Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Water Cycle
Activity Guide for Component → 8.3.1
Guiding Questions ​(be able to answer these questions at the end of packet)
1. What forces move water through the water cycle?
2. What are the steps of the water cycle and how does water
transform as it moves through it?
Agenda ​(fill in the squares and circles as you complete everything on the agenda)
❑Water Cycle Reading → 1​5 ​ Minutes →​ Page 2
○ Read the article and answer the analysis questions
❑Water Cycle Videos
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→​ 10
​ Minutes
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→​ Page 2
○ Watch the 3 water cycle videos and answer the questions
❑Water Cycle Computer Interactive
→ ​ ​20 Minutes
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→​ Page 3-4
○ Using the link on the science website and the directions, complete the water cycle
interactive questions
❑Water Cycle Notes → 5 Minutes → Page 5
○ Watch the notes video. Make sure you are following along with the video.
○ Check in with your science teacher
❑Water Cycle Movement Activity → 10 Minutes →​ Pages 6-7
○ Using what you know about the water cycle, complete the movement activity by
following a drop of water through the entire cycle. Make sure you are completing the
table as you go.
❑Water Cycle Drawing → 5 Minutes → ​Page 8
○ Complete the Water Cycle Drawing
❑Guiding Questions → 5 Minutes → Page 8
○ Answer the guiding questions
○ Check in with your science teacher
❑Water Cycle Quiz
​
→ 10 Minutes →​ FILL IN DATE OF QUIZ ______________
○ Give your Science teacher the graded quiz
70% or Above
● Move on to the Air Pressure
and Winds Packet
69% or Under
● Ask any questions you might have
● Retake the Water Cycle quiz ​TOMORROW
Unit Test will cover ​4​ activities: Water Cycle, Winds, Air Masses / Fronts and Weather Data
1
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Reading and Videos Questions
Read the LA Reservoir article and answer the following questions
1. What is the purpose of the small plastic balls?
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2. Why is it important to prevent evaporation?
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3. List 5 reasons the California drought is a problem. (You can google this if you are unsure)
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Watch the Lincolns Coffee Video and answer the following question.
4. What are the odds the coffee you are drinking has the same water molecules as Abraham Lincoln's? Explain.
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5. Watch the Water Cycle Song #1 and write down one thing you learned from the song.
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Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
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6. What the Water Cycle Rap Song #2 and write down one thing you learned from the song.
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3
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
The Water Cycle Interactive
USGS water cycle interactive - ​http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle-kids-int.html
Hover over the keyword and answer the following questions.
CONDENSATION:​ Condensation is the process by which water vapor is changed into what?
Why does condensation happen?
Does cold air or warm air contain more water vapor?
PRECIPITATION:​ What does water vapor become in the upper atmosphere?
When cloud droplets become heavier what types of precipitation will occur?
Is precipitation necessary for the water cycle?
EVAPORATION:​ Evaporation is the process by which water changes from what to what?
Where is this water vapor (gas)?
What is necessary for evaporation to occur?
Does evaporation occur faster in warm or cold conditions?
SUN​:​ What does the sun have to do with the water cycle?
Name two ways that the sun makes a difference in the water cycle
RUNOFF: GROUNDWATER FLOW​:​ What is surface runoff?
Why is runoff important?
TRANSPIRATION (EVAPORATION AND TRANSPIRATION)​: Give an example of transportation
Why is transpiration important to the water cycle?
4
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
ICE AND SNOW​:​ How are ice and glaciers an important part of the water cycle?
What percentage of freshwater is locked up in ice, snow and glaciers?
OCEANS​:​ What percent of water does the ocean hold?
Why is the ocean one of the most important parts of the water cycle?
ATMOSPHERE​: ​ What is the air in the atmosphere made up of?
What does the water vapor miles high in the atmosphere form?
RIVERS​:​ How does the water get to the rivers?
Why are rivers important to the water cycle?
GROUNDWATER FLOW​:​ What does infiltration mean?
How does the water get underground?
Now click on the “​advanced​” in the upper right corner and answer the following:
WATER DROP​:​ Where is 96% of the water found?
What is the percentage of fresh water?
CLOUDS​:​ What are clouds made of?
How does water vapor move?
PLANT UPTAKE​:​ How does water leave a leaf?
5
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Water Cycle Notes
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Definition
o The continuous movement of water above and below earth's surface
o Movement is driven by the sun and gravity
Importance
o Responsible for climate changes
o Provides water to all aspects of life (plants, animals, humans)
Earth's Water Breakdown
o 97.5% ​→​ Salt Water
o 2.5% ​→​ Freshwater
▪ 68.7% ​→​ Glaciers and icecaps
▪ 30.1% ​→​ Ground Water
▪ 1.2% ​→​ Surface and other freshwater
Steps of Water Cycle
o Evaporation / Transpiration
o Condensation
o Precipitation
o Run Off
Evaporation/Transpiration
o Water moves from the ground (or in plants) to the air (water vapor)
o Moves from ​Liquid to Gas
o Driven by the Sun
Condensation
o Water moves from the air and forms clouds
o Moves from a ​gas (water vapor) to a liquid (cloud droplets)
o Driven by the Sun
o Why are clouds important?
▪ They give us information about the wind speed and temp.
▪ They also used to be used to forecast weather ​→​ This was
important before we had TV’s and phones
o What do clouds tell us?
▪ Higher Clouds = Better weather (in general)
▪ Lower Clouds = More Precipitation (in general)
Precipitation
o Water moves from the air to the ground
o Moves from a ​liquid (cloud droplets) to a liquid (larger droplets)
o Driven by gravity
▪ Why is precipitation important?
● It provides our plants and reservoirs with water
● Indicates air temperature
● Type of precipitation varies based on air temperature
Runoff
o Water moves from the ground into streams, lakes, and oceans
o Stays a ​liquid
o Driven by gravity
6
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Water Cycle Movement
Background:
Water covers about 75 percent of the Earth and is constantly moving. Energy from the Sun, which allows evaporation,
and gravity are the driving forces that power the water cycle. The movement is greatly influenced by the contour of
the land and geologic features such as mountains, valleys, and hills. While water does circulate from one state to
another in the water cycle, the path it can take is variable.
Procedure:
1. Pretend you are a water molecule.
2. Remove a strip of paper from the cup at your station and read it
3. Write the information in the table below
o If water molecule stays in the same location you can place “---’s” for the part of the water cycle and
what it's driven by
o
DO NOT GO RANDOMLY FROM STATION TO STATION
4. Put the strip back and follow the directions on the strip of paper and move to the station instructed
5. Repeat steps 1-5 until you have your ​entire table completed
6. Answer the analysis questions below
​ ata:
D
Station
Description of
event
EX 1
Cloud
Falls as rain
EX 2
Mountain
Roll down hill
Part of Water
Cycle
(Sun, Gravity, N/A, or
---)
MOVE TO
New
Location
Precipitation
Gravity
Mountain
Runoff
Gravity
Lake
(Evaporation,
Condensation,
Precipitation, Runoff, or ---)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
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Driven by
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
15.
Analysis Questions:
1. What would happen if all of Earth’s water stayed in the oceans? Provide 2 things
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2. In the space below, draw the path YOU took as a water molecule with arrows and numbers from your table
on page 6. ​YOUR DRAWING SHOULD LOOK DIFFERENT FROM EVERYONE ELSE!!!
8
Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Water Cycle Drawing
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In the space below, draw each step of the water cycle. Next to each step indicate the change in the
state of matter and the process the step is driven by.
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Name: ___________________________________________________________________ Period: _______
Guiding Questions
1. What forces move water through the water cycle?
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2. What are the steps of the water cycle and how does water transform as it moves through it?
Step of the Water Cycle
Starting State of Matter
(solid, liquid or gas)
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Ending State of Matter
(solid, liquid or gas)