Cloud Lab

Cloud Lab
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/labs/lab/cloud/

PBS

This cloud lab allows exploration of cloud identification, reconstructing and following hurricanes, and interpreting and investigating data. Graphs and other data interpretation are used heavily throughout the lesson. This is an in-depth activity with many facets for students to explore.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

See how this Activity supports the Next Generation Science Standards»

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Middle School

Performance Expectations: 9

Earth and Space Sciences:

MS-ESS2-4: Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

MS-ESS2-5: Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses results in changes in weather conditions.

MS-ESS2-6: Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

MS-ESS2: Earth's Systems

MS-ESS3-2: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

MS-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

Middle School:

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 5

Earth and Space Sciences:

MS-ESS2.D1: Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns.

MS-ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

MS-ESS2: Earth's Systems

Middle School:

Cross Cutting Concepts: 10

Systems and System Models, Stability and Change, Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity

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Systems and System Models, Stability and Change, Patterns, Cause and effect, Scale, Proportion and Quantity

MS-C1.3: Patterns can be used to identify cause and effect relationships.

MS-C1.4: Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data.

MS-C1: Patterns

MS-C2: Cause and effect

MS-C3.1: Time, space, and energy phenomena can be observed at various scales using models to study systems that are too large or too small.

MS-C3: Scale, Proportion and Quantity

MS-C4.2: Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions—such as inputs, processes and outputs—and energy, matter, and information flows within systems.

MS-C4: Systems and System Models

MS-C7: Stability and Change

Middle School:

Science and Engineering Practices: 9

Developing and Using Models, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

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Developing and Using Models, Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Analyzing and Interpreting Data

MS-P2.5: Develop and/or use a model to predict and/or describe phenomena.

MS-P2: Developing and Using Models

MS-P3.4: Collect data to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test design solutions under a range of conditions

MS-P3: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

MS-P4.1: Construct, analyze, and/or interpret graphical displays of data and/or large data sets to identify linear and nonlinear relationships.

MS-P4.2: Use graphical displays (e.g., maps, charts, graphs, and/or tables) of large data sets to identify temporal and spatial relationships.

MS-P4.4: Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for phenomena.

MS-P4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Middle School:

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High School

Performance Expectations: 8

Earth and Space Sciences:

HS-ESS2-4: Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.

HS-ESS2-5: Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

HS-ESS2: Earth's Systems

HS-ESS3-1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

HS-ESS3-5: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

HS-ESS3: Earth and Human Activity

High School:

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 4

Earth and Space Sciences:

HS-ESS2 : Earth's Systems

HS-ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

High School:

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Energy Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Energy Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Physical processes on Earth are the result of energy flow

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

Clouds are important to climate and climate change, and this resource has a unique focus on them which isn't found in many other climate educational resources.
The ability to use pieces of this interactive in multiple ways can allow teachers to find room in the curriculum to include cloud dynamics.
From homework enrichment to science fair projects to a week-long lesson module, the individual Cloud Lab components gives you a range of options for addressing the topics of weather, climate, Earth systems, and scientific modeling with your middle school or high school students.

About the Content

This is an interactive challenge for students to study different aspects of cloud dynamics and impact of clouds on weather and climate. It is particularly good at providing stand-alone pieces that can be used in many ways.
Access to additional data is provided so that users can see more recent storms.
Cloud dynamics are one of the last frontiers of climate science in terms of our basic understanding. This makes an exploration of this topic particularly valuable for showing students how science is conducted and how our knowledge moves forward.
Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.

About the Pedagogy

Learning outcomes, teachers guide and tips are all listed. The lab website is organized effectively and sequences materials smoothly.
The resource includes multiple choice questions that adds structure and an evaluation component.

This resource engages students in using scientific data.
See other data-rich activities

Technical Details/Ease of Use

In this activity, students classify clouds, analyze data, and look at satellite imagery. Students learn about scientific processes for understanding weather patterns and storms.
This is a nice, organized lab that is easy to use and follow for students/teachers. Data is readable and varied to give a wide range of what atmospheric scientists are working on.
Users must create an account to access the resource, but creating an account is free and users can also access the resource with a Google account or a guest account.

Entered the Collection: March 2025 | Last Reviewed: January 2025

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Middle School (see details)

Middle School

Performance Expectations: 9

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 5

Cross Cutting Concepts: 10

Science and Engineering Practices: 9

High School (see details)

High School

Performance Expectations: 8

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 4

Cross Cutting Concepts: 5

Science and Engineering Practices: 4

Grade Level

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Topics

Climate Literacy

Energy Literacy

Teaching Tips

About the Content

About the Pedagogy

Technical Details/Ease of Use

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