Station 2A: Make a Cloud Rain: a. Make a cloud rain: Place a newspaper or other item on the table to protect it. Ahead of time fill a clear container (such as a medium-size mason jar or a large clear disposable drinking cup) about 2/3 full of water. When the children arrive, add a puffy layer of shaving cream on top. Explain that the water represents air and the shaving cream represents a cloud, which is made up of lots of tiny droplets of water or ice. Let the children take turns adding a few drops of food coloring at a time to the top of the shaving cream. Eventually they will see the food dye "rain" down through the shaving cream into the water/air. Ask the children to think about why clouds are able to float. (The simple answer: water and ice droplets are very light.) Ask "Why do clouds sometimes make rain?" (The bigger the cloud gets, the more the water droplets bang together and grow. Eventually they get so heavy, they fall to the ground. Scientists think it has to do with the water droplets freezing onto tiny particles of dust or bacteria inside the cloud, called cloud seeds, causing them to become heavy and fall to the ground. Sometimes people try to make it rain by sending planes to shoot dust into clouds, a process known as cloud seeding.) While the kids make the rain gauge (below), clean out your glass & re-fill it with fresh water in preparation for the next group. The information came from ehow.com (and you can also go here to see photos).