Bring the water cycle to life in your classroom with our Make It Rain Experiment! This simple yet powerful investigation helps students explore how heat and cooling contribute to evaporation and condensation. Using a hands-on model, students visualise key stages of the water cycle and make connections between natural processes and real-world weather systems.

Students create a closed system using a clear cup filled with hot water and a plate or cling wrap lid topped with ice. Over several minutes, they observe how condensation forms on the lid and eventually drips back down, simulating rainfall. This process mirrors what happens in Earth’s atmosphere, helping students understand how heat, vapour, and cooling work together to form precipitation

Designed for middle primary learners, this engaging experiment encourages observation, reflection, and scientific questioning. It’s ideal for Earth and environmental science units or as a visual complement to lessons on weather, water conservation, and climate.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Explore how heat energy causes water to change state
• ✅ Understand the processes of evaporation and condensation
• ✅ Make connections between science experiments and natural systems
• ✅ Use visual models to describe how rain forms
• ✅ Develop inquiry skills through observation and questioning

What’s Included:

• Step-by-step procedure for creating the model
• Student-friendly instructions and safety reminders
• Guided discussion questions to promote reflection and understanding
• Illustrated diagram showing the rain cycle model in action

Materials Needed:

• Clear plastic cup
• Hot water (1/3 cup)
• Ice cubes
• Cling wrap or a small plate
• Food colouring (optional for visibility)

How to Use:

1. Carefully pour hot water into the clear cup until it is about one-third full.
2. Add a drop of food colouring to make water movement more visible.
3. Place cling wrap or a plate on top of the cup and add several ice cubes on top.
4. Observe over 5–10 minutes as condensation forms and “rain” begins to fall from the lid
5. Record changes, draw diagrams, and answer reflection questions provided with the resource.

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use as a demonstration during a unit on the water cycle or weather systems
• 💡 Have students complete drawings or labelled diagrams of the model
• 💡 Link to local weather observations or forecast discussions
• 💡 Compare classroom results with real-life humidity and rainfall data
• 💡 Create a water cycle learning wall that includes this experiment as a centrepiece

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Use transparent cups and plates for easy visibility of condensation
• 💛 Prepare hot water safely and assist students during setup
• 💛 Emphasise connections between each element - heat (sun), vapour (steam), cold (clouds)
• 💛 Repeat the experiment in different conditions (e.g. sunlight vs. shade) for comparison

The Make It Rain Experiment offers a clear, hands-on demonstration of the water cycle in action. It’s a highly effective way to support students in understanding environmental systems and builds essential inquiry skills that link directly to science in the real world.

Be sure to check out our other National Science Week resources!