National Park Service
The Water Cycle Game
Take young scientists on a trip through the water cycle with this interactive science activity. After setting up a series of ten stations representing the different places water can be found, children use the included printable dice to...
Curated OER
The Hydrologic (Water) Cycle
Learners construct a model of the hydrologic cycle, and observe that water is an element of a cycle in the natural environment. They explain how the hydrologic cycle works and why it is important, and compare the hydrologic cycle to...
Curated OER
Exploring the Water Cycle
The water cycle is one of earth's most easily observable processes, but demonstrating each step within classroom walls can be a challenge. Through a series of videos and quick demonstrations, cover each aspect of the hydrologic cycle in...
Baylor College
What Is the Water Cycle?
Small groups place sand and ice in a covered box, place the box in the sunlight, then observe as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation occur. These models serve as miniature water cycles and demonstrations of the three phases of...
Foundation for Water & Energy Education
What is the Water Cycle? Activity B
Curious physical scientists follow a lesson on the properties of water with this lesson on distillation. They observe a miniature water cycle model that filters dirty water into clean water. These two lessons combined are an enriching...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Water Purification by Evaporation and Condensation
This easy-to-perform demonstration shows students how the water cycle, specifically the processes of condensation and evaporation, purifies Earth's water supply. Just mix up some water, dirt, and gravel in a glass bowl, place a cup in...
Berkshire Museum
Where’s the Water?: Acting Out Science Cycles
Young scientists transform themselves into rivers, oceans, clouds, and drops of water in order to explore the water cycle. After assigning and explaining to learners their different roles in the activity, the teacher reads aloud a...
Scholastic
Study Jams! The Water Cycle
Will tomorrow's soccer game be rained out? That depends on the water cycle. An animated feature explains precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, and condensation with diagrams and dialogue between Sam and RJ as they huddle under a...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle
Your class sets up a mini water cycle model to examine the process. Then they watch an animation, following a water molecule through the cycle. A well-developed lab sheet guides learners through the instructional activity and a...
National Gardening Association
The Water Cycle
Use this as a pop quiz when covering the water cycle with your elementary earth scientists. There are five blanks to fill in, including the three main steps (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation), and also transpiration and...
Curated OER
Earth's Water Sources
General facts about Earth's water sources, human use, and the water cycle are outlined by this presentation. Slide three has a grammatical error and slide nine refers to the local watershed of the author, so you will need to make a few...
NASA
The Case of the Wacky Water Cycle
Join the tree house detectives in learning about the processes of the water cycle, water conservation, water treatment, and water as a limited resource.
National Geographic
Earth's Water Cycle
National Geographic's MapMaker Interactive is a wonderful tool to use when introducing your hydrologists to the water cycle. Show your class Earth's oceans and the movement of water from place to place. Then, using a large colorful...
Curated OER
Groundwater as Part of the Water Cycle
Make sure to read through the activity procedures thoroughly before teaching this lesson plan because the materials list is incomplete. Also, the mentioned worksheets and booklet are not available. However, there is no need to discard...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle - Main Components
Present the water cycle to your middle schoolers with this lesson. After an anticipatory set, they participate in a Q & A session about the terms associated with the water cycle: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, and...
Port Jefferson School District
Water and Climate
Dive into a lesson on the hydrosphere with this Powerpoint presentation. Building on prior knowledge of the water cycle, young scientists learn what happens to water after it falls as precipitation and explore the different factors...
State of New Jersey
The Water Cycle - How is Water Moving in This Picture?
Here is a picture of a landscape, complete with the sun, clouds, and some rain. Use it by projecting onto your whiteboard and drawing arrows and labeling three main steps in the water cycle as you teach, or hand it out to little ones as...
Curated OER
Water Cycle Bracelets
Students engage in a lesson that investigates the hydrological cycle. They create bracelets with different colored beads that represent parts of the cycle. Students can follow the cycle in the order of the beads. The lesson includes...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle--Model Simulation
Students build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle.
NASA
Water Works on a Blue Planet
Keep within a water budget. Learners find out that less than 2.5% of Earth's water is available to drink—and that there is a fixed amount of water. Scholars read an interesting article comparing the available water to a game of Monopoly...
Curated OER
Leaves, the Sun, and the Water Cycle
As a way to combine life and physical science, or simply as an investigation of plant transpiration, this lesson is sure to inspire! Middle schoolers capture the moisture given off by plants that are placed in different conditions. They...
Curated OER
Water Cycle and Its Movement in the Soil
Students are introduced to the water cycle and water movement in soil. In this water cycle lesson, students explore how water moves through the water cycle and discuss water sources, natural reservoirs, soil infiltration rates and...
Pennsylvania State University
Learn, Protect, and Promote Water
A hands-on activity helps learners explore the water cycle. After discussing how they use water, classes discuss water pollution and then move into a simulation where 20 pupils move through the water cycle based on description cards.
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Students identify the different stages in the water cycle. For this earth science lesson, students calculate the residence time of water in oceans using a mathematical formula. They explain how this cycle regulates the Earth's climate.