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Catch the Rain

Activity

Build Your Own Rain Gauge

Build your own rain gauge with found materials. Find a large, flat stone that could serve as a surface to collect rain. A stone with a slight depression in the center works best. Create a funnel from a large leaf, and place it on top of the stone to direct rainwater into the depression. You can mark the stone with small pebbles or carve simple notches around the edge to track the amount of water that collects.

Science Seed

Rainfall is essential for understanding weather patterns and the health of ecosystems. Meteorologists measure rainfall to predict weather, manage water resources, and prepare for storms or droughts. Indigenous peoples, like the Hopi and Navajo, also used natural tools to track rainfall, such as rock depressions or cactus ribs, to monitor water levels and determine the best times for planting crops or preparing for dry seasons. These practices helped them maintain a deep connection to their environment, ensuring their survival and stewardship of the land. Understanding rainfall today helps us manage resources, protect wildlife, and adapt to changing weather, just as it shaped the ways people have lived in harmony with nature for centuries.

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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).

Explore the Memorial Park Conservancy

The mission of Memorial Park Conservancy is to preserve, restore, and enhance Memorial Park for the enjoyment of all Houstonians, today and tomorrow.

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