Published on Highlights for Children (https://www.highlights.com)

Home > Printer-friendly > Make a Rain Meter

Make a Rain Meter [1]

Find out how much rain falls where you live

What You’ll Need

  • Masking tape
  • Fork
  • Permanent marker
  • Large clear plastic cup

What to Do

A great mix of science and discovery goes into making this meter, which your budding ecologist can use to track rainfall. Then she can recycle the water for your plants.
Make a Rain Meter

1. Place a piece of masking tape on a flat, nonstick surface, such as a kitchen counter. Lay the fork handle across the bottom of the tape.

Make a Rain Meter

2. Use the permanent marker to make a line on the tape above the handle. Move the fork up so it sits on the line. Draw another line above the handle. Repeat until you’ve made five lines.

3. Number the lines with the marker.

Make a Rain Meter

4. Place the tape on the outside of the cup. Put the cup outdoors in a spot where rain can fall in.

 
 
Extend the Fun

For younger kids: Use this as an opportunity to introduce the concept of more and less. Each time you look at the meter together, have your child note how much rain was collected and compare it to the last time you recorded the amount. Ask, “Is it more or less? How can you tell?”

For older kids: Turn this into a lesson about charts and graphs. Each week, have your child record the amount of rain collected, then make a chart or graph with the information. Which week had the most rain? Which week had the least? Keep the chart for a few months. Then ask your child to total the amounts for each month and tell you which month had the most and which had least amount of rain.

  • First Column
    • Need Help?
      • Contact Us
      • FAQs
      • Email Preferences
  • Second Column
    • My Account
      • Update My Account
      • Make a Payment
      • Renew a Subscription
      • Gift Announcements
      • Communication Preferences
  • Third Column
    • Company
      • About Us
      • Our History
      • Awards
      • Pressroom
      • Trademarks
      • Rights & Permissions
      • Blog
      • State of the Kid Results
  • Fourth Column
    • Work for Highlights
      • Job Listings
      • Culture & Benefits
      • Submission Guidelines
      • Licensing
      • Affiliate Program
  • Fifth Column
    • Family of Companies
      • Highlights International
      • Highlights Foundation
      • Zaner-Bloser, Inc.
      • Highlights Press
      • Stenhouse Publishers
      • Staff Development for Educators
      • Highlights Kids

Source URL: https://www.highlights.com/parents/family-activities/make-rain-meter

Links
[1] https://www.highlights.com/parents/family-activities/make-rain-meter