Duncan’s Rain Cup

Duncan and Gordon put a clear cup outside to catch the rain. They leave it beside the garden door, then watch the clouds from under the roof.

Rain patters onto the lawn while the boys wait inside. When it stops, they look in their cup. Only a few drops sit at the bottom.

“The lawn is wet, so why is our cup almost empty?” asks Duncan. Gordon looks up. He notices that the roof reaches out above their cup.

Mum helps them choose an open spot away from the house. They set the cup on a flat paving tile so it will stand firmly on the lawn.

More rain falls that afternoon. The boys wait until it stops. This time a small pool of water sits in the cup. It is well above the few drops they saw before.

Duncan draws the cup and its water level in a notebook. Gordon adds a picture of the roof. It reminds them why the first place did not work.

They empty the cup and return it to the same open spot. Mum explains why they use one place. It helps them compare the water they collect on different days.

The boys check the sky before going in for their snack. “Our cup was not broken,” says Duncan. “We needed a place where the rain could reach it.”