Water: A Never-Ending Story
Grade Level: 2-6
Objective:
1. Students will be able to (SWBAT) understand that water on earth moves in a continuous cycle.
2. SWBAT to name and explain the stages of the water cycle.
3. SWBAT to use Internet data to access information about the water cycle
Vocabulary: Cycle, Precipitation, Evaporation, Condensation.
Standards: Undersatnds basic Earth’s processes
Introduction: Go over the word Cycle. Ask them if they know words where they have seen this word being used as a bigger part of a word.
Procedure:
1. Ask students question to review the watercycle concepts: Does the earth have more or less water now than 1,000 years ago? Explain; From where does water that is on the ground come? ; How does water get into the oceans? ; What are clouds? ; What are clouds made of? ; How does rain form?
2. Explain to students that each group will be creating a bottle enviroment to see the process of the water cycle.
3. Go over the procedures. (They should be written on a chart as well as demonstrated step by set to the students).

• Remove labels from 3 2- liter bottles. Refer to them a bottle A, B, C.
• Draw a line with a marker just below the “shoulder” of Bottle A. Same level all the way around. Cut along this line.
• Draw a line above the “hip” of bottle B and C…then cut.
• Poke a hole in one cap using a nail and hammer. (Teacher will do this part)
• Thread a string through that hole. The string needs to be 40 cm and fold in half. Folded part goes through the hole to make a loop inside. Leave 5cm left to hang. This is part of bottle B.
• Bottle C. Tie 20 cm of string around bottle neck so about 7cm hangs down.
• Wet both string prior to assembly.
• Add 150 ml to Bottle A.
• Assemble the column. Bottle B inserts into Bottle A
• Place moist soil into Bottle B. Make sure loop is covered. (about a cup) ***The loop need to be straight up not laying on its side. Place some seed in the soil.
• Only to run water cycle. Place a film can on top of the soil so that the string from Bottle C hangs into it. This is the rain collector.
• Bottle C inserts into B. Otherwise leave off to let air circulate. Bottle C needs to be filled with ice water.
  Conclusion: Have students answer on the following questions that pertain to the water cycle column and how the process is being demostrated:
  Evaporation Transpiration Condensation Precipation
  Percolation
  Assessment: WHERE DOES WATER COME FROM AND WHERE DOES IT GO? Students should be allowed to answer this question in a final project that would be chosen from the following:
  Write a poem to answer the question.
  Write a life history of a raindrop.
  Present a play that answers the question.
  References:
  http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/water_cycle/teacherpage.html
  http://www.msichicago.org/ed/env/envsample.html
  http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/as/education/projects/webunits/water/watercyle.html