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Water Cycle Teacher Resources
Find teacher approved Water Cycle educational resource ideas and activities
Examine the written similarities in the words used to describe the water cycle. The focus is on suffixes and prefixes as a way to gain understanding of the new vocabulary terms. Some of the words included are evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, accumulation, and condensation.
Have your young scientists explore a single element of the water cycle and write a report to explain findings. Your class can take their writing through all the steps of the writing process and publish it using a Web-based multimedia program called SiteMaker. This lesson integrates technology, science, and the writing process. If you do not have access to SiteMaker, there are other ways to present the information.
Young scientists explore Earth elements by conducting an experiment. They define water vocabulary terms such as condensation and precipitation. In addition, they conduct a water experiment in which they build a terrarium, so they can observe a smaller scale water cycle in their class.
The 3 steps of the water cycle, evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, are the focus of this lesson. After a neat demonstration of rain using hot water, a pie tin, and ice cubes, young scientists observe and discuss the elements of the water cycle. Questions are supplied to prompt discussion; these questions could also be assigned for written work. At the end of the lesson, class members draw the water cycle, labeling their drawings. A useful online resource link is included.
Students continue their examination of the water cycle. In groups, they present their findings to the class after researching a specific topic related to the water cycle. They spend the rest of the lessons asking questions and answering them.
Using a song and PowerPoints, pupils learn about the water cycle in honor of Earth Day. In this innovative look at the water cycle, they watch PowerPoints about this topic and analyze what they have learned. Afterward, they create a diagram of the water cycle.
Young scholars examine the steps of the water cycle and how it influences agriculture. They discuss the different fruits and vegetables grown in their community, and read an article about the water cycle. To wrap up, they create a book illustrating the steps of the water cycle. The article is not included, but it would easily replaced by any article about the water cycle. This would work best for schools located in agricultural areas.
Present the water cycle to your middle schoolers with this lesson plan. After an anticipatory set, they participate in a Q & A session about the terms associated with the water cycle: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and precipitation. Once they have reviewed terms, they go to the computer lab to print a graphic of the water cycle. To wrap-up, learners think about what water has been around to experience. This lesson plan is straightforward, but not highly interactive or engaging.
The basic elements of the water cycle and how water is recycled through our environment is focused on in this instructional activity. Your students construct classroom terrariums and learn to make and record observations relating to the water cycle. They create a classroom big book about the water cycle with watercolor illustrations.
Young scientists investigate the water cycle through a lettuce seed experiment. For this experiment, learners plant lettuce seeds inside of a ziplock bag in order to create a small greenhouse. They observe condensation and precipitation, and have the option of weighing the ziplock bags and recording their data over time. The final product is a short report. This is a very detailed lesson plan that includes worksheets, resource links, and extension activities.