Michelle Rainer
Calhoun MS, 6th grade
Denton TX
The Water Cycle
The water cycle is a continuous cycle of water that has been going since the dinosaurs have walked the earth. About 75% of the Earth is covered in water most of that is salt water found in the ocean while a small percentage of fresh water is found in rivers, streams, ponds, lakes and icecaps. To keep water moving from one area to the next, water has to take a variety of forms such as a solid, liquid or gas. By changing its state, water is able to float over land, fall on mountain tops, run down streams and rivers and transpire through plants. What helps the cycle continue? The Sun. The Sun is the energy source for the water cycle. Water heats up because of the Sun’s energy and evaporates into the atmosphere as water vapor. Water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into tiny water droplets to form clouds ass the air cools. When the clouds are unable to store the water droplets, precipitation falls in the form of rain, sleet or snow. Water falls into rivers, lakes, parking lots, fields, and other surfaces to then start the process over again.
The water cycle is the reason for thunderstorms, snow storms, rain showers, fog, and mist. These weather events happen because the Sun heats up the Earth as the Earth rotates on its axis. The Earth does not heat up evenly therefore you have heating and cooling happening a cross the Earth. This process of heating and cooling causes water to evaporate or condense giving us weather patterns depending on our location here on Earth. Using WeatherBug Achieve weather maps you can see what is happening in your area or across your state.
Water Cycle Activity
Objective:
The learner will be able to illustrate the water cycle and use vocabulary terms (evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and run off) to label their illustration and give definitions. The learner will be able to show the Sun as the energy source for the water cycle.
Procedures:
- Each student should have one large sheet of Manila paper, map pencils and vocabulary words.
- Students will illustrate the water cycle and label the cycle using arrows to show direction of water droplets.
Extension:
Writing: Have students write a creative water cycle story. They will tell their story from a water droplets point of view. Their story must include vocabulary words and give the definition with in the story. The story must include two geographical locations and one body of water. Students can pair and share or present to the class.
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