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...
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...
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.
University of Wisconsin
Bimodel Botany Bouquet
Gardeners are given an individual plant specimen from a bouquet of local rain garden plants. They group up by their plant type and then make observations together, name the plant, and introduce it to the rest of the class. You then share...
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: 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: 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.
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Color Changing Carnations
A popular plant experiment where food coloring is added to the water that flowers sit in, to see how this affects the color of the flowers. It demonstrates how water travels through the xylem of a flower stem.
MadSci Network
Coloring Flowers
Demonstrate plant transpiration for your students using a white flower and colored water. This is an easy experiment that shows how a plant takes in water and nutrients.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Add Color to Flowers Using Science
Use this experiment to discover how to make colored flowers using common supplies with details on why it works.