---
title: Weather Science Activity for Kids | Extended Notes
description: Students will discover how a warm air mass (red water) and a cold air mass (blue water) combine to create a thunderstorm.
---

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# [Weather Science Activity for Kids | Extended Notes](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/after-school-activities/weather-science-activity-for-kids)

 Written by [Admin](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/author/admin) | Aug 12, 2015 4:00:00 AM

In this science activity for kids, students will discover how a warm air mass (red water) and a cold air mass (blue water) combine to create a thunderstorm.

Conduct this science experiment to create convection currents with students:

 

**Materials:**

 

- Blue ice cubes (made by adding a few drops of food coloring to the ice tray before freezing)
- Red food coloring
- Plastic container
- Water

**Instructions:**

 

- Fill the container with water about half way. Wait until the water is still, and then gently add a couple of ice cubes to one side of the bin.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring to the other side. Be very careful not to disturb the bin of water.
- Observe the bin.
- Students will observe a convection occur as the red color rises and the blue coloring sinks to the bottom. Water is flowing from one position to another, and heat is being transferred.

**The Science:**

The red water represents a warm air mass and the blue water represents a cold air mass. When convection currents occur, the air becomes unstable and a thunderstorm forms. A body of warm air is forced to rise by an approaching cold front forming a strong, persistent updraft of warm moist air. The approaching cold front helps build the updraft into a cumulus cloud. When the warm air rises and meets the cold air, it condenses, releasing latent heat. The heat helps fuel the thunderstorm.

Read more about this experiment from [Learn Play Imagine's website](http://www.learnplayimagine.com/2013/08/making-convection-currents-weather-for.html).

[View full post](https://www.extendednotes.com/blog/after-school-activities/weather-science-activity-for-kids)

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