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Traveling on the Water Cycle
ACTIVITY OVERVIEW
MOD EL
IN
Students simulate traveling with water molecules through the water cycle, beginning
in their own town. After first choosing a starting point in the water cycle, students roll
a number cube to determine where the water will go next. After making at least six
stops, students write a story that describes traveling with their water, which will
demonstrate their understanding of the processes of the water cycle.
KEY CONCEPTS AND PROCESS SKILLS
(with correlation to NSE 5–8 Content Standards)
1.
Creating models is one way to understand and communicate scientific information. (Inquiry: 1)
2.
The water on earth can be found as a solid, a liquid, and a gas. (PhysSci: 1)
3.
Water circulates through the earth’s crust, oceans, and atmosphere in “the water
cycle.” It evaporates from the surface, rises, cools at higher elevations, condenses
as rain or snow, and falls to the surface where it collects in lakes, oceans, soil, and
rocks underground. (EarthSci: 1)
KEY VOCABULARY
clouds
condensation
evaporation
model
organisms
precipitation
water cycle
water vapor
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Activity 62 • Traveling on the Water Cycle
MATERIALS AND ADVANCE PREPARATION
For the teacher
1
Transparency 62.1, “Sample Response to Analysis Question 2”
1
Scoring Guide: ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC IDEAS (SI)
1
transparency of Student Sheet 62.1, “Anticipation Guide: The Water
Cycle” (optional)
*
pictures of the water cycle (optional)
*
1
1-L container (optional)
*
1
50-mL graduated cylinder (optional)
*
1
overhead projector
For each pair of students
1
set of six Water Cycle Cards
1
number cube
For each student
1
Student Sheet 62.1, “Anticipation Guide: Traveling on the Water
Cycle”
1
Student Sheet 62.2, “My Water Cycle Story”
1
Student Sheet 62.3, “Story Ideas” (optional)
1
Scoring Guide: ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC IDEAS (SI) (optional)
*Not supplied in kit
You might want to laminate the Water Cycle Cards to withstand rough handling. Your
decision on how you want students to complete the activity will determine any additional preparations. The activity is written for each pair of students to have their own set
of Water Cycle Cards so they can do their “traveling” while remaining in their seats.
Instead, you could set up water-cycle stations around the room, one for each different
Water Cycle Card. Students then move around the room from station to station. You will
need to label each station and equip it with at least one of the appropriate Water Cycle
Cards and, if possible, pictures of scenes that depict that state in the water cycle. Assigning student teams to a beginning station works better than letting them choose their own.
Masters for Scoring Guides are in Teacher Resource III: Assessment.
TEACHING SUMMARY
Getting Started
1.
(LITERACY) Use Student Sheet 62.1 to elicit students’ ideas about the water cycle.
Doing the Activity
2.
Students simulate a journey through the water cycle.
Follow-Up
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3.
Review the water cycle.
4.
(LITERACY, SI ASSESSMENT) Students write a story describing the journey of their water.i
Traveling on the Water Cycle • Activity 62
TEACHING SUGGESTIONS
GETTING STARTED
1.
(LITERACY) Use Student Sheet 62.1 to elicit
students’ ideas about the water cycle.
Hand out Student Sheet 62.1, “Anticipation Guide:
Traveling on the Water Cycle.” Students record on it
their initial ideas about the water cycle by labeling
places that contain water and drawing arrows
showing water’s possible movements. If students
are having difficulty, have them work in pairs.
Another option is to have students draw their own
ideas about the water cycle by asking them how
water moves around the earth instead of using the
Student Sheet. If you choose this option, you may
want to remind them to consider different surface
materials of earth as well as the atmosphere.
Ask, What are the different forms of water found on
earth? Having constructed a concept map about
water in a previous activity, students are likely to
have many suggestions, such as rain, snow, seawater, and ice. If they do not suggest the different
states (solid, liquid, vapor), ask them to group their
suggestions under these three headings.
Have the class read the introduction to the activity,
and review with them what a water molecule is.
Note that it is not necessary for them to understand
the chemistry of a water molecule to complete this
activity. Explain that during this activity each student will take an imaginary journey with water
molecules that are traveling on the water cycle.
They will start at their own town, and along the
way, they will gather information to use to write a
story describing the adventures of their water.
DOING THE ACTIVIT Y
2.
Students simulate a journey through the
water cycle.
If necessary, review the procedure with the class.
Note that one of the cards is titled “Organisms”; if
necessary explain that organisms are living things,
from single-celled bacteria to multicellular elephants. Emphasize that while a water molecule
must go to the general location defined by the roll
of the number cube (such as the atmosphere), students can choose to have their molecules be in any
state or place within the general location and are
not restricted to choosing one of the descriptions
listed on the cards. They may designate different
specific locations where a drop of water might be,
such as a drainpipe or a tree near a river.
Distribute Student Sheet 62.2, “My Water Cycle
Story,” to each student, and have them complete
the first three columns. You might complete the the
first row with them to get them started. For example, tell them that the water molecules start as precipitation, and so they would record the card title
“Precipitation” in the first column. From there it is
up to each pair of students to decide what type of
precipitation the water molecules are a part of. If
they select rain, they would record “rain” in the second column, and “liquid” in the third column. Point
out that of the places water can be found on the
“Organisms” card, a large percentage is contained
in the cells and tissues of plants, animals, and other
organisms.
Distribute a number cube and a set of six Water
Cycle Cards to each pair of students. (Or organize
students at different stations throughout the room,
and have students actually travel among them.)
Each student should move through at least six
rounds of the water cycle.
Inform students that it is not necessary for them to
go to each of the different locations described on
the different Water Cycle Cards. Some students, for
example, may end up at Precipitation three times
and never “arrive” at the Organisms, Groundwater,
or Land cards. Since this activity models the water
cycle, it is structured so that students will use certain locations of water more frequently than others;
this parallels the situation on earth, where a higher
percentage of water is found in one place (the
oceans) than in another.
Finally, guide students through completing the last
column on Student Sheet 62.2. Begin by instructing
them to follow Procedure Step 7 to identify the exact
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Activity 62 • Traveling on the Water Cycle
location of water molecules and how they traveled
from place to place. You might provide Student
Sheet 62.3, “Story Ideas,” for students to consult. A
sample response is shown below.
FOLLOW-UP
3.
Review the water cycle.
Have students individually complete Analysis Question 1 using Student Sheet 62.1. Then use Transparency 62.1, “Sample Response to Analysis
Question 2,” to begin to review the water cycle, or
use a transparency of Student Sheet 62.1 to record
students’ answers and construct a model response.
Emphasize that water can and does constantly
move, or cycle, not only from place to place, but all
over earth. It changes from vapor, to liquid, or solid
over and over again in no particular order through
evaporation, condensation, melting, and freezing.
Ask, How does water move from one place to
another? It can move from place to place in all three
of its states, falling as precipitation, being blown as
part of a cloud, or as a flowing in a river or ocean
current. Most of the water on earth today has been
here for billions of years and has most likely been in
each of the places on the water cycle many millions
of times, hence the word “cycle” in the water cycle.
After reviewing the water cycle, use Analysis Questions 2 and 3 to discuss how well the activity and the
diagram on Student Sheet 62.1 act as models of the
water cycle. One way to accomplish this is by having
students compare their water cycles with the distri-
bution of water on earth, as described in the introductory text in the Student Book. You might model
this illustration by filling a 1-L container with water
and removing 30 mL (3%) to represent the amount
of earth’s freshwater. Ask, Did the number and location of the different water cycle cards reflect the fact
that the majority of the world’s water is found in the
oceans? This was a limitation of the model, because
exploring different aspects of the water cycle meant
decreasing the emphasis on the oceans. Did the roll
of the number cube place you in the ocean more than
in other places? Many of the cards led to the ocean
more often than other places, indicating an emphasis on water in the oceans. See also the Suggested
Response to Analysis Question 3.
4.
(LITERACY, SI ASSESSMENT) Students write a
story describing the journey of their water.
Analysis Question 4 provides an opportunity for students to develop their notes from Student Sheet 62.2
into a complete story. Provide guidance for story
writing. Depending on your goals and whether or
not this story-writing exercise is done in conjunction
with a language arts teacher, you might discuss
with your students the writing steps that are summarized below. The last two steps (revising and
editing) are usually not done in classrooms, yet
they are important not only in helping students
write good stories, but in making sure they have
fully understood the concepts their stories are
intended to illustrate.
Sample Response to Student Sheet 62.2, “My Water Cycle Story”
My water
molecules are
a part of:
This water is in
what state (solid,
liquid, or gas)?
1. Precipitation
rain
liquid
2. Ocean
iceberg
solid
The rain ran into a flooded river that eventually led to the Arctic Ocean. The water
froze onto an ice sheet in the Arctic.
3. Atmosphere
wind
gas (water vapor)
Warm wind blew across the ice sheet and
some of the water melted and evaporated
into the atmosphere.
Card Title
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Describe how your water could have
changed or moved from the previous
row to this one.
Traveling on the Water Cycle • Activity 62
Pre-Writing: Thinking about and organizing
your ideas
b. Draw at least six arrows showing the likely movement of water from one place to another.
Drafting: Writing your thoughts down in sentences and paragraphs
c. Label places where each of the following is occurring:
condensation
freezing
Revising: Rewriting the story, sometimes based
on the suggestions from other people
See Transparency 62.1, “Sample Response to
Analysis Question 2.”
Editing: Proofreading for spelling, punctuation,
and grammar
d. What changes did you have to make to your student sheet so that you could complete it?
You may use this story-writing assignment to assess
students’ ability to organize scientific ideas. If you
do so and if you use the ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC IDEAS
(SI) Scoring Guide, you should review your expectations with the class and give each student a copy of
the expectations before they begin their drafts. Suggested criteria are listed below:
The water molecules you travel with should
change locations at least five times in the story.
You should describe how water moves from one
place to another and demonstrate an understanding of how water changes to become a gas,
a liquid, and a solid.
Students’ answers will vary. Common
changes include having to address water in
groundwater and organisms (including both
trees and cows); having to add more arrows
showing water movement; and labeling condensation, evaporation, freezing, and melting (which were not part of the original
instructions).
2. The term “water cycle” is used to describe the movement of water on the earth. Do you think that your
diagram on Student Sheet 62.1 is a good summary
of the water cycle? Why or why not?
The diagram shows most parts of the water
cycle, but does not clearly represent a cycle in
the sense of a circle.
You should identify any changes that occur in
the state of the water.
Your story should have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
You can include illustrations that relate to your
story.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
1.
On Student Sheet 62.1, you recorded your initial ideas about the water cycle. To complete Student
Sheet 62.1:
a. Use the following words to identify where water
can be found in the picture:
atmosphere
land
organisms
groundwater
ocean
precipitation
evaporation
melting
3.
In this activity, you used cards and number
cubes to model the water cycle. Do you
think that this activity was a good model of the water
cycle? Why or why not?
It was a good simplified model of the water
cycle. It highlighted the most common places
water is found. The return trips to particular
locations, such as the ocean, reflected the general distribution of water among different parts
of the earth. The limitations of the model were
that they did not include every location where
water can be found and did not provide all the
possibilities of water movement (for example,
the Atmosphere card led to Precipitation,
Organisms, and Atmosphere, but not to
Oceans).
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Activity 62 • Traveling on the Water Cycle
4. (SI ASSESSMENT) Expand your notes from Student
Sheet 62.2 into a story that describes the journey of
your water molecules. Your story should follow your
water through at least five places. Be as creative and
scientifically accurate as you can! Be sure to:
• Describe or draw how your water moved from
one place to another.
• Identify any changes in state (solid, liquid, gas)
that occur.
Level 3 Response:
There was a freezing rainstorm in our town. It
formed icicles on the antennas of cars. When the
hailstorm stopped, the icicles melted into liquid
water which flowed into the ocean. The ocean
water evaporated into water vapor, rising until it
reached high in the atmosphere. Some time
later, it condensed and precipitated onto a lake.
A horse drank from the lake and started to
sweat. At that point, the water was a liquid on
the skin of a sweaty horse. It eventually evaporated and precipitated onto the Arctic Ocean.
The water froze and became part of a glacier
that was floating in the middle of the ocean.
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Issues and Earth Science • Transparency 62.1
Rock
layers
2562 LabAids SEPUP Issues Earth Sci TG
Figure: EaTG 62.02Trans
LegacySansMedium 10/11.5
Groundwater
Melting
Land
Freezing
Precipitation
Atmosphere
Condensation
©2006 The Regents of the University of California
Land
Evaporation
Land
Organisms
Atmosphere
Organisms
Ocean
Evaporation
Precipitation
Atmosphere
Condensation
Sample Response to Analysis Question 2
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2562 LabAids SEPUP Issues Earth Sci TG
Figure: EaTG 62.01SS
LegacySansMedium 10/11.5
©2006 The Regents of the University of California
Name
Date
Anticipation Guide: The Water Cycle
Issues and Earth Science • Student Sheet 62.1
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Name
Date
My Water Cycle Story
Card Title
My water
molecules are
a part of:
This water is
in what state
(solid, liquid,
or gas?)
Describe how your water could
have changed and/or moved from
the previous row to this one.
1.
2.
3.
©2006 The Regents of the University of California
4.
5.
6.
Issues and Earth Science • Student Sheet 62.2
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Name
Date
Story Ideas
My water molecules are:
Atmosphere
•
part of a dark rain cloud above my town
•
in the wind blowing over some mountains
•
rising in warm, wet air over the ocean
Groundwater •
Ocean
Organisms
•
frozen in the middle of layers of soil
•
seeping into the bottom of a deep well in my town
•
floating in the middle of the ocean
•
in a gentle wave hitting the beach in my town
•
flowing in a current from Florida to Georgia
•
evaporating off of the leaf of a plant
•
in the exhaled breath of a town resident
•
on the skin of a sweaty horse
©2006 The Regents of the University of California
Precipitation •
Land
slowly dripping through layers of rock after a flood
part of the rain that has been pouring down in my town
•
in the snow that is falling on mountaintops
•
forming icicles along the roof edge of a building
•
in the river that is flooding my town
•
floating in the middle of a large lake
•
forming a small puddle on the sidewalk
Issues and Earth Science • Student Sheet 62.3
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