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...
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...
UNESCO
The Water Cycle
Young scientists get their feet wet as they learn about the water cycle in this series of activities. Whether they are observing how evaporation causes puddles to dry up, or how plants put water into the atmosphere through...
Discovery Education
Smoke on the Water
How do clouds form? Learners demonstrate the formation of clouds and the water cycle by testing four different setups in a plastic bottle. They identify the key components of a cloud to help them understand the process of cloud...
University of Wisconsin
Conjunction Function
As part of a unit, this lesson familiarizes youngsters with components of a rain garden. They speculate about the role of an assigned component in contributing to a rain garden, and ultimately, in the health of the local watershed. Each...
Forest Foundation
Forest Watersheds
Where does the water we use come from? To understand the concept of a watershed, class members study the water cycle and then engage in an activity that simulates a watershed.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Natural and Urban "Stormwater" Water Cycle Models
Students apply their understanding of the natural water cycle and the urban stormwater water cycle, as well as the processes involved in both cycles to hypothesize how the flow of water is affected by altering precipitation.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Just Breathe Green: Measuring Transpiration Rates
Through multi-trial experiments, students are able to see and measure something that is otherwise invisible to them- seeing plants transpire. This information will allow students to consider how a plant's unique characteristics (leaf...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Witnessing Evaporation
The engineers at Splash Engineering (the students) have been commissioned by Thirsty County to conduct a study of evaporation and transpiration in their region. During one week, students observe and measure (by weight) the ongoing...
National Health Museum
Access Excellence: Determining Transpiration From a Schoolyard Tree
A good project to link math skills with ecology. Hands-on activies help students understand the role of trees in ecosystems.