from a teacher to your Weather Related Science Projects for Kids (and their parents) lens.

"The website is fabulous. I read the information on making a barometer and couldn't believe it. Second graders do science 2nd semester so we will take advantage of your find. Have a wonderful holiday ..."

anonymous on December 21, 2008:

Tipi (Susie) says that you are the awesome one! I'm her messanger because her computer CRASHED! YES, CRASHED! She is unable to do anything! She'll be back soon--we hope!

rydigga on December 20, 2008:

Very cool site....I have my BS in Meteorology and give it a thumbs up. :)

roysumit on December 11, 2008:

Excellent lens. A simple and wonderful way to teach youngsters the everyday sciences of life. Will visit this lens again. 5*

anonymous on December 11, 2008:

Fantastic! This is an interesting lens 5 stars!!! I'm project manager specialized on sustainability and I know how difficult is to explain easily to the people some complex concepts; You explain very well to children some important natural phenomens. Compliments, Giacomo

anonymous on December 10, 2008:

Hello again, I came back because I just enjoy this lens and i know a teacher I'm volunteering with that will be interested in your projects. So well done!

enslavedbyfaeries on December 09, 2008:

This is awesome! Thanks so much for the great information and instructions. My daughter is curious about everything and she will love this lens.

SherryHolderHunt on December 05, 2008: