Summary
In the early 1800s, an amateur meteorologist named Luke Howard sorted clouds into the cirrus, cumulus, and stratus families still used today. Richard Hamblyn tells how those names helped turn cloud-watching into the science of weather.
Viewer safety
Ages 7+
TED-Ed lessons move quickly and use rich vocabulary — best for grades 5–6 (some grade 4 with support). No content concerns; preview once for pace.
Our rating is a quick teacher-to-teacher guide — preview before showing.
Teaching resources
Discussion questions
Discussion
Every cloud has a name — this lesson explains where those names came from.
- Who came up with the cloud names we still use?
- What are the three main cloud families?
- How can looking at clouds help you guess the weather?
Quick work-a-long
Vocabulary: cirrus, cumulus, stratus, meteorology.
Try it: Go outside or look at photos. Sketch a cloud and label which family it belongs to.