Imagine that you are driving along the freeway with your son. Looking up at the sky, you remark, "Hey, I think it's going to rain." Your son might mumble his agreement from the backseat.

But what if you started your conversation this way? "Hey, look at that cumulonimbus cloud! See the anvil shape? That's a sure sign it's going to rain. What do you think?" Your son is now looking at the sky, actively engaged in the conversation.

You have just taught him science.

Surprised? As Peggy Ashbrook writes in Science is Simple, you do not need to be a scientist to teach science. But, she notes, "You do need to … be willing to model how to look for answers that you do not know."

Engaging your child's interest in science can have a lifelong effect. Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and public affairs specialist with NOAA's National Weather Service in Silver Spring, traces his love of weather back to the third grade. "As adults," Feltgen observes, "we all tend to look at the sidewalk. We don't appreciate what's in the sky."

Dr. Joseph Moran, of the American Meteorology Society's Education Program in Washington, D.C., also began his career in childhood. "My initial interest in becoming a meteorologist began at an early age…I did not care for school and soon learned that a big snowstorm would close the schools. The prospect of a 'snow day' inspired me to keep track of the weather in the newspaper and on the radio….That experience led me to the library and books on the weather. Then from my allowance I purchased some simple weather instruments…by eighth grade I had my own weather station. I soon realized that if I was to become a meteorologist, I'd have to pay closer attention to what was happening in the classroom."

Jacqueline Barber, Nicole Parizeau and Lincoln Bergman, authors of Spark Your Child's Success in Math and Science, report that, "…students who opt out of math or science as early as their middle school years drastically limit their career choices later in life." Moran suggests that parents expose children to the excitement of science and then actively engage their interest.

"Weather is a great tool to engage children in science. Weather is all around us, it's always changing, and it's always in the news. Even young people…know much about weather and how it impacts their daily life," says Moran.

Lauren Hill is a naturalist with the Croydon Creek Nature Center in Rockville. "A lot of kids I come into contact with," she says, "don't see themselves as part of nature." But weather draws them in. "Weather is the one unifying thing that we all experience…it's something we all have in common." She notes that when children learn about the weather, they understand more about the environment. Weather provides the stepping stone that brings the natural world into view.

Hill encourages parents to have a greater awareness of the world around them. "Talk to your children about the change of the seasons," she suggests. "Weather is something you observe every day from your car…take that time to discuss things like the changing shapes of clouds in the sky or why the rain is so important. Adults tend to stop paying attention to things that will fascinate children."

Moran suggests that parents try the following weather-related activities with their kids. "Encourage children to look up and observe the sky, capture and examine snowflakes, feel the wind, describe what they are experiencing, and draw pictures representing the various types of weather. Obtain a thermometer and mount it outside a window in a location that can be seen by the children. Encourage them to read the thermometer. Use a yard stick to measure the snowfall and compare it to reports given on TV news."

At this time of year, news reports might mention severe weather, since August is one of the peak months for hurricane formation. "Children need to become aware of the dangers of severe weather," says Moran (see sidebar). He notes that while schools do a good job of introducing the topic, family discussions reinforce understanding.

Feltgen recommends that you keep your explanations honest and brief. He remembers being told as a child that thunder was the result of clouds bumping together or angels bowling. He says, "Children are smart. If your children are awakened by thunder, assure them things are okay. Tell them the truth and talk to them in language that they can understand."

Feltgen points out that teaching your kids about the weather doesn't have to be complicated. He suggests lying on your back with your children and watching the sky. "Look at the shapes of the clouds. Ask your children questions. 'What are you seeing? How does the blue sky make you feel?'"

Remember, don't be intimidated if you don't have all the answers. As Ashbrook writes, "Telling a child, 'I don't know. How do you think we could find out?' will show him not only how he can find answers, but also that it's okay to say, 'I don't know.'"

Baby / Preschool

Kipper's Book of Weather by Mick Inkpen

Millions of Snowflakes by Mary McKenna Siddals

Rain by Peter Spier

Young Readers

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?: All About Weather by Tish Rabe

Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco

Peterson First Guide to Clouds and Weather by John A. Day and Vincent J. Schaefer

The Silent Storm by Sherry Garland

Wild About Weather: 50 Wet, Windy & Wonderful Activities by Edward Brotak

National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Weather by David Ludlum

Storm Chaser: In Pursuit of Untamed Skies by Warren Faidley

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger

The Sterling, Va., office of the National Weather Service conducts tours of their facility Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. You can see the operations area and learn how forecasts are made. If you visit at 7 p.m., you might get to watch the launch of a weather balloon. To set up a tour, call Sarah Allen at 703-260-0107 or visit the National Weather Service online at www.weather.gov/washington (click under Education/Outreach, then choose Tour Requests). Please allow six to eight weeks to set up your tour; smaller groups may be accommodated more quickly.

From now until November 30, 2006, the National Museum of Natural History is presenting "Atmosphere: Change Is in the Air" in the Special Exhibit Gallery on the second floor. You can learn about the role of ozone and the hazards of smog. Also see "Arctic: A Friend Acting Strangely," about recent changes in the arctic environment. Both exhibits are part of the museum's "Forces of Change" series. The National Museum of Natural History is open 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. during the month of August.

People 14 years and older can become National Weather Service SKYWARN spotters. Once trained as a weather spotter, you can call the National Weather Service with your meteorological observations to assist in validating forecasts. Classes are free. Go to www.weather.gov/washington and click on the SKYWARN link. For additional information, call Dave Manning, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, at 703-260-0107.

Sunlight includes all of the colors of the rainbow. When sunlight hits the atmosphere of the Earth, the rays of light are scattered. Blue, the shortest wavelength of visible light, is scattered most effectively, making the sky appear blue. Many things, including pollution, can obscure our view of the blue sky. And dust particles can diffuse and scatter sunlight to make the sky appear hazy or gray.

While there are many different classifications of clouds, most clouds fall into three basic shapes: cirrus, stratus and cumulus. Cirrus clouds are thin, wispy clouds that look like feathers, occurring high in the atmosphere. Stratus clouds are low-lying and generally flat, like pancakes. Cumulus clouds, also low-lying, look like white, puffy cotton balls. Cloud types are also defined by their ability to produce rain, their height in the atmosphere, and their degree of vertical development.

Think of wind as an exchange of energy, with energy moving from an area of higher pressure to one of lower pressure. Croydon Creek's Lauren Hill describes a simple experiment she teaches to illustrate this concept. First, she says, you blow up a balloon, sealing the end shut with your fingers. Then you ask the child what will happen when you let go of the balloon. Most children giggle, Hill says, because they know that the balloon will fly away when the air is released. What they may not know is why; the air in the balloon is under higher pressure than the air outside of the balloon. The force that sets the air in motion creates what we perceive as wind.

Meteorologist Joseph Moran recommends that you develop a severe weather plan for your family. Everyone should know what to do when severe weather strikes. For example, if there is a tornado warning, find shelter fast. "Go to the basement or an interior room without windows, crouch under a mattress or a sturdy table. In the event of a hurricane, plan for possible evacuation. If evacuation is not necessary, prepare for an extended period without electricity." Moran recommends that you have a supply of fresh water, nonperishable food and a battery-powered weather radio. He says, "To make the plan work, all members of the family should participate."