Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Water Cycle: Evaporation
In this water cycle activity, students investigate the evaporation process by participating in an outdoor evaporation experiment held on the school grounds. Students will determine where evaporation takes place the fastest and how nature...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Water Cycle: Investigating Condensation
Students will listen to a story about the water cycle, observe how water droplets form on a glass of icy water, then draw and label a picture showing condensation.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 4:1 Investigation 6 Water on the Move
Activity provides an understanding of the water cycle.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Water Cycle "Snow Fun"
In this teacher directed inquiry indoor lab students collect snow in a cup. They will estimate how much water will be in the cup after the snow melts. Students will then make predictions about what will happen to the cup of water. After...
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Nagt: Demonstrating Climate Change and the Water Cycle
Demonstration of the greenhouse effect and its role in climate change, discussion of the phases of water and the water cycle, and a hands-on experiment to investigate the role of temperature in phase changes of water.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Climate & Water Teaching Box
Investigate water in a warmer world. This teaching box is filled with explorations and readings that help secondary young scholars learn how climate change is affecting the water cycle.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: The Water Cycle and Global Warming
In this lesson plan, students will trace the flow of water in the environment, investigate simulated effects of global temperature change on oceanic levels, evaluate changes within the water cycle, and explain several different...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Precipitation Streamflow Relationship
The intricate relationship between precipitation and streamflow is illustrative of the complexity and changing nature of the water cycle. These key aspects can be investigated to help understand the water cycle. The duration and...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Weather: A House of Seasons
Using pictures from magazines, students will find sources of precipitation and water in this classroom activity. Students will then create a college of these pictures and group them based on the season.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Trb 4:1 Investigation 3 Condensation Chambers
Activities will help with understanding the concept of water condensation.
American Chemical Society
Middle School Chemistry: Changing State: Condensation
Students investigate water cycle processes by testing how cooling affects the rate of condensation of water vapor.
National Geographic
National Geographic: Water Availability in the u.s.
In this lesson plan, students use National Geographic FieldScope to investigate patterns of water availability and precipitation in the United States.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Terrarium Investigating the Water Cycle in a 1 or 2 Liter Bottle
For this activity, students construct a terrarium in a bottle, and observe it over time to see when it 'rains,' which will indicate the completion of a water cycle.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Lab 6: Air, Water, Land, & Life: A Global Perspective
An investigation that is part of a series of lab lessons that expose students to Earth Systems through research, data, and visualizations. In this lab, students will follow the pathway of water on a big scale and a small scale down to...
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Just a Phase: Water as a Solid, Liquid, and Gas
This site helps students construct a model of the arrangement of water molecules when present as solid, liquid or gas. Includes background information, lesson plans, links to standards and assessment ideas.
Other
Water on the Web
Water on the Web (WOW) is an advanced site allowing students to actively participate in data analysis from real research sites. Lesson plans on a range of topics are provided. There is also a tutorial for using Excel to graph WOW data.
SRI International
Performance Assessment Links in Science: Up, Up and Away (Lesson)
Students will observe water evaporation in this performance task, and investigate the water cycle. The task is designed for Grade Two.
BBC
Bbc Schools: Ks2 Bitesize: Science: Materials: Changing States
Investigate the changing states of water as you help Steve stay alive while in the Arctic. Includes background information about changing states of matter and about the water cycle, as well as a quiz.
Other
Cwec: Solid, Liquid, Gas! (Mini Unit) [Pdf]
The water cycle is investigated in this mini-unit, and water in its three states.
Geographypods
Geographypods: Freshwater: Issues and Conflicts: The Water System
This learning module examines the Earth's stores of fresh water and how the balance between stores of water in the oceans and in ice is changing. Students then investigate how a maximum sustainable amount of freshwater can be achieved by...
Other
Cwec: The Rain Recipe (Mini Unit) [Pdf]
Students investigate the water cycle in this mini-unit. Requires Adobe Reader. [PDF]
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Climate and Weather
Eight hands-on lessons module in which students explore climate and weather. Inquiry-based investigations include observing weather, weather reporting, weather maps, weather satellites, causes of weather, and climate change.
PBS
Iowa Public Television (Iptv): Explore More
Explore More is an online and broadcast series engages students in problems they can relate to, provides compelling content for investigation and gives students opportunities to form their own points of view on contemporary issues such...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Sea and Ice Salinity
Students investigate the effects of salinity on the formation of sea ice, and whether salt water freezes more quickly or more slowly than fresh water.