Teach children how to read a thermometer. Show them how the higher the mercury in the thermometer is, the higher and warmer the temperature. Show them where the freezing point is on the thermometer -- 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Set up a thermometer and have the children check and record the temperature each day at the same time. Write down the temperature on a chart. Over the weeks note how the temperature changes. Discuss the temperature ranges for the different seasons in the area you live.
Take a clear jar or heavy glass outside before a rainfall. Set it in an area not covered by clouds or building edges and secure it from falling by placing rocks around its base. During the rain, ask the children to predict on a piece of paper how much rain they think will fall. Have them draw pictures of how the sky looked prior to the rain starting. After the rain, bring the glass inside and use a ruler to measure the amount of rain that fell. Do this experiment for a period of weeks and have children notice what kinds of days produce the rainiest weather in terms of clouds, cloud types and the way the wind and air feel.
On a day you know there will be rain, prepare a way to save a raindrop for observation. Take a shoebox or other shallow cardboard box lid and fill it with flour. Smooth over the top with a ruler so the amount of flour in the lid is level. Hold the lid out in the rain in order to catch about 20 to 25 raindrops then bring it inside. Set a fine mesh sieve over the lid and carefully turn the lid over while holding the lid and sieve over a trashcan. Gently shake the sieve. The clumps of flour left after you sift out the loose flour are actually preserved raindrops. Measure the raindrops with a ruler. Explain to the children that most raindrops are quite small and the largest one ever recorded was only 1/3 of an inch wide, according to Weather Wiz Kids.
Teach children about identifying the five basic types of clouds and what they mean. Altocumulus clouds are thick, bluish gray and blanket-like and often mean rain or snow. Cirrus clouds are high level and feathery or wispy and typically seen in clear weather conditions. Stratocumulus are dark heavy low level clouds which often precede precipitation. Cumulonimbus clouds are giant clouds reaching great heights and indicating strong storms. Stratus clouds are flat low clouds that create either overcast days or perhaps rain. Cumulus clouds are fluffy clouds frequently seen on sunny days. They only mean rain if they grow tall later in the day. Have children observe the clouds and identify the type, then write a prediction about the day's weather. Do this activity for a week or two and see if the children get more accurate with their predictions. Keep their guesses and the results in a weather journal.