US Department of Energy
Sunlight and Evaporation
Here is a simple inquiry experiment designed to demonstrate that the energy from sunlight can evaporate water. Young scientists follow provided procedural steps to construct a model of our atmosphere using a bowl, a cup, water and...
Curated OER
WET Science Lesson #11: How Light Affects Water
Scientists listen to the story of Wadja Egnankou who works to save African mangrove forests. They experiment with refraction and the introduction of particulate matter to water. They conclude with creative writing about the need for a...
Curated OER
Water: Naturally Cleaned
Students use stream trays covered in different types of rocks or soil to investigate infiltrates and runoff. In this water pollution activity, students work in groups with stream trays that have different substrates. They write a...
Curated OER
Physical Changes and States of Matter - Two
Here's a wonderful lesson on how substances change states. Groups of learners are given trays with a chocolate bar, a piece of paper, an ice cube, and a balloon. During the activity, the groups closely observe the changes that each...
University of Wisconsin
Conjunction Function
As part of a unit, this activity familiarizes youngsters with components of a rain garden. They speculate about the role of an assigned component in contributing to a rain garden, and ultimately, in the health of the local watershed....
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students study the liquid and solid states of water. In this water states lesson, students complete three experiments to study water as it cycles from a liquid state to a solid state and back. Students finish with a Venn Diagram...
Curated OER
Unit 3: Scientific Writing
Write-on! Demonstrate a writing model and support learners as they write an informational essay on a water resource issue of your (or their) choosing. The lesson plan provides a well-scaffolded summative writing...
Curated OER
Water, Water Everywhere
Middle schoolers recognize that all of the water on earth cannot be used for drinking and that the percentage of ground and surface water is a small percentage. In this water instructional activity students identify ways to...
EngageNY
Modeling Riverbeds with Polynomials (part 2)
Examine the power of technology while modeling with polynomial functions. Using the website wolfram alpha, learners develop a polynomial function to model the shape of a riverbed. Ultimately, they determine the flow rate through the river.
Serendip
Using Models to Understand Photosynthesis
Is your class in the dark about photosynthesis? Shed some sunlight on an important biological process with a thoughtful activity. After answering questions to help determine their level of knowledge, learners work with chemical equations...
Curated OER
Condensation
Students participate in the scientific process to investigate what happens to water when it evaporates by observing condensation. In small groups they observe what happens to ice in a cup, and what occurs when they hold a bowl of ice...
Curated OER
Water 1: Water and Ice
Students explore forms that water can take. In this science lesson, students participate in hands-on activities that require them to change water to a solid and back to a liquid again.
Curated OER
On the Move
Students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. They observe and record weather information and produce their own weather report for the class.
Curated OER
Physical Changes and the Water Cycle- Three
Third graders take note of the changes in the water level in a cup of water that is left out. Using a model of the water that depicts a lake and landscape that is being heated by a heat lamp, the students observe precipitation, and...
Curated OER
Water Conservation
Students identify ways to conserve water. In this environmental instructional activity, students use a water use checklist to identify how much water they use in one day. Students analyze the data and brainstorm ways to conserve water.
Curated OER
Evaporation
Young scholars study the evaporation stage of the water cycle. In this water cycle activity, students participate in an experiment to study the process of evaporation that uses jars and water. Young scholars complete an observation...
Curated OER
Send in the Clouds
Students culminate a study of the water cycle by following step-by-step directions to make a three dimensional cloud. On the model, they draw a diagram of the water cycle and label it, and add a written report they completed in a...
Curated OER
Physical Changes and States of Matter
Fourth graders study evaporation and condensation as parts of the water cycle. First they determine the similarities and differences between a cup of water and an ice cube before measuring the volume of ice before melting it, and...
Curated OER
Earth System Science
Students explore the Earth and its ability to support life. They discuss the geosphere and the water cycle and complete the Water Wonders activity. After completing the activity, they respond in their journals and reflect upon the...
Curated OER
Where Oh Where Did the Rainwater Go?
Third graders conduct an experiment to determine how water moves through different soils found in the Apalachicola River watershed. They read a scenario, conduct the experiment, answer follow-up questions, and draw the water movement...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students study the water cycle and states of matter. In this water cycle lesson, students observe ice for a period of time and record their observations. Students create a Venn Diagram comparing water in solid form and liquid form....
Curated OER
A Model of the Rock Cycle
In this rock cycle worksheet, students use different colored crayons to represent different types of rocks. They follow step by step procedures to model the rock cycle with the crayons. Students draw the rock cycle, show weathering,...
Curated OER
Miniature Water Cycles
Students construct a model of the water cycle in action using two-liter pop bottles to build a terrarium. Locate examples of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle (e.g., water evaporates when heated and clouds or dew forms when...
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Students perform experiments with water to observe the principles of evaporation and condensation. They make models of the water cycle and discuss the processes that occurred in their experiments with their jars of water.