Exploring the Water Cycle
Provided by: NASA|Published on: November 3, 2023
Grades: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: NASA
Region: Global
Languages: English
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this lesson, students will learn about the water cycle through demonstrations, experiments, and videos that make the abstract concept more concrete.
- Students will demonstrate their learning with a creative project depicting a water droplet's journey through the water cycle.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The 5-E format of this lesson plan ensures maximum engagement from students.
- The pre- and post-assessments included make it easy for teachers to measure the effectiveness of the lesson.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should understand the different states of matter and know the terms evaporation, molecule, condensation, and particle.
- The lesson gives Glogster as an option for the final project. However, Glogster may be unavailable.
- If you read the extension article with students, make sure students are familiar with the Big Bang.
- Teachers can use the Contact Us link at the bottom of the Precipitation Education webpage to get answer keys to the materials.
Differentiation
- Have younger students or kinesthetic learners pretend to be water droplets in the water cycle, making different motions or at different speeds for each stage.
- Older students can discuss the importance of understanding the processes demonstrated and protecting plants and natural ecosystems for mitigating water issues related to climate change.
- Classes that created rain gauges can make math connections by graphing the amount of precipitation over a month or a rainy week. Connect it to science labs through practice measuring the meniscus in graduated cylinders.
- English language learners would benefit from doing the demonstrations as hands-on activities.
This resource is from the CLEAN collection. “The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.”
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
