The next step of our weather study was trying to explain the idea of thunder and lightning—positive and negative forces, magnetism, moving molecules. I admit, it was a lot for a four year old mind to handle. But we managed through it with a little help from a library book and some sidewalk chalk.
Inside our school room, we read the book, looked at magnets, and talked about the idea of opposites attracting. Then, we headed outside for a little more hands-on approach. We talked about lightning jumping from cloud to cloud or from cloud to the ground. They both loved jumping from cloud to cloud and then crashing their molecules together into a mighty “clap” of thunder.
Was most of it lost on them? Of course, but I’ve learned that right now, I’m giving them landmarks. Later on, they’ll remember these little moments and will understand the details more readily (I’m hoping, anyway). If not, well, we sure had fun.
