Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity B
Curious physical scientists follow a instructional activity on the properties of water with this instructional activity on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
An inventive and interesting activity on the water cycle (and other cycles associated with it), is here for you. After doing a well-designed hands-on inquiry in class, learners also identify organisms and processes that are involved in...
K20 LEARN
Transpiring Trees: Plant Transpiration and the Water Cycle
Looking for a tree-rific addition to your water cycle unit? Teams of young foresters examine the role of transpiration in the water cycle through a week's worth of activities. Pupils analyze how trees take in and transport water during...
NASA
Rain Gauge Activity
Complete teacher narrative and presentation slides for teaching about Earth's water make up the bulk of this lesson. Embedded within the slide show, you will find videos about the water cycle, keeping track of the limited supply of fresh...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity A
Hydrologists create a concept map about how water is used and a sentence strip defining water and describing its unique properties. Small groups work together to fill a small milk carton and compute the mass of water inside. The next...
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Students explore the water cycle. In this water cycle lesson, students examine water as a resource as they create a water cycle poster and create a water cycle model. Water cycle game instructions are included as well.
Curated OER
Water Cycle, Weather, and Climate
Eighth graders investigate the water cycle and its processes. They examine temperature and precipiation data to classify climate of ten cities. They then create a climate map of the world.
Curated OER
How Much Water is Available in the Atmosphere for Precipitation?
Students explore the relationship between the amount of water in the atmosphere available for precipitation and the actual precipitation observed by satellite. They examine seasonal changes in precipitation. They practice using Internet...
Curated OER
Changes in Nature
The goal of this science instructional activity is to have youngsters be able to identify the physical and chemical changes in the carbon cycle, and water cycle due to weathering. The in-class inquiry/experiment is quite interesting and...
Curated OER
Nitrogen Cycle-Stream Side Science
A thorough background and nitrate sampling lab sheet are provided to share with your young scientists. After discussing the nitrogen cycle with the class, you will break them into small groups and show them how to use their inquiry...
Curated OER
Evaporation Inquiry
The evaporation of water and what happens to it as it travels through the water cycle are the focuses of this lesson. The evaporation of water seems like a "magical" process to people of all ages. This lesson takes away the mystery, and...
American Chemical Society
Why Do Puddles Dry Up?
Bring evaporation right into the hands of young scientists with an entertaining, hands-on activity. Investigators view videos and images while participating in class dialogue focused on water evaporating from surfaces. A short experiment...
Curated OER
Water: Our Most Important Beverage
Third graders create a KWL chart about water. In this environmental science lesson, 3rd graders demonstrate how much water on Earth is usable. They act out the different stages of the water cycle.
Curated OER
The Water Cycle - Family Page
Students discuss the steps of the water cycle. They create their own model of the water cycle. They complete the Family Page at the end of the lesson.
PBS
Blow the Roof Off!
Blow the minds of young scientists with this collection of inquiry-based investigations. Based on a series of eight videos, these "hands-on, minds-on" science lessons engage young learners in exploring a wide range of topics...
Kenan Fellows
Designing a Water Treatment Plant
How does dirty water get clean enough to drink? After viewing a PowerPoint that outlines the process water goes through at a water treatment plant, groups work together to design a chlorination chamber for a treatment plant.
Curated OER
Does the Sidewalk Drink Puddles?
Learners participate in an experiment about evaporation. In this water cycle lesson, students use water, thermometers, and measuring tools to make a puddle and measure the size four times throughout the day. Learners discuss their data...
Curated OER
Air and Water in the Environment
Second graders participate in a three part lesson in which they identify and describe forms of moisture in the environment. Part one of the lesson involves the three stages of the water cycle, part two focuses on creating humidity by...
Curated OER
Let's Look at the Clouds!
Students investigate the water cycle and cloud formations by examining photographs. In this weather lesson, students observe pictures of specific cloud types and identify them by putting them in groups. Students describe the...
Curated OER
Is the Hudson River Too Salty to Drink?
Students explore reasons for varied salinity in bodies of water. For this geographical inquiry lesson, students use a variety of visual and written information including maps, data tables, and graphs, to form a hypothesis as to why the...
Curated OER
Water: Our Most Important Beverage
Third graders complete a KWL chart on what they already know about water and what they want to know. As a class, they participate in an activity in which they discover the amount of drinkable water on Earth and are introduced to the...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Young scholars research the water cycle and identify main vocabulary associated with the water cycle. They build and observe a closed system model that demonstrates the water cycle in action.
Curated OER
Classroom Aquaponics: Exploring Nitrogen Cycling in a Closed System
Learners investigate nutrient cycling in a simplified desktop ecosystem involving aquarium and hydro-ponically grown plants. They set up an aquarium with 10 gallons of water at least a week before the lab is planned and place...
Curated OER
Can't Bayou this Water Cycle
Young scholars identify the stages in the water cycle. They observe a local water source and view the cycle in action. They create their own water cycle using software.