Water Cycle
Third grade Earth Science lesson
Liaison: Adam Cohen
Date: 11/03/00
Group Members: Biana Fay, George Lee
School: Tobin
Teacher: Ms. Lapadura
Materials:
Paper
Markers
A picture of every part of the water cycle
Procedure:
1) Ask kids if they recycle. Why do they recycle? Why is it important to not throw things
away after they have only been used once? Because resources are limited! What does the
earth do if it has a limited supply of something? The earth recycles as well! Introduce
the concept of the water cycle as a way to recycle water.
2) Ask kids where they see water in nature. They should mention rain, rivers, puddles,
lakes, ponds, etc. maybe even clouds and snow.
3) Teach kids the "Water Cycle Dance" which shows how all of those forms of water in
nature are connected. It is always the same water although we see it in different forms.
Have a downward movement for rain, a sideways movement for brooks, rivers, lakes, ponds,
etc., an upward movement for evaporation, and a clenching of fists or some other sign to
show condensation. Explain that evaporation is water turning into gas -- the same thing
that happens when water boils. Explain that clouds are drops of water hanging in air like
the drops of water on the bottom of a lid after water has been boiled inside a pan, and
that the process of creating those drops is called condensation.
4) Have each child draw his or her favorite part of the water cycle (and supply a picture
for any part that no one chooses) and then put everyone's pictures together in a big
circle: the water cycle! If the kids/teacher want to, you can tape the pictures together
and draw arrows from one to the next to give the whole piece more unity.
Scientific Inquiry: Teaching kids to see connections between things that they might not
have seen connections between before (i.e. various parts of water cycle).
Scientific Knowledge: Students will learn about the water cycle, one of the most
important phenomenons in nature, and perhaps learn the new terms condensation and
evaporation.
Everyday Situations: People use water every day of their lives (hopefully) and kids will
better understand where it comes from and where it is going.
Evaluation:
Comments:
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