Measuring Rain With a Rain Catcher
|
Suggested Grades
|
6+
|
Objective
|
Students will make a rain catcher and examine and graph rain levels
within one month to calculate the average percipitation at their
home. |
Materials
|
-
marbles or
rocks for bottom of rain catcher
-
ruler
-
plastic
bottle
-
scissors
-
extra fine
point marker
-
tape
-
water
-
graphing
paper
|
Method
|
-
Have
students cut the top off the bottle so that the width is the
same as the base.
-
Tape a
ruler on the side of the bottle and using an extra point
permanent marker, mark off each centimetre (millimetre if your
class can handle it).
-
Put some
marbles or rocks at the bottom of the bottle (this will prevent
the rain catcher from tipping or blowing away). Turn the top
upside down and tape it inside the bottle.
-
Pour some
water into the bottle to the first marking, so that everyone
starts at the same level.
-
Tell
children to place their rain catcher in a not so busy area in
their yard at home. Ask them to check their rain catcher every
morning. When there is some water in it, record the level and
bring it to school. (dump the water out so a new recording can
be made the next morning). At school, have the children record
their rain level with the day's date on their own graph.
-
After a
month of recording, add up all of the rain levels and figure out
the average precipitation.
-
Extension:
Compare the average precipitations with those around the world
(use the internet or look in climate atlases).
|
Additional Resources
|
Internet Resources
The Weather Office
Weather data provided by Environment Canada. |
