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Lesson 2
Water Cycle
Graduation
Standards
St. Paul Public
School District
Curriculum
Write and Speak: Writing 2d
Applied Scientific Methods: Living Systems 3, Physical Systems 5
People and Cultures: Current Issue Analysis 5
Social Studies: Geography
Science: Life Cycles and Processes, Environmental Use, Issues
and Careers
Language Arts: Story Writing
Objectives
Students will:
• understand the water cycle and the part humans play in the
cycle; and
• write a story about a drop of water as it travels through the
water cycle.
Materials
• signs for each station of the water cycle
• teacher made dice
• cup of water for each student
• Handouts A and B
Vocabulary
• condensation • evaporation • ground water • percolation •
precipitation • run-off • transpiration • water cycle • water vapor
Time Required
Two 50 minute periods
Procedure
Day 1
1.
Draw a picture of the water cycle on the board and review
with students the various parts of the water cycle.
See page 4 for example drawing.
2.
Explain that they are going to become water molecules
and travel through the water cycle. Explain that they will
start their joumey in one of the following places in the
cycle: ground water, plant, cloud, animal, river, lake,
glacier, soil, ocean
3.
The stations that represent these parts of the water cycle
will be located around the room. Students will go to their
assigned station and begin writing about their water drop
and how it feels to be where they are in the water cycle.
See Handouts A and B for selection of writing papers.
4.
Teacher must make dice ahead of time with words as
shown in the chart on the last page. Students will roll the
die to determine where they go next in the cycle. Then
students will go to that station and write about how they
got there.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f
Procedure
Day 2
Example: Clouds
You’vecondensedtoformrain. You’re headed for the ocean.
Wave good-bye...
You’re getting colder... now you’re snow... on your way to
a glacier.
You’ve condensed on a cold rock and become ground water.
Dew go on!
You’ve become fog, but soon the sun will warm you and
you’ll
be a cloud again... wait until your next turn.
You have been taken in by a plant. Vegetate for a while.
You’re starting to form rain droplets... you must be getting
dense. Now you’re falling into a lake.
5.
Have students travel throughout the water cycle and write out
their story. Then have them share their writing in small groups.
1.
Pass out cups of water for students to drink. Have
everyone take a drink. Read excerpts from the poem
“Recycled” by Verne Rockcastle, the Science Teacher.
2.
Invite students to take a drink of their water in a toast.
Ask them to think of other places their water might have
been and to drink a toast to those things. Assign them to
write additional verses to the “Recycled” poem, or their
own poem or story about the water cycle.
Recycled
by Verne Rockcastle
The glass of wateryou are about to drink
deserves a second thought, I think ..
The water in you is between and betwixt,
and having traversed is thoroughly mixed,
So someone quenching afuture thirst
Could easily drink whatyou drankfirst!
The wateryou are about to taste
No doubt represents a bit of waste
From prehistoric beast and bird –
A notion you mightfind absurd.
Thefountain spraying in thepark
Could well spout bitsfrom Joan ofarc,
Or Adam, Eve, and all their kin;
You’d be surprised where your water has been!
Just think! The wateryou cannot retain
Will some day hence return as rain,
Or be beh eld as the purest dew,
Though long ago it passed through you!
Evaluation
The water drop stories and water toasts can be used to evaluate
students’ understanding about the water cycle.
References
“The Incredible Journey”, Project WET Curriculum and Activity
Guide. The Watercourse and Western Regional Environmental
Education Council, Bozeman, Montana, 1995.
“Recycled” by Verne Rockcastle, The Science Teacher.
“Bell LIVE! Aquatic Adventure ‘98”, Bell Museum, University
of Minnesota, 1998.
Name _______________________________
Date________________
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Lesson 2
Water Cycle
Handout A: The Incredible Journey
(provided by Project WET)
Hi! I am a water molecule. My name is _________________________________________________ .
Here’s my story. At first, I_______ and then I ______ (etc.).
1. _______________________________________________________________________________.
2. _______________________________________________________________________________.
3. _______________________________________________________________________________.
4. _______________________________________________________________________________.
5. _______________________________________________________________________________.
6. _______________________________________________________________________________.
7. _______________________________________________________________________________.
8. _______________________________________________________________________________.
9. _______________________________________________________________________________.
10. ______________________________________________________________________________.
11. ______________________________________________________________________________.
12. ______________________________________________________________________________.
Name _______________________________
Date________________
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Lesson 2
Water Cycle
Handout B: A Trip in The Life of a Water Drop
(provided by Project WET)
The Travel Diary of: _______________________________________________________________ .
My Journey began at ___________ where I was part of _____________
Then ____________________________________________________________________________
After awhile I _____________________________________________________________________
But then I stopped at ________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
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