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Rain or Shine

Activity

Building and Using a Rain Gauge to Track Local Precipitation

Create a rain gauge out of materials you find. Move it around campus to measure rainfall! Measure the rainfall once a day for a month and compare your data to the average rainfall for that month in your area.

Science Seed

Rain water is a very important resource for humans, animals, plants and waterways alike! However, it can be difficult to measure because rainfall is so variable. It may rain for a week straight in areas and be dry for months in others! You can measure your local rainfall at your school or in your own backyard by using a rain gauge. To make a rain gauge, cut the top off a clear plastic bottle, invert it like a funnel, and tape it to the bottom half; then, add pebbles for stability, mark a scale in centimeters or inches on the side, and place it outside in an open area. After each rainfall, check and record the water level to measure precipitation.The measurements you get from your rain gauge will tell you how much rainfall occurred over a certain period of time in your area.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

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join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.

This project was made possible by HEB.