The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

The Whys of Weather Clouds

Have you ever looked up at clouds and wondered where they come from or what they are made of? Clouds may look soft and fluffy, but they are wet and cold. Clouds are made of tiny drops of water. The fluffiest clouds also have frozen crystals of ice. There are always small particles1 of water in the air. Usually we cannot see them. Most of the time the water particles are spread very far apart. To make clouds, the water particles have to come together. This process is called condensation.2 But how does this happen?

Have you ever seen clouds in the sky pass overhead and change shape? Air is always moving. Warm air rises. Have you ever seen the steam rise from a pot of boiling water? That steam is water vapor.3 It is water that has turned from a liquid to a gas. Something similar happens when clouds are formed. When the sun shines on a lake, it warms the water. Some of that water is turned from liquid into vapor. The vapor is made up of water particles in the air. When many of those water particles come together, they form a cloud.

1

particle: a very small quantity or piece condensation: water particles coming together to form a liquid 3 water vapor: fine particles of water floating in the air, causing fog or clouds. This happens at very low pressures and at very high temperatures. 2

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      Questions: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

Name: ___________________________

Date: ______________________

1. What are clouds made of? A B C D

air water, ice sunlight none of the above

2. The author uses ___________ to help organize the information in the passage. A B C D

questions to the reader headings diagrams a sequence of steps

3. Refer to the third paragraph. What does the question, “Have you ever seen the steam rise from a pot of boiling water?” help explain? A B C D

the formation of frozen crystals of ice air always moving warm water vapor rising condensation and evaporation

4. Read the sentence: Have you ever seen clouds in the sky pass overhead and change shape? What is the meaning of the word overhead as used in this sentence? A B C D

close to the head high in the sky again and again so quickly that it is difficult to see

5. What is the main idea of this passage? A B C D

The Earth’s atmosphere is always changing. Science can explain most ideas that seem difficult and complicated. The sun is the source of all energy on Earth. Clouds are actually made of particles of water in the air.

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      Questions: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

6. Describe how clouds are formed. ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 7. Why do some clouds look different from other clouds? ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Clouds look fluffy and soft, _____ they are actually wet and cold! A B C D

so besides but after

9. Read the following sentence. When looking up at clouds, a person is actually seeing water because clouds are made up of tiny water droplets. Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the sentence you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you. 1. Who is the main subject of the sentence? a person 2. What is a person doing? __________________________________________ 3. When? ________________________________________________________ 4. Why? _________________________________________________________

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            Questions: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

10. Vocabulary Word: steam (noun): the hot mist that forms when water boils. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

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                               Answers: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

Teacher Guide and Answers Passage Reading Level: Lexile 550 Featured Text Structure: Descriptive – the writer explains, defines or illustrates a concept or topic Passage Summary: In “The Whys of Weather – Clouds,” the author explains the formation of clouds, or the collection of condensed water droplets in the air. 1. What are clouds made of? A B C D

air water, ice sunlight none of the above

2. The author uses ___________ to help organize the information in the passage. A B C D

questions to the reader headings diagrams a sequence of steps

3. Refer to the third paragraph. What does the question, “Have you ever seen the steam rise from a pot of boiling water?” help explain? A B C D

the formation of frozen crystals of ice air always moving warm water vapor rising condensation and evaporation

4. Read the sentence: “Have you ever seen clouds in the sky pass overhead and change shape?” What is the meaning of the word overhead as used in this sentence? A B C D

close to the head high in the sky again and again so quickly that it is difficult to see

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                               Answers: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

5. What is the main idea of this passage? A B C D

The Earth’s atmosphere is always changing. Science can explain most ideas that seem difficult and complicated. The sun is the source of all energy on Earth. Clouds are actually made of particles of water in the air.

6. Describe how clouds are formed. Suggested answer: Clouds are formed when water particles come together through the process of condensation. 7. Why do some clouds look different from other clouds? Suggested answer: Some clouds look different from other clouds because they are made of water in its different forms. For example, the passage states clouds are made of tiny drops of water but the fluffiest clouds also have frozen crystals of ice. 8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence. Clouds look fluffy and soft, _____ they are actually wet and cold! A B C D

so besides but after

9. Read the following sentence. When looking up at clouds, a person is actually seeing water because clouds are made up of tiny water droplets. Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the sentence you just read. One of the questions has already been answered for you. 1. Who is the main subject of the sentence? a person 2. What is a person doing? is actually seeing water 3. When? when looking up at clouds 4. Why? because clouds are made up of tiny water droplets

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                               Answers: The Whys of Weather ‐ Clouds 

10. Vocabulary Word: steam (noun): the hot mist that forms when water boils. Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.

© 2013 ReadWorks®, Inc. All rights reserved.