Name: __________________     Period: ___   Date:______ Score_____/10
Environmental Mini-Project: Measuring Rain with a Rain Catcher
I.M.S. Weather  Panel  Weather Page Page13

Eighth Grade Earth & Space Science

Objective:

Materials:

• marbles or rocks (clean) for bottom of rain catcher
• ruler
• plastic 2 litter bottle or peanut butter jar with lid.
• scissors
• extra fine point marker
• tape
• graphing paper

Method:

• Students cut the top off the bottle so that the width is the same as the base .
• Tape a ruler on the side of the bottle and using an extra point permanent marker, mark off each centimeter & millimeter. *
  
• Put some marbles or rocks at the bottom of the bottle (this will prevent the rain catcher from tipping or blowing away). Turn the top upside down and tape it inside the bottle.
  
• Place their rain catcher in a not so busy area in your yard at home. Check the rain catcher after 24 hours. After collecting for 24 hours, record the level and bring it to school.  At school, you will then record your rain level with the day's date and pH and location.
  *Take the depth measurement and pH after each collection.
• After collecting and recording on data base at school, add up all of the rain levels taken that day and figure out the average precipitation.
  
   Graph the rainfall results from the class data sheet, use Excel to make a graph or you may construct a graph from Panel .
  
• Use the web sites and compare rainfall across the nation?
  Water Watch, Surf Your Watershed, Soil Moisture and http://www.scied.net/MiniProjects/environmental.htm
  
  
• Go to Surf Your Watershed and obtain a printout of local water depth.
  
  
• Extension: Compare the average precipitations with those recorded by IMS’s weather station and around the world (use the internet or look in climate atlases). I.M.S. Weather   Panel   Weather Page
• Water Pollution Lab