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E.T A-LOCAL WAY OF LEARNING
Title: RAIN'S COMING
Author: Leslie Repp, Eulalie R. Rivera
Grade Level: K-l
Concepts: Disciplines:
1. The Sun 1. Language Arts
2. Clean Water 2. Art
6. Natural Resources 3. Science
9. Change
Objective:
Using their five senses children will become aware of the environmental changes that occur when a storm is
approaching. Later children will dictate an experience story as a class activity. Some may wish to draw
what they saw, or imagined.
Rationale:
The sun is the driving force of the water cycle, evaporating the heated ocean water on sunny days. Only the
water evaporates, the salt is left behind. Moisture laden clouds sweep across our islands from the East North
East (generally) and drop their rain when they reach the higher elevations (cooler) in the West End. Long
ago when the land was forested we received more rain: large trees have a cooling effect due to the
transpiration of water through their leave. Clearing the land in Colonial times for sugar cane crops etc. has
reduced rainfall.
Materials Needed:
Paper cups to catch rain water for tasting.
Directions/Activities:
When a storm is approaching the children should:
1.Observe color of the sky, cloud, shapes and color
2.Smell the air
3.Sense winds increase or decrease, gusting
4.Hear sound of the rain as it nears
5.Taste some rain water
6.Feel the storms' movement towards them
7.Write experience story to use, language, reinforce experience, internalize, evaluate. Allow the children
to close their, eyes and wait for the rain to hit near a window or overhang. How can you tell the storm
is over you? Can you tell when it's about to stop? Do big drops sound the same as small drops?
Experience Story Technique:
Since this activity is mostly a sensory experience, work with the class while the memories are still vivid.
Have child contribute a word or several words of description about the storm and write them on the
blackboard. Then using the children's words work with them to make sentences into a sequential paragraph
that describes the storm.
Follow Up Discussion:
Discuss the need for rain to plants and people; plants grow if gardens, cisterns fill, flowers bloom to make
beauty. Will the sea get used up? How does the water get back to the sea? Discuss gentle rains that soak vs.
heavy rains that run off and carry soil.
April Rain Song
By Langston Hughes
Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
The rain makes still pools on the sidewalk.
The rain makes running pools in the gutter.
The rain plays a little sleep-song on our roof at night,
And I love the rain
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