Elmont Union Free School District

Covert Avenue School fifth graders recently made a cloud appear before their eyes, transforming an everyday object into a powerful learning tool during a New York State-mandated science lab, Cloud in a Bottle.

Guided by the STEAM teacher Ms. Lipponer and district instructional coach Ms. Racioppo, scholars worked collaboratively to model how clouds form in Earth’s atmosphere. By observing changes in air pressure and temperature, students created condensation inside the bottles, making an abstract scientific process visible.

Throughout the lab, scholars practiced essential scientific skills, including making predictions, recording observations and explaining results using academic vocabulary. The activity reinforced critical thinking and inquiry-based learning while promoting collaboration and active engagement.

The experiment sparked meaningful discussions about weather patterns, the water cycle and real-world atmospheric science. This hands-on experience allows Elmont scholars to deepen their understanding of how scientific concepts connect to the world around them.