Measuring Raindrops
[20 Minutes]
When it's raining "cats and dogs," just how big are those drops? Together with your child, you can create a tool for measuring raindrops using a few everyday items found in the kitchen.
You'll need:
• flour, enough to cover the bottom of a pan • a flat pan • strainer or sieve
What to do:
- Invite your child to help you cover the bottom of a flat pan with flour.
- Encourage her to set the pan outside in the rain for just a few minutes. She should quickly bring the pan inside.
- Show your child how to strain or sift the flour. The raindrops will cause lumps in the flour (the bigger the lumps, the large the raindrops). The water molecules bond tightly together as they hit the pan. The flour lightly coats the bonded molecules of water and increases their visibility.
Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.
- How many raindrops did you catch?
- Can you think of another way to measure the drops?
Useful information:
While you are having fun together, your child is developing an understanding of cause and effect.
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