Title: Water Cycle

Author: Chinita Allen

School: Chalker Elementary
Standards:
Science:
S4E3. Students will differentiate between the states of water and how they relate to the water
cycle and weather.
a. Demonstrate how water changes states from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water
vapor/steam) and changes from gas to liquid to solid.
b. Identify the temperatures at which water becomes a solid and at which water becomes a gas.
c. Investigate how clouds are formed.
d. Explain the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).
e. Investigate different forms of precipitation and sky conditions. (rain, snow, sleet, hail, clouds,
and fog).
S4CS1: Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and
skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the
world works.
a. Keep records of investigations and observations and do notalter the records later.
b. Carefully distinguish observations from ideas and speculation about those observations.
c. Offer reasons for findings and consider reasons suggested by others.
d. Take responsibility for understanding the importance of being safety conscious.
S4CS2: Students will have the computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data
and following scientific explanations.
S4CS4: Students will use ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and
technological matters.
S4CS5: Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.
Math:
Measurement:
MGSE4.MD.1 :Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including
km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec.
a. Understand the relationship between gallons, cups, quarts, and pints.
b. Larger units in terms of smaller units within the same measurement system.
c. Record measurement equivalents in a two column table.

MGSE4.MD.2: Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of
time, liquid volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple
fractions or decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit
in terms of a smaller unit. Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number
line diagrams that feature a measurement scale.
Fractions: 4.NF Understand decimal notation for fractions and compare decimal fractions
MCC4.NF.6 Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or 100. For example,
rewrite 0.62 as 62/100; describe a length as 0.62 meters; locate 0.62 on a number line diagram.

Enduring Understandings:
Science:
Water offers another important set of experiences for students at this level. Students can
conduct investigations that go beyond the observations made in the earlier grades to learn the
connection between liquid and solid forms, but recognizing that water can also be a gas, while
much more difficult, is still probably accessible. Perhaps the main thrust there is to try to figure
out where water in an open container goes. This is neither self-evident nor easy to detect. But
the water cycle is of such profound importance to life on earth that students should certainly
have experiences that will in time contribute to their understanding of evaporation,
condensation, and the conservation of matter. In these years, students should accumulate more
information about the physical environment, becoming familiar with the details of geological
features, observing and mapping locations of hills, valleys, rivers, etc., but without elaborate
classification. Students should also understand that water falling on land collects in rivers, lakes,
soil and porous layers of rock with much of it flowing back into the ocean.
Math:
To measure something according to a particular attribute means you compare the object to a
unit and determine how many units are needed to have the same amount as the object.
Measurements are estimates. When reporting a measurement, you must always indicate the
unit you are using. The larger the unit, the smaller the number you obtain as you measure.
Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz;
l, ml; hr, min, and sec.
Understand that larger units can be subdivided into equivalent units (partition). Understand that
the same unit can be repeated to determine the measure (iteration). Understand the relationship
between the size of a unit and the number of units needed (compensatory principle1).
Measurement describes the attributes of objects and events. Standard units of measure enable
people to interpret results or data. All measurements have some degree of uncertainty.
Fractions: Fractions can be expressed as decimals. Decimals can be represented visually and
in written form. Decimals are a part of the base ten system.

Essential Questions:
Science: What is the water cycle? How does water recycle itself? Where can water be found?
Math:
Measurement: Why do I measure? Why do I need standardized units of measurement? How
does what I measure influence how we measure?
Fractions: How are decimal fractions written using decimal notation? How are decimal numbers
and decimal fractions related?

Concepts:
Science:
The sun is the driving force behind the water cycle. It takes energy to make the cycle work.
The water cycle is made up of four parts: evaporation; condensation; precipitation; and
transpiration. Water vapor moves between the earths surface and its atmosphere in a
continuous cycle. Water droplets collect in water sources and evaporate into the air (affected by
heat, surface area, air movement and water purity), becoming water vapor. Water vapor
separates into droplets in cold air, forming clouds, in condensation, the rate of condensation
being affected by number of molecules present and air temperature. Precipitation occurs when
water droplets in clouds accumulate and fall to the earth.
Math:
Measurement: To measure an object with respect to a particular attribute (for example, length,
area, capacity, elapsed time, etc.), we may select another object with the same attribute as a
unit and determine how many units are needed to cover the object. The use of standard units
will make it easier for us to communicate with each other. When we use larger units, we do not
need as many as when we use smaller units. Therefore, the larger unit will result in a smaller
number as the measurement. Measure and solve problems using hour, minute, second, pounds,
ounces, grams, kilograms, milliliters, liters, centimeters, meters, inches (to halves and fourths),
feet, ounces, cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.
Fractions: It is expected that students will have prior knowledge/experience related to the
concepts and skills identified below. It may be necessary to pre-assess in order to determine if
time needs to be spent on conceptual activities that help students develop a deeper
understanding of these ideas. Recognize and represent that the denominator determines the
number of equally sized pieces that make up a whole. Recognize and represent that the
numerator determines how many pieces of the whole are being referred to in the fraction.
Compare fractions with denominators of 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, or 12 using concrete and pictorial
models. Understanding that a decimal represent a part of 1.

Misconceptions:
Science: When learning about the water cycle, expect to hear many various misconceptions
about the water cycle that must be corrected. Some examples are:
Clouds are made of smoke, pillows, cotton or wool.
Clouds are supernatural events (God, or Angels)
Water is absorbed into surfaces, rather than evaporated into air
When water evaporates it disappears or ceases to exist.
The Sun and Clouds combine to make it rain.
Water comes from a tap then you drink it or it disappears down the drain.
The same water cycles in the same part of the Earth over and over.
Proper Conceptions:
The water cycle involves liquid water being evaporated, water vapor condensing to form rain or
snow in the clouds which falls to the earth. Water can evaporate from plants, animals, puddles,
and the ground in addition to bodies of water. Bubbles that form and rise when water is boiling
consists of steam (or water vapor). The gas escaping from boiling water is water vapor. When
this vapor condenses in the air it is visible as tiny water droplets. Water left in an open container
evaporates, changing from liquid to gas. Condensation is water vapor in the air, which cools
sufficiently to become a liquid. This usually happens when the water vapor comes in contact
with a (cool surface). Rain begins to fall when water drops in the cloud are too heavy to remain
airborne. Clouds move when wind blows them.
Math:
Measurement: Students believe that larger units will give the greater measure. Students should
be given multiple opportunities to measure the same object with different measuring units. For
example, have the students measure the length of a room with one inch tiles, with one foot
rulers, and with yard sticks. Students should notice that it takes fewer yard sticks to measure the
room than rulers or tiles.
Proper Conception: Math: Measurement: It takes fewer larger units to measure than smaller
units.
Fractions: Students do not understand how the places in decimal notation have the same

correspondence (places to the left are 10 times greater than the places to their
immediate right) as the places in whole numbers. Fraction vocabulary can also be
misconstrued.
Proper conception: Decimals are part of the base ten system.

Language:
Science: water, cycle, evaporation, condensation, water vapor, saturation, precipitation, heat
source, recycle, purification, freshwater and saltwater
Math:
Measurement: measure, standard, metric, weigh, centimeter, milliliter, temperature, Celsius,
Fahrenheit,
Fraction: decimal, decimal fraction, decimal point, denominator, equivalent sets,
increment, numerator, term, unit fraction and whole number

Evidence of Learning (Assessments):

Science:
Formative Assessments:
Probes: Where Did the Water Go?
Claim cards to justify and clarify answers
Tests: Sample questions:
Over half of the earths water contains salt (oceans), yet it never rains salt water. Why not? Why
are there usually more clouds in the sky during the cooler months of the year? Your little brother
spilled water on the kitchen floor and you cant find any towels to clean it up. What will you do to
get rid of the water as quickly as possible? Name at least three things you will do? Water
appears on the outside of your glass of ice water. In your own words, explain whats happening?
Observations:
Throughout the unit, I will observe students attitudes as they engage in experimentation. I will
observe their fluency in speaking about the processes of the water cycle. I will observe their
ability to infer and determine variables affecting the processes of the water cycle.

Math:
Formative assessments: Diagnostic assessment
Reflections: Can students provides concrete examples of lesson taught? Does their reflection
encompass the essential question?
Math Talk: Can students justify how they computed answer? Does it make mathematical
sense? Can they explain their answer using math vocabulary? Can they provide additional
examples to their claim?

Measurement: Can students write decimal fractions with denominators of 10 and 100 as using
decimal notation. Compare two decimal fractions with decimals to hundredths. Are students
using the correct unit measurement?
Fractions: Identify and compare fractions. Compute with fractions in word problems.

Tasks:
Reports, group work, portfolio items
Friendly letter
Experimentation activities in groups
Illustrations of water cycle processes in groups
Culminating activity projects
Argumentation participation
Discussion participation
Discussion of the processes of the water cycle and their variables are imperative within each lesson as is
participation in the inquiry activities
Research using technology
Reflection participation
Create webpages

The students will create their own terrarium to connect concepts of precipitation, condensation,
and evaporation.
Students will be able to name and explain the stages of the water cycle.
Students will explain that water on earth moves in a continuous cycle.
Students will observe, analyze, and record data in their terrarium chart.
Math:
Chart and graph data
Measure and discuss data
Interpret and analyze data
Unit Resources: How will 21st Century Technology be used in this unit?
Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
With Assistance: Students will create a digital work (e.g., movie, podcast/vodcast, digital
storytelling, web publishing, etc.), individually or collaboratively about a specific topic using
primary resources and secondary resources.
Students will use online collaborative tools (e.g., online discussion forums, blogs,
and wikis) to gather and share information with other students
Weebly Portfolio

Delivery mechanism suggestions:

Suggestion 1: Whole Group
Suggestion 2: Collaborative Groups
Suggestion 3: Inquiry Based

Day: 1
Science Instruction
Opening: Students watch brief scene (The
Secret Garden) showing precipitation. Whole
class discussion: What is going on in this
scene? Make as many detailed observations
as you can. What can you infer from these
observations?

Math Instruction: Charting Data

Opening:
Math Word Problem of the Day: If a cloud is 30
feet long, how many inches long is it? (360)

1. Explain to the students that they will make a

terrarium to show the process of the water cycle,
but first need to fill out and anticipatory true/false
guide sheet.
2. Pass out the terrarium checklist and read it aloud
with the class. Explain that they will use this
checklist to make sure they are following the
correct procedures.
3. Students will be given a brief safety rule check
and assigned roles before beginning the terrariums.
4. Students will be informed of what materials they
will be using.
5. Have each group begin making their terrarium.
Walk around to check for understanding and to
assist any students with special needs.

Work Session: Break into small groups and

record all that you know about the water cycle
on KWL chart (K section). Think about the
scene from the video what dont you know
about the water cycle that you think it would be
important to find out? Write these ideas in W
section of KWL chart..

Work Session:
Read and follow the checklist carefully with
other members in your group. Place a check
next to each step you complete.
1. Place the gravel at the bottom of your jar.
2. Use the funnel to pour HALF of the soil
into the jar.
3. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil.
4. Pour the other half of the soil into the jar.
5. Pour the water into the jar.
6. Place plastic wrap over the top of the jar.
7. Wrap the rubber band around the plastic
wrap to hold it in place.
8. Place your groups label on the jar.

Formative Assessment: Share thoughts with

class. Did student record what he knows and
what he would like to know about the water
cycle?

Formative Assessment:
Observation: Were students able to follow
directions to complete terrarium? Were they
able to measure correctly? Did they work

Skill: TSWBAT infer what occurs in the

observed scene of precipitation.

cooperatively in groups? Note misconceptions

on anticipatory guide related to the water
cycle?

Closing/Assessment: Did student record what

he knows and what he would like to know
about the water cycle?
Skill: TSWBAT infer what occurs in the
observed scene of precipitation Students keep
KWL charts handy throughout unit to record
new findings in L section

Closing/Assessment

Day 2
Science Instruction: Evaporation
Opening: Explain that the class will continue to
work with water, and that over the next few
investigations they'll be taking a closer look at
what happens when water disappears.
Introduce the investigation question:
What happens to the water?
Demonstrate the following for students:
Soak one paper towel and squeeze it
gently to remove any water not fully
absorbed by the paper, so no drops will
drip from the wet towel.
Weigh the wet paper towel.
Announce the weight to students.
Drape the wet towel over something
where it can remain until later in the
class.

Work Session: I brought some things with me

today that I was thinking might help What
about this hair dryer? How do you think that
might help speed things up? Try it out. Any

Students will be assessed by completion of the

water cycle anticipatory guide which asks true or
false questions. They will also be assessed by how
well they followed directions and worked
cooperatively when building the terrariums.
Closing: Let students share thoughts on terrarium.
Were there any challenges? What did they
learn/observe while making the terrarium? Have
students draw terrarium in science journal and
reflect on group discussion and answer the
essential question.

Math Instruction: Charting Data Day #2

Opening:
Math Word Problem of the Day: It takes 2
hours and 15 minutes for a gallon of water to
evaporate from the bayou. Then, it takes 1
hour and 35 minutes for that gallon of water to
form a cloud. Next, it takes 6 hours for the
cloud to rain down on a stream. Finally, it
takes 45 minutes for the water in the stream to
get to the Mississippi River. How long did it
take for the water to get from the bayou to the
Mississippi River? (10 hours, 35 minutes)
Explain to the students that they will be
checking their terrariums every day and
recording any changes on their data sheet.
When the class has concluded making
observations and recording data students will
need to create a graph which helps to display
data that is readable and able to be interpreted
by others.
Work Session:
Students will look for and record the following data:
1. What are the seeds doing?
2. On which parts of the terrarium do you see
water?

other ideas? Cross out ideas if they dont

work, circle them if we need to do more
research to find out if they work on not.
We have two dishes of water. What are
the differences between the two? (shallow and
deep) What do you think will happen if we put
the same amount of water into each dish? Will
they evaporate at the same rate? How might
the difference affect evaporation? Fill dishes
and set by window, observing throughout day
and especially the next morning. Write down
what you think will happen and why with your
partner.
What if we add food coloring to the
water? Add food coloring to another dish of
water. What is different about this water than
the other water? How do you think adding food
color will affect evaporation? Will food coloring
evaporate too, or just the water? Set dish by
window, observing throughout day and
especially the next morning. Write down your
guess and your reasoning with your partner.
Formative Assessment: observe, experiment,
and determine variables affecting evaporation.

Closing/Assessment: Can students explain

and demonstrate the process of evaporation
Replay rain sequence from The Secret
Garden. Lets take a look at this scene again
that we watched yesterday. On a sheet of
paper, tell me how evaporation might be
occurring in this scene. What could make this
take place faster? (What variables will affect
the evaporation??)
With your partner, come up with at least 3
examples of evaporation that youve seen in
nature. In which instances did evaporation
occur more quickly or more slowly? Why do
you think that happened? What variables were
affecting the process of evaporation? Share
conclusions with class and review on
overhead.

3. Is there anything new happening in your

terrarium today?

Formative Assessment: Are students using

water cycle science terms in reflections. Are
they able to share ideas and justify
responses?
Closing/Assessment: Think/ Pair/ Share
reflections with class?
Assessment: Have students write in journals
and share ideas within group and with class?

Day: 3
Science Instruction: Water Evaporation
Challenge
Opening: Yesterday we watched a scene from
The Secret Garden Pull out your sheet of
paper from yesterday. Share with your partner
what inferences you made about evaporation.

Work Session: Class Discussion

What variables did we determine affect
evaporation? Put up Evaporation overhead.
Yesterday we also made some guesses
about what was going to happen to our water
on the window sill. What do you think
happened to the water in the shallow dish
compared to the water in the deeper dish?
Lets check it out and see what really did
happen. What do you observe about the two
dishes of water? Any other observations?
What does this tell us about evaporation? Do
we need to change our hypotheses from
yesterday? Any other ideas? (affected by
variable of surface area) Record on overhead.
What do you think happened to the

Math Instruction: Temperature- Comparing

Temperatures Day #1
Opening:
Math Word Problem of the Day:
There is a cloud in the sky made up of 30
water droplets. Some of the water droplets got
there by transpiration from a tree and the rest
came from evaporation of the water in the
bayou. If 5 of the water droplets came from
the tree, how many water droplets came from
the bayou? (25)

Begin the lesson by having students

OBSERVE a thermometer with a partner. In a
science notebook or journal, have students
describe, draw, and label everything they
notice. Discuss together how a thermometer is
used and how it works. Using an overhead
thermometer or Smartboard tool thermometer,
have students practice reading temperature in
both Fahrenheit and Celsius. Tell the students
that each one of them or each group will be
given a baggie with ice cubes. Ask them to see
if they can make the temperature rise and fall
without leaving their seats.
Work Session:
Instruct students to carry out their
investigations. Remind them that scientist
often gather their data and chart it in some
manner. All information should be documented
in science notebook.

water with food coloring mixed in? Lets look

and see. What do you observe about the
water? Any other observations? What does
this tell us about evaporation? Do we need to
change our hypotheses from yesterday? Any
other ideas? (affected by variable of water
purity: debris in water does not evaporate with
water) Record on overhead. We can see that
debris like food coloring doesnt evaporate
with water. With your partner, discuss and
write down your ideas: What other kinds of
debris or substances wont evaporate with
water?
Collaborative Grouping
In groups of four, use your new scientific
knowledge to find the fastest way to evaporate
your cup of water. You can use any of the
objects at your table. (Note: not all of the
objects will help you.) You may come up with
your own objects if you like. Look back at your
notes if you need to. You might find it wise to
use the scientific method/process as a model
for your experiment. Whichever groups water
evaporates first or whichever group has the
least amount of water, whichever comes first,
will win our contest. As class, discuss results:
why did this groups efforts evaporate water
most quickly? Review variables of evaporation
on overhead.
Formative Assessment: Walk around to pairs
and ask: Where can we see this going on in
nature? How can this benefit our environment?
In our study of evaporation, weve discovered
some important variables that affect
evaporation?
Closing/Assessment: Write a short entry in
your Science Journal explaining your groups
course of action and your reasoning for it.
What variables of evaporation were you
using? Did your methods work? Why do you
think they did or didnt?
Day 4:
Science Instruction: Cloud Formation

Formative Assessment:
After a few minutes, ask them how they were
able to make the temperature of their
thermometers rise and fall.

Closing/Assessment:
Give students time to share their observations
and whether or not they were able to change
the temperature without leaving their seats.
Allow classmates to ask questions and for
students to justify their claim.

Math Instruction: Comparing Temperatures

Opening:
Drink story: The other night I was sitting on the
couch reading when I realized I was thirsty. So
I got up, got a glass of ice water, and set it on
a coaster next to the couch. When I went to
take a sip a few minutes later, there was water
all over the coaster and the outside of my
glass! What was happening to my water?
Next, bring out a can of cold coke. Watch as
water droplets form on can. Ask students what
happened?
Work Session:
1. With your partner, experiment with glass of
water and ice. Can you make water appear on
the outside of your glass? Where is it coming
from? Is the cup leaking? Add food coloring to
water. Is water on outside same color as water
on inside? Where else might water be coming
from? (What have we been learning about
evaporation and water vapor?) We call this
condensation: write condensation on board.
All together: Based on our experiment,
how could we define condensation? Write
students definition on board. What might this
process look like in nature? How do you think
this relates to the water cycle?
2. Lets look at this from another angle
What do think will happen if the water inside
my glass is hot instead of cold? Pour hot water
into water bottle and close lid. Walk around
and show bottle to students OR break into
groups and pour hot water into each groups
bottle through a funnel. What observations can
you make about whats going on now? Is
water condensing on the outside of the
container? Is this still condensation? How do
you know? (Point back to definition of
condensation.) Did this condensation take
place faster or slower than the cold water
condensation? How do you think air
temperature affects condensation? (occurs
more quickly in cool air warm water

Day #2
Opening:
Math Word Problem of the Day: The graph
below shows the amount of rain that fell each
day in Chauvin for a week. How much rain fell
on Wednesday? (0.4 inches) How much rain
fell for the entire week? (2.2 inches)
Review student reflections from previous
lesson. Tell students today we are going to
investigate, measure and compare
temperatures.
Work Session:
Have student pairs write 3-4 investigable
questions using the sentence prompt: How
does the temperature of _____________
compare to the temperature of
_____________?
Sentences can be written in science notebook.
Have groups of students share their
investigable questions with the class to help
groups who are short on ideas. Examples:
How does the temperature in our room
compare to the temperature outside. How
does the temperature of my hand compare to
the temperature of my friend's hand? How
does the temperature in the shade compare to
the temperature in the sun?
Assign them to take their science notebook, a
thermometer, and their pencil outside or
somewhere in the school (if outside they will
need to use a parent volunteer). Tell them to
take five minutes to measure the temperature
of any surface and write down the location and
the temperature on their recording sheet. Then
they are to return to the classroom.

molecules move faster than cool and are

therefore less likely to stick together and from
droplets) On board, write variable.
3. Hand out wax paper squares and eye
droppers. Have students use eye dropper to
place several drops of colored water on wax
paper (spread out). What can you observe
about your water drops? What happens when
water droplets come close to each other?
(They stick together and get bigger this is a
property of water called cohesion.) How does
this relate to condensation? Any other ideas?
What do we absolutely need to form clouds?
What variable of condensation have we
discovered here? (number of water molecules
present the more the molecules, the more
likely they are to collide and stick together)
Write variable on board.
Formative: So what have we learned about
condensation today? What is it? What
variables affect it? With your partner, draw a
picture of condensation occurring (either in
nature or like in our experiment today) and
explain what is happening to another pair.
What is condensation? What variables affect
the rate of water condensation? (Refer to
definition and variables on board.)
Closing:
Assessment: Half-sheet of picture of glass of
ice water sweating what was really
happening to my water? What variables could
affect this?
Day 5
Science Instruction: Precipitation
Opening: I was watching the rain the other
day, and I couldnt help but wonder How do
the clouds known when to rain? What gives
the clouds the signal to go ahead and release
all the water droplets?

Formative: Groups share their investigation

findings with the class.

Closing/Assessment
As a class, have students graph results of their
findings and reflect on inquiry.

Math Instruction: Comparing Temperatures

Day #3
Opening:
Math Word Problem of the Day:
It takes 1 hours and 32 minutes for a gallon of
water to evaporate from Lake Allatoona.
Then, it takes 2 hour and 15 minutes for that
gallon of water to form a cloud. Next, it takes
4 hours for the cloud to rain down on a

stream. Finally, it takes 35 minutes for the

water in the stream to get to the
Chattahoochee River. How long did it take for
the water to get from the lake to the
Chattahoochee River?

Work Session:
1. With your partner, experiment with your
sponges and water (over your dish). How can
you cause the water droplets inside the
sponge (the cloud) to fall into the dish as
rain? At what point do the water droplets fall?
Why do you think the droplets wait until this
point to fall?
All together: What observations did you
make about our cloud? At what point do water
droplets fall from the cloud? When the cloud
has become so full of water droplets that it can
no longer hold any more water, the cloud has
reached saturation write term saturation on
board. Based on our experiment, how would
you define saturation in your own words?
Record students definitions on board. How do
you think this looks in real life? With your
neighbor, draw on a piece of paper a picture of
saturation occurring. Have a few students
come up to board and draw picture, explaining
it to class.
2. Does anyone know what we call it
when a cloud becomes saturated and water
droplets fall to the earth as rain, sleet, ice or
snow? We call this precipitation write term
and definition on board. Were going to see if
we can make precipitation happen right now in
our classroom. Give small groups of students
each a jar with hot water in it plus a metal pie
plate containing ice. What processes of the
water cycle do you see occurring in your jar?
What is happening to the hot water?
(evaporation) What happens after that?
(condensation near ice cold temperature) Is

Review key discussion points from previous

days lesson and remind students that today
they will graph their data.
Work Session
Have students/student pairs choose one of
their comparison charts to enlarge on
construction paper. Students can use colorful
markers to make graphs and calculate the
temperature difference.

it raining, or, in other words, precipitating in

your jar? Why do you think this is happening?
As going around between groups, light a
match and drop into hot water, quickly
returning lid to jar. What can you observe
now? What function does the smoke serve?
Think of what smoke really is tiny particles of
dirt! Why do you think we need dirt in the
water cycle to bring about precipitation? As
your experiment, draw a picture of your jar to
explain whats happening.
All together: What did we observe about
precipitation in our experiment? Write
observations about precipitation under the
definition of precipitation and have one
member from each group come up to board
and write an observation. Review together.
Would anyone like to share their picture of
precipitation? Volunteer(s) draw(s) picture next
to pictures of saturation from earlier in lesson.
What similarities can we see between our
pictures of our experiment and the pictures of
saturation in nature? Where is saturation
occurring in our experiment? Where is
precipitation occurring in our picture of nature?
What was the significance of dirt in our
precipitation experiment?
Formative: Would anyone like to share their
picture of precipitation? Volunteer(s) draw(s)
picture next to pictures of saturation from
earlier in lesson. What similarities can we see
between our pictures of our experiment and
the pictures of saturation in nature? Where is
saturation occurring in our experiment? Where
is precipitation occurring in our picture of
nature? What was the significance of dirt in
our precipitation experiment?
Closing/Assessment: In your groups, write in
your own words a note to your kindergarten
teaching explaining to him/her what we
learned today about saturation and
precipitation. When youre finished, share your
work with the group next to you.
Assessment: Half-sheet: The other day when it

Formative
Have the students write why the thermometer
readings are different throughout the room,
school, or playground. Read them in class and
have a discussion about the differences.

Closing/Assessment
After all groups have shared, have students
write a REFLECTION in their notebooks by
using the prompt:
I learned...
I discovered... or

was raining, your friend Rachel said, I dont

like when it rains; I cant go outside and play
softball with my friends. I dont get why its got
to rain in the first place! Write a friendly letter
(on a separate sheet) to Rachel explaining to
her how rain (precipitation) happens, who
gives us rain, and why we should be thankful
for it.

Day 6
Science Instruction: Journey of a Drop of
Water
Opening: Give each student a cup of water.
Ask them to take a drink. Then read the poem:
Recycled by Verne N. Rockcastle. Then ask
students them "How old is the water?" After
they brainstorm a few minutes ask if there's
any way the water could possibly be as old as
a dinosaur. Once they learn it's true, have the
students write a story about the water in their
cup. Where has it been over the years? What
has it seen? The water you drink today could
be the same water a dinosaur drank many
years ago. There is about the same amount of
water on Earth now as when dinosaurs
roamed our planet. As the water makes its way
back to the seas, it's also sculpting the way the
Earth looks. When you really look at a river, it's
never in a straight line. The force of water
carves a curvy path for rivers and streams that
are never a straight line.

Work Session:
Students work independently creating water
journey narratives.

I wonder...
Closing: Explain to students that
meteorologists are always measuring and
comparing temperatures to help them make
weather forecasts. In future lessons, students
can make a line graph and plot out the daily
temperatures for a week or longer.
Temperatures can also be collected at various
times throughout the school day. As more
temperatures are collected, students can
begin making predictions

Math Instruction: Interpreting Data from a

Weather Chart (2 day lesson)
Opening
Review with the students about graphs and
their purposes. Tell them that it is a fast way to
analyze information.
Go to this Weather Chart website. Tell the
students that at this website it will tell us of
graphs that can be made with the data that
has been gathered. With temperature data we
are going to graph the data to show how to
make it. Make the graph on the board while
they make it on graph paper.
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/downloadFile.c
gi?file=10092-213567weather_forecasting.pdf&filename=weat
her_forecasting.pdf
Also, remind students that some of the terms
they will not be familiar with and we will review
the weather measurement terms in greater
depth in our weather unit.
Work Session:
Have the students (depending on how much
time you have), individually or by groups,
graph each of the areas data was gathered.
Have the students keep the graphs in a safe
place so they can be used for the next couple

Formative: Are students actively engaged in

writing water journey narrative? Does the
narrative include key vocabulary terms and

of days. The students will analyze the graphs

to interpret them and look for patterns. They
will also compare the graphs with each other
to look for relationships.
Observe the air temperature graph with the
precipitation graph. Observe and record in
your journals the effects air temperature has
on precipitation.
Observe the wind directional graph with the
results of the next days weather. Record in
your journals what happened when an east
wind, west wind, north wind or south wind was
present.
Observe the cloud graph with the results of
the next days weather. Record in your
journals what happened after cirrus, cumulus,
or stratus clouds were seen.
Observe the barometer graph with the wind
force graph. Record in your journals what you
observe about wind when the barometer is
either high or low.
Observe the barometer graph with the next
days precipitation graph. Record in your
journals what you observe about precipitation
depth when the barometer is either high or
low.
Observe the wind force graph with the next
days precipitation graph. Record in your
journals what you observe about wind and the
precipitation depth.
Observe the thermometer graph with the
results of the next days weather after a storm.
Record in your journals what the temperature
is after a storm.
Extension:
With the data that you have, take an average
of each component in each season. Compare
the same components of each season. Write
the differences you see between the seasons.
Write down why there are differences in the
weather components from season to season.
Formative:
Are students graphing and discussing data
during collaborative discussion? Are they

does the story have a beginning, middle and

end, as well as, key story elements?

asking and able to answer questions?

Closing/Assessment:
Students share stories in collaborative groups.
Teacher reads Did A Dinosaur Drink this Water
by Robert Wells and announces that the class
will go on a water adventure tomorrow.

Closing/Assessment:
Explain why sometimes it snows and
sometimes it rains.
What would the normal temperature be in the
winter during the day?
What would the normal temperature be in the
summer during the day?
What is going to happen when the barometer
is low? High?
Tell what the weather might be like before a
storm.
Tell what the weather might be like on a sunny
day.
Name three occasions that are considered
severe weather.

Day 7
Science Instruction: Water Cycle Adventure

Opening: Share Thomas Lockers Water

Dance
Activate prior knowledge with Think and
Write activity. Have students write words that
apply to the water cycle and or create a
diagram of the water cycle.
Work Session: Share a diagram of the water
cycle on the Whiteboard or under the Elmo.
Discuss where the earth gets its supply of
fresh water. The percentages of fresh versus
saltwater. Does water go away? Where does
rain come from? What energy source runs the
cycle?
Let students know that they will be acting out a
journey of a water molecule through the water
cycle. Model for students by taking a pipe
cleaner and going to a station rolled which
could be: animal, clouds, glacier, groundwater,
lake, ocean, plant, river and soil. Divide
students into 9 groups; have each group begin
at one station. Call cycle and have students

Math Instruction: Interpreting Data from a

Weather Chart (See Day #6)
Opening:

Work Session

then proceed to follow instructions of the die,

continuing the process at the next station as
directed by the roll of the die. Repeat until
students have been at 10 stations.
Formative: Have students tell a partner the
story of their journey, following the colors of
the beads on their bracelet.
Closing/Assessment:
Explain what happens to make the ice and the
snow become liquid and the water on the
sidewalk become water vapor. Discuss two
examples of ways that these changes to water
are important in peoples lives.
Assessment: Have students illustrate their
water molecules journey. Have then write a
narrative to include with the illustration.

Day 8
Science Instruction: Water Purification
Challenge
Opening:
Even though hunting has been slow, you
have been able to survive the dangers of
the Amazon Rainforest on the plants and
insects you and your colleagues have
collected. But time is an important
factor, especially since the pilot needs
medical attention. You continue on your
quest to find Manaus with the hope that
each day will bring you a little closer.
"Hey guys, we are almost out of water,"
you hear Julie say. According to the map,
several pools of water are nearby. Maybe
some of the water is good enough to
drink. You realize that testing the water
will be hard with the tools you have and
you worry about how to filter the water
in case it isn't safe to drink. Or perhaps
Julie, a chemical engineer, can come up
with an idea for a filter design. What will
you use? Will it work?
Work Session:

Formative

Closing/Assessment:

Math Instruction: Interpreting Data from

Terrarium
Opening:
Problem of the Day:
There is a cloud in the sky made up of 100
water droplets. 23 of the water droplets got
there by transpiration from a tree, 18 got there
from sublimation from a glacier and the rest
came from evaporation of the water in the
bayou. How many water droplets came from
the bayou?
Remind student that we have been observing
and recording data from terrariums. Let them
know that today they will use data and
information learned throughout the unit to
describe and draw the water cycle using
science vocabulary. They will also create a
graph online which depicts their data in a
readable and simplistic way to others.

Work Session

1. Review with students the scenario

provided in the
Introduction/Motivation section.
2. Pass out the worksheets and
materials to groups composed of
three students each.
3. Show students the bottle of "dirty
water." Ask them: Who would
want to drink this water? Explain
to students that their team
challenge is to find a fast and
effective way to filter the water so
it is clean enough to drink.
4. Fill each group's empty 12 oz cups
with "dirty water." Remind
students to never drink this water,
even after filtering.
5. With the worksheet as a guide,
have students complete the
engineering challenge. Remind
them of the basic steps of the
engineering design process:
understand the need, brainstorm
different ideas, select the best
design to fit the circumstances
and constraints, plan, create and
improve.

After observing for a week, ask students to:

Take the plastic wrap off your terrarium and feel
the soil. Why is the soil still wet?
Do you think that any water has evaporated from
the soil? Why?
If water evaporated, where did the evaporated
water go?
Did it ever rain in your terrarium? How do you
know?
Where did the rain come from?
Is there anything in your terrarium that reminds you
of a cloud or cloud drops?
Label your terrarium:
a.
Evaporation_______________Yellow
b.
Condensation______________Gray
c.
Precipitation_______________Green
d.
Collection__________________Blue

Formative:
Have students use the worksheet to guide
them through the experimental procedure and
turn them in for grading. Review their answers
to the worksheet questions to gauge their
comprehension.

Formative: Are students able to label terrarium

and justify claims within group. Is student data
recorded in journal? How have anticipatory
guide answers changed? Are students able to
correct misconceptions?

Closing/Assessment:
After answering the worksheet questions, have
students turn them in for grading. Lead a class
discussion to compare results and
conclusions. Students may find that a more
"scientific filter" (that is, one using sand and
gravel) is slower and does not work as well as
one using a coffee filter, or gravel and a coffee

Closing/Assessment:
Student groups share data and terrariums.
Class discusses anticipatory true-false guides.
What information has changed? What has
stayed the same? Address misconceptions?

Additionally, groups will need to collaboratively

develop a graph which displays their data
appropriately and be prepared to answer and
justify data based on student response.

filter. Discuss with students their different

designs and compare the good and bad points
about their filter designs. Example successful
points: the filter worked very quickly and the
water looked much better than before.
Example negative points: the filter took a very
long time to filter and did not do a good job of
removing particles.
Wrap-Up Questions: At activity end, ask the
students the following questions in an open,
teacher-lead discussion. The questions help to
link the activity back to the Amazon scenario.
(Note: These questions are not on the
worksheet.)

How much water does your team need

to purify? How much water do you think each
person in your team will drink? (Answer: In
situations like this, a person would drink about
2 quarts of water each day. You may want to
have students calculate how much water that
would be for the entire team each day.)

Would you be able to build something

like this in the Amazon? (Answer: A filter like
this would be easy to build and, by boiling it,
the water could be drinkable.)

Would the filter last long enough for

you to get to Manaus? (Answer: A filter like this
would only work a few times, but it might last a
day or two.)
Day 9- 12
Science instruction: Water Pollution Research
Opening: Read the book A Cool Drink of Water
by Barbara Kerley. Discuss the shortage of
freshwater around the world and how the
previous water filtration challenge might help.
Discuss how students can work towards
becoming change agents for global pollution.
Work Session:
Students research global water pollution using
the internet and through group collaboration.
Record research on word document or if
working with a partner on Edmodo to be later
used on individual websites created on

Edmodo.
Formative: Are students actively recording
research? Have they selected a country or
region to research? Are they using a variety of
mixed media for research? Are students being
mindful of bias in media depiction of foreign
countries?
Closing/Assessment:
Class openly discusses water pollution and its
causes, where its most likely to happen and
what can be done to prevent it. At the close of
this lesson students should be able to describe
the relationships among air, water, land on
Earth, characteristics of living and non-living
things, survival behaviors of common living
specimens and factors that help promote good
health.

Water Cycle Resources:

States of Matter
States of Matter Video & Song
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/matter_states/

Study Jams Matter Song and Video

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/matter_states/

What Is Matter?
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/whatismatter.html
States of Matter
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/statesofmatter.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiyJPhOMF6I
Matter Review
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/wimreview.html

States of Matter with Heat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/changing_state.shtml
Which Are a Solid, Liquid, Gas? Interactive
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/materials
What Happens When You Add Heat? Interactive
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks3/science/changing_matter/index.htm
Read about Matter and Take a Quiz
http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_intro.html
States of Matter
http://www.heater-home.com/articles-heating-cooling-states-of-matter.aspx
I can investigate how water changes from one state to another (e.g. freezing, melting,
condensation and evaporation).
Water
What Is Water?
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/whatiswater.html
Water in the Air
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/airwater.html
States of Water - Solids, Liquids, Gases
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/slg.html
All About Physical and Chemical Changes
http://www.ric.edu/faculty/ptiskus/chemical/

Why Leaves Change Color

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/trees/treestruecolor.htm
Why Leaves Change Color with Experiments
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html
Water Review
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/review.html

Interactive Water Cycle Quiz

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/watercycleq.html
All About the Water Cycle
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
Water Cycle Video
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/water_cycle/
Water Cycle Song
http://vimeo.com/1594826

NASA - Droplet and the Water Cycle Game (you will need to download this)
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html
Are you a water wizard? - Do you have a fountain of knowledge when it comes to water? Well,
dive right in and test your knowledge of water with these Water Wizard quizzes.
Click and Drag Water Cycle Components - place the first step anywhere you wish and then put
the other steps in order
Create a model of the water cycle - lesson plan from Oceans Alive
Follow a drop through the water cycle - water science for schools from USGS
How You Can Make a Model of the Water Cycle - print this to give to your students
Ideas for teaching about the water cycle - from Pro Teacher
Introduction to the water cycle
Water Wizard quiz - Test your Water Awareness. Click on the best answer to each question
below and find out if you are a Water Wizard!
Water Cycle Animation - Observe a raindrop traveling through various paths of the water cycle.
In this visualization, the blue raindrop shows where water is. The red arrows show the
processes that could move it to another place.
The Water Cycle Lesson Plan - five activities in one
Water Cycle - lesson plans from Science NetLinks
The Water Cycle - US Geological Survey's Water Cycle - one of the most complete explanation
of the cycle

Water Science - US Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science for Schools web site! They
offer information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive
center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.
Water Cycle - a slide show by Soo Park, Alex Reynolds, Kate Schmidt, Connie Woo, and
Christine Zackrison
Water Cycle
Water Cycle Lesson Plan - from Planet H2O
Water Cycle WebQuest - [ designed for 5th grade ]
The Watershed Game - Many things happen in a watershed that affect the quality of the water
we rely upon . Examine the issues in each area of the watershed, then see the impacts of your
choices.
Weather in the Science Lab - Select Weather in the list of labs. The illustration shows a water
cycle. Move your cursor around the image for more information. Click on The Weather Maker
near the top of the weather window. Set the temperature of two air masses and the relative
humidity, and then see what weather develops. Click on the book in the bottom left corner to
read about weather. [ this link opens on a new page ]
Condensation- Condensation is the process whereby water vapor in the atmosphere is
returned to its original liquid state
Frost Power Point
Blizzards Power Point
Freezing Point of Salt Water Control the temperature of a beaker of water. As the temperature
drops below the freezing point, a transformation of state will occur which can be viewed on a
molecular level. Salt can be added to the water to see its effect on the freezing point of water
Drinking Water and Safety
Drinking Water: Articles that discuss various aspects of drinking water.
Drinking Water Crisis: Alarming facts about global drinking water crisis.
Safe Drinking Water: Website that promotes consumption of clean drinking water.
Why Drink Water?: Find out how drinking water can benefit human health.
Drinking Water Guide: Read this guide to find out about the safety of different types of drinking
water.
Drinking Water Standards: National drinking water standards from the Environmental Protection
Agency.

Is Tap Water Safe?: News article that explains why tap water may be safer to drink than bottled
water.
Bottled Water: Discussion on quality standards for bottled water.
Drinking Water Quality: An online tool that reveals qualities of drinking water in major cities
throughout the United States.
Water Classroom Activities and Experiments
Water Sourcebooks: More than 300 water-related activities for K-12 students.
Project Wet: A website that provides water education through articles, lesson plans, activities,
and games.
Water Lesson Plans: A wide collection of water lesson plans for elementary, middle school, and
high school students.
Water, Water, Everywhere: This lesson plan helps students understand the relationship between
population growth and availability of water.
Ground Water Lessons: Materials for lessons on ground water.
Can We Keep the Lake Clean?: A lesson plan from National Geographic that requires students
to create pictures of the ecosystem of a lake.
Water in the Desert: An activity that shows students how to create water in the desert.
Water Treatment Activity: Classroom activity that helps students learn about water treatment.
Water Conservation: A lesson idea for teaching students about water conservation.
Learning about Water: Water lesson plans for K-12 teachers.
Games and Online Activities
Online Water Games: Learn more about water by playing games in this website.
Water and the Environment: A number of games that can help children gain a better
understanding of the relationship between water and the environment.
Water Conservation Games: Links to several water conservation games.
Droplet and the Water Cycle: An educational game on water cycle from NASA.
Water Web Quest: An interesting water web quest from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign.