Courtney McCandless

Family STEM Night Planning Document

(Attach this and all documents you will use to the Forum #1 for Family STEM Night)

Description of Station:
bRAIN STORM is all about an experiment that teaches children about clouds and
rain. With a cup filled of the way with water, a small layer of shaving cream
students will create a cloud. Slowly they will add drops of food coloring (the water)
and eventually students will observe what happens when it rains.
Materials:
-Clear cups
-Water
-White shaving cream
-Food coloring (with dropper)
Engagement Strategy: (How will you engage families at your station?)
My station is all about rain and clouds, so although it is simple, I have incorporating
a lot of color and pictures, as well as an engaging experiment. My board is
decorating according to the theme and has easy directions to keep families
effortlessly following along. However, mainly my station is most engages families
due to the anticipation and end result of the experiment!
Other Planning Details:
A couple of aspects I need to be aware of are my materials and the recycling of
them. Im sure all ages will easily be able to handle the materials but due to time,
space, and the quantity of materials I am planning on having a few people per
experiment. This way multiple observations can be done at once but at staggering
times. Once one group completes the activity I can throw out the water, and get
the next cup prepped.

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Specific NGSS Alignment/Connections:

K-ESS2-1. Use and share observation of local weather conditions to describe
patterns over time.

Type in the NGSS standards

Disciplinary Core Idea (s)

Brief description of how the Family

STEM station connects to the NGSS
DCI, Practices, CCCs
Station Connection

ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

Weather is the combination of
sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and
temperature in a particular region at
a particular time. People measure
these conditions to describe and
record the weather and to notice
patterns over time.

Students will learn (from my board) why

clouds formthe combination of
temperature and waterand then
through the activity, why it eventually
rains.

Science/Engineering Practice(s)

Station Connection

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Analyzing data in K2 builds on prior
experiences and progresses to collecting,
recording, and sharing observations.
Use observations (firsthand or from media)
to describe patterns in the natural world in
order to answer scientific questions.

Students will know how clouds are

formed (from my board) and observe in
the demonstration why it rains.

Cross Cutting Concept

Station Connection

Patterns
Patterns in the natural world can be
observed, used to describe
phenomena, and used as evidence.

Students will understand that the

reason it rains is due to a cycle (or
repeating pattern).

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Clouds are formed

when water vapor
rises into the air.
When the vapor hits
cold air, it turns back
into droplets of water.
Those tiny drops of
water floating in the
air collect and stick
together to form
clouds.
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When clouds get so full

of water that they
cant hold any more,
the water falls back to
the ground as rain.

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1.
2.

3.
4.

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bRAIN STORM
Fill up your cup 2/3
of the way full.
Spray a layer of
shaving cream just
before the top of
the cup
Choose your
water color (food
coloring)
Add drops one at a
time and see what
happens!

FUN FACT!!!
Did you know that
the scientific name
for rain cloud is:

Cumulonimbu
s

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