Water Cycle - Owl Corner
Water Cycle
Instructional Unit
Crystal DeVette
Rachel Giesler
Jamie Reith
Aimee Veenstra
December 1, 2006
Subject/Topic
Our topic is the water cycle. Students will study the various components of the water cycle and how they all work together to form a continuous cycle. The unit on the water cycle will include an introduction of where water is found on earth and various states of water, evaporation, condensation, clouds, precipitation, transpiration, infiltration/conservation, and an assessment. Students will be in fourth or fifth grade and will have basic background knowledge of the different states of water. This unit will take ten 45 minute class periods. The introduction lesson and the assessment lesson each will take two 45 minute class periods. The transpiration lesson will need to be referred back to daily for a few weeks as students continue to make observations. This unit is best taught in spring, summer, or early fall when it is warm enough for evaporation to take place quickly and students can go outside to observe the clouds.
Rationale/Purpose
The continuous movement of water on earth keeps our water fresh. Fresh water is essential for life on earth – without it life could not exist. Since the water cycle is a closed system no new water can enter it. Therefore it is very important that students understand how the water cycle works and what affect choices they make concerning the environment have on whether there will be enough fresh water available for future generations to survive.
This unit is inquiry based and allows for student discovery and interaction with different aspects of the water cycle. Students will be actively involved in their learning which will keep them interested and help in the retention of new information. Children are naturally curious and learn in a variety of ways. The inquiry-based approach to science education taps into this natural curiosity and allows for many different styles of learning to be addressed.
Identification of Goals/Objectives:
General Objectives (Cognitive):
▪ The student will grasp the concept that the water on earth is in a closed system and is being constantly recycled in the earth’s ecosystem. They will be able to describe this concept.
▪ The student will be able to describe the major elements of the water cycle; condensation, evaporation, and precipitation. They will be able to describe how these elements are interrelated and dependent upon one another.
▪ The student will be able to explain how plants are connected to the water cycle through transpiration.
▪ The student will be able to describe how animals and the earth are connected to the water cycle using the terms aquifer, ground water, and absorption.
Affective & Psychomotor Objectives:
***The final lesson is a cultivation of all of the goals in this section and all of the General and State goals***
▪ The student will develop an appreciation for the role of water in our ecosystem.
▪ The student will develop keen observation skills.
▪ The student will develop an appreciation for the process of the water cycle and will be able to identify specific examples of the water cycle taking place in the world around them.
State Objectives:
MI Benchmarks:
II.1.el.1: Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically
II.1.el.4: Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
IV.2.el.1: Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5)
V.2.el.2: Trace the path that rain water follows after it falls
V.2.el.3: Identify sources of water and its uses
Local Objectives:
KC4 (Kent County Collaborative Core Curriculum)
5:3 TLW investigate various forms and movement of water on the earth’s surface including the Great Lakes region.
Individual Lesson Objectives:
Lesson 1: Where on Earth is Water Found?
TLW tell the three states of water and give an example where each is found on earth
TLW demonstrate that water moves from place to place
Lesson 2: Where does the Water Go?: Evaporation
TLW be able to explain the process of evaporation.
TLW describe the process of the water cycle.
Lesson 3: Where does that Water come from? Lesson in Condensation
TLW describe what condensation is.
TLW describe where condensation comes from and how it happens.
TLW identify the relationship between temperature and the amount of water vapor in the air.
Lesson 4: Cloud Formation
TLW be able to describe the cloud formation process.
TLW be able to use proper terms when describing cloud formation (evaporation, condensation, water vapor, etc.).
Lesson 5: Precipitation
TLW be able to explain why precipitation occurs.
TLW be able to name different types of precipitation
Lesson 6: Pop Bottle Terrarium: A Lesson in Transpiration
TLW describe what transpiration is and how it works.
TLW describe the movement of a water molecule within the Terrarium, and therefore be able to explain that same movement in the atmosphere.
Lesson 7: Soak It Up: Infiltration
TLW illustrate how infiltration is a part of the water cycle using proper labels
TLW identify soils that are more porous and less porous
TLW explain how types of soil effect the flow of water
TLW describe the importance of groundwater to all living things
Lesson 8: The Life of a Drop of Water: Assessment
TLW describe the process of the water cycle.
TLW relate the water cycle to their daily life.
TLW use a multi-sensory approach to portray the information of the water cycle.
TLW integrate the water cycle with other content areas.
The Water Cycle Unit Outline and Plan
Lesson 1 – Introduction
Lesson 2 - Evaporation
Lesson 3 – Condensation
Lesson 4 – Clouds
Lesson 5 – Precipitation
Lesson 6 – Transpiration
Lesson 7 – Infiltration
Lesson 8 – Assessment
Students will learn that the water cycle is a closed system and is driven by solar radiation. It is a continuous cycling of water around, over, and through the earth. The unit will begin with a lesson on the location of water on earth and the state of water in each location. In the introductory lesson students will be introduced to the idea that water is in the atmosphere. The next three lessons in our unit cover the three major processes of the water cycle. The lesson will be on evaporation and will demonstrate how the water gets from earth into the air in the form of water vapor. The condensation exploration will demonstrate what happens to warm water when it meets with cold air. This will help the students understand the process that occurs in nature when the warm water vapor that evaporated meets with the colder air higher up in the atmosphere. The lesson on clouds will build off the lesson on condensation by explaining what happens to the water droplets that are formed - they join together to make clouds. When the clouds become too heavy or full of water droplets, the droplets fall to the ground in the form of precipitation. The lesson on precipitation introduces the students to what happens to the water that falls to earth and lesson seven will expound on that concept through the exploration of infiltration. Before the lesson on infiltration we do a lesson on transpiration where the students make a closed ecosystem which clearly shows all the processes together. Students will then learn about another process of evaporation that occurs in the water cycle – transpiration. This lesson takes what students have already been taught about evaporation and demonstrates how plant leaves are another source of evaporation. Students will discover in greater detail what happens to the water that falls to the ground and how it completes the water cycle process. Students will be given a diagram at the beginning of the unit that they will fill in as each process is taught. This will also help to show how the different stages of the water cycle work together. The final lesson is an assessment that will allow students to choose a method to demonstrate how the water cycle works. They will be expected to use all the terminology taught over the course of the unit. The students will also re-answer the question asked in the introduction about whether the water they drink could be the same water dinosaurs walked in.
Title: Where on Earth is Water Found?
Subject/Grade level:
• Water can be found in different forms in different places on Earth and is continuously moving
• Grades 4/5
Rationale/Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the concept of the water cycle. Without water there would be no life on Earth. Water is one of our most valuable resources and is used in many different ways to sustain life. Knowing where water is located and what state of matter it is in will aid in the understanding of the cycling of water on earth. This will give the foundation on which to build new information.
Benchmark: SCI.V.2 All students will:
1. describe characteristics of water and demonstrate where water is found on earth;
2. describe how water moves
Objectives: The learner will:
• tell the three states of water and give an example where each is found on earth
• demonstrate that water moves from place to place
Content:
• Seventy percent of the Earth’s surface is oceans or seas. They hold about 97/100 of all of Earth’s water. Ocean water is salty and is not able to sustain most forms of life. The salt found in oceans and seas is from runoff that carries salt from land. Salt is not able to evaporate or freeze so it does not get into the atmosphere or the rest of the water cycle. The rest of Earth’s water is fresh. 2/100 of the fresh water is found in glaciers or ice caps and 1/100 is found in soil water, ground water, lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, atmosphere, plants and animals. There is almost 20 times more ground water than all of the water in lakes and rivers. Water is found in the atmosphere which is made up of gases that surround the earth. In the atmosphere water is in a gas state and is called water vapor. Some places have more water vapor in the atmosphere than others do. Some places have more water than others also. There is more water vapor in the atmosphere over large bodies of water and less over a desert. Water is found in liquid form in oceans, lakes, rivers, ground water, rain, clouds, plants, animals, puddles, and soil water. The water in the ground is called ground water and the place it is stored is called an aquifer. Water gets to these places by soaking into the soil where it is used by plants. The rest of the fresh water that falls to the ground moves through the soil into the underground rocks. These rocks have cracks where water can seep through and collect. A small amount of Earth’s water can also be found in plants and animals. The water from plants cycles back into the atmosphere through a process called transpiration. It also can enter the water cycle through the plant being eaten and the animal giving off the water through perspiration or elimination. The water cycle is a closed system and water is continuously cycling through it. Water can be found in its solid state on an ice cap/glacier, a lake or river freezing over, or through precipitation in the form of hail, snow, or sleet.
• Concepts being taught are:
o Water can be found in liquid state in plants, animals, rivers, lakes, oceans, rain, clouds or water droplets formed in the atmosphere.
o Water can be found in solid state as hail, sleet, frozen lakes/rivers, in glaciers, ice caps, or snow
o Water can be found in gas state as water vapor in the atmosphere or water vapor coming from plants leaves or perspiration of animals which starts out droplets and turns to gas.
o Water is continuously moving throughout the Earth in a variety of ways and patterns
Materials: Signs with different places water can be found, blue, green, and yellow colored markers, transparency of dinosaur with opening question, one copy of questions to answer at each station, clipboards, paper and pencil, large chunks of ice, 5 tubs, globe, computer – go to , a map of Michigan lakes and rivers, a grid transparency of Michigan, a map with Michigan wells, mirror, jug of water and a cup, sandwich bag with dehydrated apple slices, sandwich bag with fresh apple slices, enough apple slices for every person to have one to eat. If inside: a tub of wet soil, tub of salt water, tub of fresh water, smaller chunks of ice, plastic jar with lid, hot water (to form a cloud)
Strategies and Activities
Engage:
Have transparency up asking if the students think it is possible they could be drinking water the dinosaur’s walked in thousands of years ago. Do not have them answer this question. Instead ask them to describe all the places they have seen water. What about water that you can’t see? Is there more water in some places on Earth than in others? If you lived in the desert, where might you find water? Do you think it is possible for people to breathe water? Why or why not?
Explore:
Students will be given a sheet of paper on which they will create a flow chart of places water is found and what form water is found in that area. They will also have reflection questions to answer at each station.
Six stations will be set up outside if the weather permits. One station will be oceans/seas. Station two will be atmosphere/clouds. Station three will be rivers and lakes. Station four will be soil and groundwater. Station five will be ice caps and glaciers. Finally, station six is plants and animals. Students will be given questions to answer at each station and 5 minutes to explore the questions and areas where water can be found. Each group will be assigned numbers for rotating and the teacher will blow a whistle to indicate time to rotate. First whistle is at four minutes so students know they need to wrap up and get ready to move to the next station.
Explain:
Each group will tell what they found at their first station and what their cycle was that they followed. After each group is finished sharing, students from other groups may ask questions or add to the information given before the next group shares. Students will be encouraged to write down any new information they learn as the class is sharing. The teacher will write on the board key words or ideas that come up to refer back to during time of elaboration.
The last three questions will be open to the class as a whole to answer.
See the Station worksheets for the details.
Evaluate:
Students will be given 5 minutes to respond to the question: Using the information and proper terms you learned, explain how it is possible that the water from the dinosaur age could still be around today.
Plan for Individual differences:
The students will be mixed ability grouped. There will be a list of duties and each student will be given a chance to sign up for a job. The area we will be working in is barrier free and students from the group will be asked to assist those with mobility issues. At each station there will be pictures as well as live examples to look at. The students will also create a graphic organizer/flow chart to visually represent what they will be observing.
[pic]
Oceans and Seas
Toss the globe back and forth between your group members. Each time a person catches the globe notice where their fingers are and record this information on the chart.
Place each name next to a row then record how many fingers are touching land, ocean, lake, or river. Each person should go twice.
Name Land Ocean Lake River
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
Totals
Which column had the most points? ___________________
What does that tell you about the amount of water found on earth compared to the amount of land?__________________________________
1. How does water get out of the ocean? ____________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. How does water get back into the ocean? ______________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. What form or state is the water in? Solid, Liquid, Gas
4. Is the water salty or fresh? ______________
[pic]
Atmosphere and Clouds
Is the water in this location visible or invisible? _______________
1. Do you think breathing water is possible? _____
2. Are you breathing water right now? _______
How could you support your answer? Use materials at this station to come up with support for the idea that you could be breathing water.
Explain__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Form or state of water is the water you are breathing? Solid, Liquid, Gas
4. Where is the water located? __________________________________
5. What does breathing water have to do with clouds?
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What are clouds made of? ____________________________________
7. How do you know this?________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
8. What state or form of water is in the clouds? Solid, Liquid, Gas
9. Are clouds fresh or salt water? __________ Explain_____________
_________________________________________________________________
[pic]
Lakes and Rivers
Look at the map of Michigan Lakes. Use the transparency to figure out how much of Michigan is covered with lakes and rivers. The rivers are the dark lines on the transparency. Clue: how many squares of the grid are covered with blue? Compare that to the number of squares there are total. Divide the total squares by the number of squares covered this will give you the decimal amount. Multiply that by 100 and you will get the percent.
1. How much of Michigan is covered in water? _________
2. Is this water fresh water or salt water? __________ How do you know that? _________________________________________________
3. Is there more than one state of water found in Michigan’s lakes and rivers? ___________Circle: solid, liquid, gas
4. Explain______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Where does the water in lakes and rivers come from? _________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. How does water move out of lakes and rivers? _________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[pic]
Soil water and ground water
1. Pick up some soil. Does it feel wet or dry? ________
2. Why do you think it feels this way? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Is there more than one source that could make the soil wet? ______ Explain____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Fill the cup with water and pour it on the soil. Where do you think the water is going? ________________________________________________
5. Does the water from the ground ever get back up onto the surface? __________How? ___________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Is soil/ground water salty or fresh? _____________________________
Take a look at the map of Michigan. It shows where wells are located.
The dark squares mean the wells are deep and water is down a long ways. The light colored squares mean the wells are shallow and water is closer to the surface. Can you find the general area where you live?
Are the wells near you deep or shallow? ___________________
Why do you think that is? ___________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
If there is time go to the computer and touch the mouse pad to bring the screen back up. This program shows where water under the ground is found in Michigan. Follow the directions:
• On the right, right click GROUND WATER INVENTORY
click GROUND WATER LEVELS then WATER TABLE DEPTH.
• This will give you a color coded map. For the key click the “?” next to the place where you clicked WATER TABLE DEPTH. Go to the top of the page and click Zoom In. Then go to the map and click the area that is close to where you live. Keep clicking that area until you can read the words and find Kent County. Then go to that area of the map and zoom in more until you can read street signs. Find the area where you live. What does it tell you about how far down the water is near you? _________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This is an awesome site that you might want to explore more at home. If so here is the web address: It is free!! There are places that tell you how far down the aquifers are in your area, where the bedrock is and what type of bedrock it is. After you
Click BACK TO START PAGE
Click START THE VIEWER on the left of the screen
What do the maps tell you about where the water in the ground goes?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
[pic]
Ice caps and glaciers
In the cooler is a mountain of ice other wise known as a baby glacier ( Take out one of the glaciers and place it on the tray
1. How long do you think it would take for this to melt if we put it outside today? ________________________________________________
Explain___________________________________________________________
2. Think about where glaciers are located. Is it cold or warm? ______
3. Take a look at the picture on the poster. Are glaciers big or small?
_____________ How long would it take for a glacier to melt? _________
Would it melt at all? _______________________________________________
How? _____________________________________________________________
4. What state is the water? Solid, liquid, gas
5. Does this water ever get into the water cycle? _______ How? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Is the water in the glacier fresh or salt? ________ How do you know this? ______________________________________________________________
Take a look at your glacier. Has it melted at all? How can you tell? _______________________________________________________________ Imagine if it was a real glacier and in the freezing cold of the north and south poles.
Do you think this is a water source that provides lots of water to the earth or a little? __________ Why? _________________________________
[pic]
PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Take an apple slice from the pile and bite into it. What do you think the liquid that fills your mouth is made of? ________________________
Now look at the two bags of apples slices. They are the same size apple.
Does one feel heavier than the other?______ Why? __________________
Open up bag #2 and feel the apple slices.
How do they feel different from the slice you just ate? _______________
___________________________________________________________________
What do you think happened to the water that was in the apple slices in bag 2?___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Break off a leaf from the plant. What does it feel like inside?__________
What state is this water in? Solid, liquid, gas
Is it fresh water or salt water? ______________
How does the amount of water in a plant compare to the amount of water in a lake or puddle? _________________________________________
How does water get into the plants? _______________________________
How does it get back into the atmosphere? ________________________
Explain ____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How does this show that plants are a source of water? _______________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Animals are a source of water too.
Where is water found in animals? __________________________________
How does it get there?__________________________(Look at the picture)
How does the water found in animals get back into the atmosphere?
___________________________________________________________________ (Hint what happens to you when you get really hot?)
Choose your group job:
_________________READER: you will read all the instructions for each station. You will also be responsible for keeping things moving.
________________SPEAKER: you will be the person who presents your group information to the class. If you have time for the computer at station 4 you will be the one to navigate.
________________RECORDER: you will write the answers to the questions and enter data on the graphs.
________________TOOL MAN/WOMAN: get the supplies and return them. (pick up supplies for your first station and put the supplies away from your last station) You will also be responsible for making sure the group knows where to go next.
Choose your group job:
_________________READER: you will read all the instructions for each station. You will also be responsible for keeping things moving.
________________SPEAKER: you will be the person who presents your group information to the class. If you have time for the computer at station 4 you will be the one to navigate.
________________RECORDER: you will write the answers to the questions and enter data on the graphs.
________________TOOL MAN/WOMAN: get the supplies and return them. (pick up supplies for your first station and put the supplies away from your last station) You will also be responsible for making sure the group knows where to go next.
Reflection questions:
How did the state of water differ from place to place? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where might water stay in one place for a long time? ________________
___________________________________________________________________
A short time? ______________________________________________________
Why?______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
What might have caused the change of state from one location to the next? ______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Did you know?:
• Without water there would be no life on earth
• All the food you eat needs water to grow
• 97% of Earth’s water is located in the ocean – salt water
• 2% of Earth’s fresh water is located in glaciers
• 1% of Earth’s fresh water is located in all the other areas combined.
Write the names of the different stations in each square. Use arrows to show the station where you started and where you went next. At each station add what state the water was in that location.
Lesson 1 Introduction – Outline
Title: Where on Earth is Water Found?
I. Engage
a. Transparency – is it possible you could be drinking the same water dinosaurs stepped in?
b. Describe all the places you have seen water. What about places you can’t see water but you know it is there.
c. If you lived in the desert where would you find water?
d. Is it possible for humans to breath water?
II. Explore – six stations
a. Station 1 – oceans and seas (toss a globe and record number of fingers on land, river or ocean)
i. How much of the earth is ocean?
ii. Is this fresh water or salt water?
iii. What is the state of the water?
b. Station 2 – atmosphere and clouds (use materials at station to show there is water in the atmosphere)
i. Is the water visible or invisible?
ii. What state is the water in?
iii. Do you think it is possible to breathe water? Are you breathing it right now?
iv. What does breathing water have to do with clouds?
c. Station 3 – lakes and rivers ( using a map of Michigan lakes and rivers, figure out how much of Michigan is covered with water)
i. How much of Michigan is covered with water?
ii. Is it fresh water or salt water?
iii. What states can the water in location be?
d. Station 4 – soil water and ground water (outside interacting with soil, add water)
i. Does the soil feel wet or dry? Why?
ii. Is there more than one source that could make the soil wet? What?
iii. Where is the water going that you poured on the soil?
iv. Is the water in the ground salty or fresh? How do you know?
e. Station 5 – ice caps and glaciers (mountain of ice in a cooler)
i. How long do you think it would take for this to melt if we put it outside today? Explain
ii. Where glaciers are located is it cold or warm? Are they big or small?
iii. Would it melt at all? How long would it take?
iv. What state of water is the glacier?
v. Is the water fresh or salt water? How do you know?
f. Station 6 – plants and animals (apple slices both fresh and dehydrated)
i. Take a bite of apple. What do you think the liquid that fills your mouth is?
ii. Look at the two bags of apple slices. They are both the same size apple. Does one feel heavier than the other? Why?
iii. How do they feel? What do you think happened to the water that was in the dried out slices?
iv. What is the state of water? Is it fresh or salt?
v. How does the water from the plant get into the air?
vi. Where is water found in animals?
vii. How does water found in animals get back into the air?
III. Explore
a. Each group will share what they found.
b. Discuss follow-up questions:
i. How did the state of water differ from place to place?
ii. Where might water stay in one place for a long time? A short time? Why?
iii. What might cause the state of water to change from one location to the next?
c. Students will complete a flow chart showing the order of the stations they went to. Each flow chart is different just like the cycle water follows is different. There is no set pattern.
IV. Evaluate
a. Take a few minutes to jot down the three states of water and where that state of water was found on earth. List all the locations that apply for each state of water.
b. The teacher will do an informal assessment of students understanding that water moves around by listening to their explanation of their flow charts.
Where Does the Water Go?
Subject/Grade Level
• Curriculum area: Water Cycle
• For what grade level is this appropriate: 4th-5th Grade
Rationale/Purpose:
• Students should learn this material because it is important to know how fresh water does not run out. Students need to know that when water is on the Earth’s surface it does not just disappear.
• The value to the student is to see how the water cycle affects our everyday lives and how the water is constantly changing states and moving from one part of the environment to the other. When the students have an understanding of the water cycle it will allow the students to have a better understanding of how the environment works.
• Michigan Curriculum Framework Benchmark
o Science Strand II. Content Standard 1. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 4:
• Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
o Science Strand IV. Content Standard 2. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 1:
• Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5).
Objectives:
• TLW be able to explain the process of evaporation.
• TLW describe the process of the water cycle.
Content:
• The background content the teacher needs to understand to teach this lesson is to be familiar with the water cycle, specifically evaporation. Water moves from one part of the environment to another. Evaporation is a vital component of the water cycle. Evaporation is the process in which a liquid changes to a gas. Evaporation is the primary way that water moves from a liquid state back into the water cycle as atmospheric water vapor.
• The water cycle is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving. The hydrosphere includes all the water on earth. Evaporation occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor. The water vapor rises and meets with colder air causing it to condense. The condensed water becomes water droplets which attach themselves to particles in the air, forming clouds. Wind blows the clouds spreading the condensed water to other places on the globe. When the clouds become too full of droplets they are released in the form of precipitation. The precipitation falls to the ground where some of it becomes runoff, some lands in bodies of water, some is absorbed by plants, and some infiltrates the soil. Plants send water back into the air in a process called transpiration. Some of the water the plants absorb they use and some is evaporated. Water does not cycle through each compartment in order. These processes occur simultaneously.
• The concept that I am trying to teach is how the water cycle occurs and how it affects our everyday lives. I am also trying to teach what role evaporation plays in the water cycle and how evaporation takes place.
Materials:
• Blackboard
• Wet sponge
• Hairdryer
• Pieces of paper to record observations
• Dishes of water
• Small pot or tea kettle
• Heating device (stove)
• Scales
Strategies and Activities:
Engage: I will tell the students that wet clothes go into a dryer wet, but come out dry and ask them where the water goes. I will give the students a chance to discuss possible answers with their partners and then we will go over the answers they came up with as a class. As a class we will write down the answers the students come up with.
Explore: I will begin the lesson by wiping the blackboard with a wet sponge and asking them if the water is still there the next day. We will watch as the water disappears. I will have the students think about where the water may have gone. I will have the students explore the question “where does the water go?” I will ask probing questions like can you think of anything you can do to make it go away any faster. I will allow the students to use any equipment they want that they think may affect the evaporation process. I will instruct the students to record their observations as they try various methods of making the water disappear. I will explain the observation sheet where they will record what amount of water they started with, the method they used to make the water disappear, observations they made while the water was disappearing, and the amount of water they ended with.
Explain: I will have the students get into partners and talk about their experiments using the water dishes, hairdryer, and other methods that they tried to make the evaporation process take place quicker. (Another option is to have the students form small groups and then exchange members from their groups to another group and explain what they did.) Then, as a whole class we will talk about what the students discussed in their partners or small groups. We will record the observations on the board about our experiments and talk about what happened and why we think it happened that way. We will also revisit the answers that we wrote down early about why wet clothes go into a dryer wet and come out dry and see if we still agree with what we wrote down and why.
Terms that we will focus on are:
o Evaporation- which occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor.
o Water vapor- is a gas; rises and meets with colder air
o Water cycle- which is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving.
Since some students may have trouble grasping onto the concept of water vapor I will try to give them a concrete example by placing a small pot or tea kettle on a heating device and having the students watch as the “water vapor” rises from the tea kettle. As a class we will discuss what causes this to happen and how it relates to evaporation.
Elaborate: The students will use the terminology about evaporation and the water cycle that they have learned to look for other examples of evaporation and other variables that may affect it. They will be given another sheet to record their observations and the opportunity to try new experiments with other variables. Then students will be given a chance to draw a picture that portrays the water cycle, specifically focusing on evaporation based on their observations of their experiments. We will compile all the students’ pictures into a big book for students to look through. For students that prefer not to draw pictures they will be allowed to write a small book using the terms we studied and the information they recorded from their observations on the experiments.
Evaluate: I will know if my students have achieved the learning objectives based on the conversations they have with their partners about the water cycle and evaporation. I will also look over their observations that they recorded about the experiments they conducted. I will evaluate the student’s pictures or small books for the use of the terms that we studied. I will go around and have individual student conferences to make sure that the students understand what they are being taught. I would take anecdotal notes during the class discussion and have the students write down a few sentences about what they learned.
Plans for Individual Differences:
• Assist students in naming the various components of the water cycle if the lesson
contains brand new information.
• Allow the students to work in pairs while doing their observations of the water dishes if the students have educational handicaps.
• Write the directions on the board or at the top of the page for students who have trouble listening.
• Place students in groups with diverse learners so they can offer different perspectives to help students see the various learning styles and everyone has something to contribute.
• For students who are visually impaired allow them to touch the water and feel the surfaces that water are spread over while water is being spread and after it evaporates.
Sources:
• Brooten, Kristy. “Water Cycle Unit: Lesson 2 Evaporation”. September 18, 2006.
• September 18, 2006.
Name: ________________________________
Experiments and Observations about Evaporation:
Experiment 1:
▪ Measure Amount of Water you started with: ____________________
▪ Method:
▪ Observations:
o
o
o
▪ Measure Amount of Water you ended with: ________________________
Experiment 2:
▪ Measure Amount of Water you started with: ____________________
▪ Method:
▪ Observations:
o
o
o
▪ Measure Amount of Water you ended with: ________________________
Experiment 3:
▪ Measure Amount of Water you started with: ____________________
▪ Method:
▪ Observations:
o
o
o
▪ Measure Amount of Water you ended with: ________________________
Experiment 4:
▪ Measure Amount of Water you started with: ____________________
▪ Method:
▪ Observations:
o
o
o
▪ Measure Amount of Water you ended with: ________________________
Evaporation
I. Engage
a. Ask students why wet clothes go into a dryer wet and come out dry
b. Have students discuss their answers with a partner, then discuss as a class
II. Explore
a. Experiment with blackboards and wet sponges
b. Ask where the water goes
c. Explain observation sheets
III. Explain
a. Experiment with different methods: hairdryer, sponges, etc
b. Measure amount of water students start with and end with, record methods and observations
c. Discuss different methods and observations as a class
d. Go over terms: evaporation and water vapor
e. Show example of water vapor with the tea kettle
IV. Elaborate
a. Students will try other methods of experimenting with evaporation
b. Students will draw a picture of the water cycle focusing on evaporation
V. Evaluate
a. Look over observation sheets and pictures
b. Hold individual conferences with students
c. Have students write down a few sentences about what they learned
d. Take anecdotal notes during discussion
Where does that Water come from?
Lesson in Condensation
Subject/Grade Level:
Science-Water Cycle-Condensation-4th Grade
Rationale/Purpose:
Students must learn this concept in order to be able to tie concepts of the water cycle together. Condensation is an integral part of the water cycle and must be understood in order to understand the whole process.
MI Benchmarks:
II.1.el.1: Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically
II.1.el.4: Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
IV.2.el.1: Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5)
V.2.el.2: Trace the path that rain water follows after it falls
V.2.el.3: Identify sources of water and its uses
MI Curriculum Frameworks
Hydrosphere (EH) V.2
Describe how water exists on earth in three states
Key concepts: Liquid (K-2)—visible, flowing, melting, dew. Solid (K-2)—hard, visible, freezing, ice. Gas (3-5)—invisible, water vapor, moisture, evaporation see PCM-IV.2e.l.
Real-World contexts: Examples of water in each state, including dew, rain, snow, ice, evidence of moisture in the air, such as “fog” on cold bathroom mirrors; examples of melting, freezing, and evaporating.
Objectives:
TLW describe what condensation is.
TLW describe where condensation comes from and how it happens.
TLW identify the relationship between temperature and the amount of water vapor in the air.
Content:
Condensation refers to the process in the water cycle where water vapor (gas) turns into liquid. The root word is “condense” and this is a good way to look for a definition of condensation. Condense means to “make more dense” and when condensation happens, water molecules in the air condense together to form liquid. “When air is cooled, molecules in the air slow down. The molecules of water vapor in the air also slow down. If they slow enough, water vapor molecules that collide stick together and change to liquid droplets on cool surfaces. Condensation is the changing of a gas into a liquid. You see condensation on shower doors, on cold drink glasses, and as dew on grass in the early morning” (McGraw-Hill D17).
Key concepts:
Condensation
Temperature
Water Vapor
Materials:
Metal juice can
Crushed ice
Lukewarm water
Thermometer
Stirrer/ straw (for stirring purposes)
Recording sheet
Stop watch
Strategies and Activities:
Engage:
Ask the students about last time they took a shower or a really hot bath. Ask them what they noticed about the air in the bathroom. What happened to the mirror? Could you see or feel anything different in the bathroom? What about early in the morning when you walk outside on the grass? What happens to your feet? Did it rain during the night?
Explore:
Separate the class in groups of 2-3. Explain the following procedure before allowing students to collect materials: Give each group a metal can with the label removed filled with lukewarm water; a cup of ice; a stirrer; and a thermometer. Have the students place the thermometer in the water in the can. Pour the ice into the can and stir with the stirrer. Every minute students are to record the temperature of the water and write any observations they have regarding the can on the recording sheet. Students may refer to the stopwatch in order to keep track of time. After the procedures are explained have the students come and collect their materials. Tell the students they are not to start until you give them the “ok.” Walk around the classroom and make sure students understand what they are doing, when it seems like they do, let them know they can begin.
Explain:
After 10 minutes (which is ample time for condensation to take place). Bring the class together and ask them what they observed and at what temperature they observed it. Ask, What did the ice do to the water? What did you notice as the temperature dropped? Hopefully, students will recognize that at a certain temperature, droplets began to form on the side of the can. Record that temperature on the board for each group. Ask the students what happened to the can when the water was higher than that temperature and ask them what continued to happen when the temperature was cooler than that temperature. Ask the students where they think the water came from. Remind them that before they learned that evaporation changes liquid water into gas and sends it throughout the air. This happens when the surroundings are warm. In this situation we made the surroundings cool and the water began to do what? Form again! Reiterate to the students that the cold water in the can made the air surrounding the can cold and therefore the water molecules in the air condensed together again to form water droplets. Use this time to draw on the board the cycle as they know it thus far (liquid water(evaporating to water vapor (gas)(condensing back into liquid water). Talk about how at that temperature something happened; water was able to change its form and condense back into a liquid from a gas.
Elaborate:
Have the students draw a bar graph of every minute with the temperature on the y-axis and the minutes on the x-axis. Tell them to draw a line across the graph at the temperature where condensation took place and water droplets formed. Then have the students color coordinate their bars into two colors. One color of bars should be those that fall above the line (or simply the temperature where condensation had not occurred yet) and the other color should be those bars that are below the line (where condensation was occurring).
Evaluate:
Collect the bar graphs to see how well the students understood the concept. Be sure to ask for questions throughout the lesson to make sure students are grasping the concept.
Plans for Individual Differences:
If students are not grasping the concept, draw a water cycle picture on the board, or refer to one in a book. Explain that evaporation takes place when temperatures are warm and water changes from a liquid to a gas. Conversely, condensation happens when temperatures are cooler and the gas turns into a liquid. Students will work in small groups during this lesson, even for the graph drawing process so that they can bounce ideas off one another and interpersonal learners can be accounted for. This is also why this is a hands-on activity for the kinesthetic learners. The audio learners will be accommodated for in the class discussion and the visual learners will be able to make sense of the cycle drawn on the board.
Sources:
McGraw-Hill. Science: Teacher’s Edition. National Geographic Society. Macamillian McGraw-Hill, New York: 2002.
Allen, Dorothea. Science Demonstrations for the Elementary Classroom. Parker Publishing Company, West Nyack, New York: 1988.
Picture from: .../poleira.br/analise/aih.htm
Recording Sheet
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Cloud Formation
Grade Level
• 4th/5th Grade
Subject
• Science/Weather/Clouds
Rationale/Purpose
• MCF V.3.1
o All students will investigate and describe what makes up weather and how it changes from day to day, from season to season and over long periods of time:
▪ Describe weather conditions. Key concepts: Atmosphere is a blanket of air around the earth, air is a substance; see PME-IV.1 e.1 (attributes of substances). Air has temperature—cold, hot, warm, cool. Cloud cover—cloudy, partly cloudy; foggy. Precipitation—rain, snow, hail, freezing rain. Wind—breezy, windy, calm. Severe weather— thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, high winds, blizzards. Tools: Thermometer, wind sock, rain gauge. Real-world contexts: Daily changes in weather; examples of severe weather
• MCF V.2.1
o Describe how water exists on earth in three states. Key concepts: Liquid (K-2)-visible, flowing, melting, dew, solid (K-2)-hard, visible, freezing, ice, gas (3-5)- invisible, water vapor, moisture, evaporating. See PCM-IV.2.e.1. Real-world contexts: Examples of water in each state, including dew, rain, snow, ice, evidence of moisture in the air, such as “fog” on cold bathroom mirrors; examples of melting, freezing, and evaporating.
• This lesson will allow students to explore cloud formation through an experiment. Reading and discussion will give names to the concepts they learn in the experiment and/or engage the students in desiring to learn more and question their observations to find out how clouds form. They will also learn the beginning to the process of precipitation, preparing them for the next lesson.
Objectives
• TLW be able to describe the cloud formation process.
• TLW be able to use proper terms when describing cloud formation (evaporation, condensation, water vapor, etc.).
Content
• The teacher will need to understand the cloud formation process, including terms such as water vapor, evaporation, condensation, and the basics of the water cycle in general. Condensation and evaporation will be covered in the previous two lessons in the instructional unit, as well as the basics to the water cycle, so the teacher should have a good understand of these from completing those lessons. The teacher will also need to know the effects of the air temperature on cloud formation. Know the relationship between precipitation and clouds as well, because it may come up in discussion by one of the students. Precipitation will not need to be discussed thoroughly in this lesson however, because it will be covered farther in the next lesson of the instructional unit.
• Skills students will learn:
o Critical thinking
o Investigating
o Writing
Materials
• Large jar (1 for teacher, # of students in class divided by 2)
• Plastic bag filled with ice (1 for teacher, # of students in class divided by 2)
• Pitcher of warm water (1)
• Black paper (1 sheet for teacher, # of students in class divided by 2)
• Flashlight (1 for teacher, # of students in class divided by 2)
• Matches (enough for teacher and # of students in class divided by 2, make sure there are plenty extra in case some of the matches do not work properly)
Strategies and Activities
Engage: Go outside and look at the clouds. While you are outside, ask students:
• Where do you think clouds come from?
• What are clouds made of?
• Why do we have clouds?
• Is it more cloudy in the winter or summer? (*see attached article for more information on this, so you can answer questions the students may have about this question)
• Any other questions to promote critical thinking and/or discussion.
• *You can have one student be the scribe, writing down the answers students give to the questions. It may be helpful to have the questions already written down on a piece of paper for this student, otherwise they can just write as you go.
• *If there are no clouds outside, you may do this inside as well.
Explore: Back inside the classroom…Do an experiment to form a cloud in a jar in the classroom. Procedure:
• We are going to discover how a cloud forms today.
• (Teacher) Get one of the large jars and tape the black paper to one side of the jar, then pour in the warm water until the jar is about one third full.
• (Teacher) Light a match, holding it in the jar for a few seconds before dropping it in the jar. Quickly cover the jar with the bag of ice.
• A second student volunteer (already chosen) will then shine the flashlight on the jar.
• After completing the experiment, have enough stations set up to be able to put the students in groups of 2-3 to do the experiment on their own. When they get to the step with the matches, go around and give a match to individual groups and watch as they complete this part. If a group of students does not feel comfortable with using the match, or if you do not feel comfortable with the student using it, then do the match part for them.
• Give each student a handout with the questions from the explain section to fill out once they complete the experiment. (See attached handout)
Explain: Now that you have watched the experiment, let’s discuss what happened.
• What did you see in the jar? (a cloud)
• Where did the cloud come from? (the water in the bottom of the jar)
• How did the warm water effect the cloud formation? (caused the water to evaporate and warmed the air, causing it to rise)
• What did the ice cubes do to help the clouds form? (cooled the air/made the water vapor condense)
• What role did the match and its smoke play in the cloud formation? (gave the water something to condense or grab on to)
• Now what would you say a cloud is made of? (small water droplets/water vapor)
• Give a short summary of the information discussed from these questions, so the students can hear it all put together.
• Ask a student to then describe the cloud formation as best they can from what they just learned.
• After the student gives their description, draw on the board the cloud formation process with proper terminology (water vapor, evaporation, etc.).
• Shortened description: Cloud formation results when warm, humid air rises and cools, causing the water vapor in the air to condense and form clouds.
• More in-depth description: Sunlight causes water to evaporate into the atmosphere. This air containing the water vapor is heated at the surface of the earth and rises. As it rises, it cools and the water vapor condenses on some form of particulate matter such as dust, ash, or smoke to form clouds. (Both descriptions taken directly from the lesson plan on from a lesson by Susan Henshaw)
Elaborate:
• Now that you know how clouds are formed, can you think of some functions or purposes of clouds? Answers may include:
o Shade from the sun
o Precipitation – rain/snow, etc
o To be pretty
• “Precipitation (rain, snow, etc.) is a very important function of clouds. It is one way nature puts the evaporated water back into the water cycle. In our next lesson, you will get to learn more about the types of precipitation and how it works.”
Evaluate:
• Take notes on the student’s responses to the questions after the experiment. Compare these responses to the answers to the questions before the experiment to check for a greater understanding of the cloud formation process.
• If you find areas any of the students are struggling to grasp based on the responses, go over those specific concepts again in more of a lecture form also using drawing on the board or pictures, then repeat the questions as necessary.
• Have the students individually write a one page paper (grammatically and structurally correct) describing the cloud formation in the water cycle. Write words on the board they must use in the paper, let them know they may include more, but not less. Examples of words you may want to put on the board: evaporation, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, etc. Make sure the words you use have been covered well enough in class for the students to be able to recognize them.
Plans for Individual Differences
• The students who understand the concept quickly can answer questions from the students who do not seem to understand so readily. Going outside, doing the experiment, asking questions, and lecturing with pictures will cover many types of learning styles, so the students can all learn the material to the best of their ability.
*Some ideas and the experiment came from a lesson plan on the website , slightly modified for my lesson.
Extra Information for Teacher’s Knowledge from
On average, about 59% of the Earth's surface is covered by clouds at any given time, rising to nearly 100% on the day you have an outside activity scheduled. Clouds have long been thought to have a mystical nature. The English poet Shelley said of clouds that they are "like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb."
Here in North America, as we move from winter toward spring, the temperatures and the amount of daylight increase, but what about the amount of cloudiness? Although there may be fewer completely cloudy days in summer than winter, there are also fewer completely clear days. The short answer to the first question is that, at least for the mid-latitude land masses, there is usually a greater percentage of sunshine in summer than in winter, but paradoxically, there are also more clouds in the summer. Those puffy, popcorn-like cumulus clouds that are a regular feature of summer afternoons usually don't completely block-out the Sun, and they only make guest appearances during the wintertime.
Global cloudiness is organized into roughly three bands: one about the equator, and one at higher latitudes (approximately 45-60 degrees) in each hemisphere. In between these major cloud bands are two relatively cloud-free areas, one in each hemisphere, where the world's great deserts are found. The polar areas are very different in terms of cloudiness. Whereas the North Pole is surrounded by the Arctic Ocean, the South Pole is near the middle of Antarctica and is less cloudy, primarily because the elevated land mass prevents the passage of ocean storms. Antarctica is the driest as well as the coldest continent. The oceans are almost always cloudier than the land masses.
Clouds regulate the Earth's thermostat. In general, clouds keep underlying areas cooler during the day by reflecting sunlight (shortwave radiation) back to space. At night, however, clouds keep underlying areas warmer since they are able to intercept and re-emit longwave radiation (heat) from the Earth's surface, which would normally be lost to space. This is known as the "greenhouse effect." Areas with persistent cloudiness, the northwest U.S. for example, tend to have small temperature variations from day to night.
Because the entire Earth, over the course of a day, a month or a year, experiences as many hours of daylight as darkness, is the Earth then warmer or cooler because of the presence of clouds? Records from satellite observations indicate that global temperatures are slightly cooler because of clouds. The reason for this is the large amount of cooling that results from the cloud masses found over ocean areas. These clouds are particularly efficient at deflecting incoming sunlight back to space.
[pic]
Are the continents more cloudy in the winter or the summer, and do clouds make the Earth cooler or warmer?
3/18/96
Cloud Formation Experiment
1. What did you see in the jar?
2. What caused what you saw in the jar?
3. What was the purpose of the warm water?
4. What was the purpose of the ice cubes?
5. What was the purpose of the match?
Cloud Formation
I. Engage
a. Go outside (optional)
b. Ask questions about clouds
II. Explore
a. Do jar cloud experiment
b. Complete handout with questions
III. Explain
a. Discuss handout questions with entire class
b. Tell class cloud formation process all together (see lesson)
IV. Elaborate
a. Ask students the purposes of clouds
b. Tell students some purposes
V. Evaluate
a. Take notes on student responses
b. Repeat any information they may have missed
c. Write one page paper describing cloud formation
Precipitation
Grade Level
• 4th/5th grade
Subject
• Science/Water Cycle/Precipitation
Rationale/Purpose
• MCF V.3.1
o All students will investigate and describe what makes up weather and how it changes from day to day, from season to season and over long periods of time:
▪ Describe weather conditions. Key concepts: Atmosphere is a blanket of air around the earth, air is a substance; see PME-IV.1 e.1 (attributes of substances). Air has temperature—cold, hot, warm, cool. Cloud cover—cloudy, partly cloudy; foggy. Precipitation—rain, snow, hail, freezing rain. Wind—breezy, windy, calm. Severe weather— thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, high winds, blizzards. Tools: Thermometer, wind sock, rain gauge. Real-world contexts: Daily changes in weather; examples of severe weather
• MCF V.2.1
o Describe how water exists on earth in three states. Key concepts: Liquid (K-2)-visible, flowing, melting, dew, solid (K-2)-hard, visible, freezing, ice, gas (3-5)- invisible, water vapor, moisture, evaporating. See PCM-IV.2.e.1. Real-world contexts: Examples of water in each state, including dew, rain, snow, ice, evidence of moisture in the air, such as “fog” on cold bathroom mirrors; examples of melting, freezing, and evaporating.
• This lesson will give the students an opportunity to explore the concept of precipitation. It is a continuation of the previous lesson, which was about cloud formation. Now that the students have learned the concepts preceding precipitation, they will better understand the concepts presented in this lesson. They will begin learning about precipitation through exploration with a sponge and water.
Objectives
• TLW
Content
• The teacher will need to understand the cloud formation process (from previous lesson) and the cause of precipitation. Water droplets accumulate in clouds, and when the cloud is full of water droplets, precipitation occurs. The type of precipitation (rain, snow, or hail) depends on the temperature.
• “There are a variety of different types of precipitation but we’ll only treat four of the more common ones here. The kind of precipitation received depends on the variation of temperature above the surface. Rain is precipitation in liquid form. Snow is precipitation in solid form as (typically) a hexagonal crystal shape. Size and shape of the crystal is dependent on moisture content and temperature of the air. Recall that in the middle and high latitudes rain begins as snow. If the air temperature near the surface is above freezing, the snow will melt into rain and fall in liquid form. If the air temperatures are below freezing on its journey toward the surface, precipitation will be in the form of snow. Sleet occurs when snow falls through a warm layer of air and melts. Before reaching the ground, the precipitation passes through a cold layer of air causing the water to refreeze and fall as sleet. Freeing rain occurs when snow melts upon passing through a warm layer of air and then freezes on the surface whose temperature is at or below freezing. Significant amounts of freezing rain coats the surface with a glaze of ice making roadways treacherous and toppling trees and downing power lines. Hail falls as rounded pellets or balls of ice from severe thunderstorms. Vertical motions up-and-down through the storm create concentric rings of ice around the hail stone.” (from ) This information is for the teachers use, but does not all have to be taught in depth in the lesson.
Materials
• Damp sponges, should be enough to tell it’s wet, but not enough for any water to drip (one for each student)
• Dishes of water (one per every 2-3 students)
• Pie tins (one for each student)
• Paper towel (for water spills)
Strategies and Activities
Engage:
o Today we are going to discover why precipitation occurs. Does anyone know a type of precipitation? (Take answers. They may not know the term precipitation, so in that case, tell them some types of precipitation are snow, rain, hail, etc. It is the different types of water, whether liquid or solid, that falls from clouds).
o Now, let’s start our lesson with an experiment to discover more about rain.
Explore:
o I am going to place a sponge in a pie tin in front of each of, but I want you to leave it there until I explain what we will do next. (Pass out pie tins & damp sponges)
o Ok, now each of you can pick up your sponge. These sponges are going to represent clouds. What is one of the first things you notice about your clouds? (The answer you want to get to is they are wet, but make a list of all the things they come up with on the board)
o The wetness represents the water vapor that makes up the cloud condensing, changing states to water droplets. The clouds are holding on to the water droplets in them. What do you think would happen if you put your sponge in a dish of water and then pulled it out without squeezing it? (Take responses, they should figure out the water would drip from it, if they do not, just go on to the next step and they will discover what happens.)
o We’re going to try it out now and see what happens. Two to three of you will share a dish of water. (Separate them into groups, preferably at tables, rather than desks, if available. Otherwise, you can have them sit together on the floor, or at the desks if they are set up in a way that there would be enough room, if they have to move from where they are at, make sure they bring their sponge and pie tin with them). When you get your dish of water, each of you can dip your sponge in it, then hold it over your pie tin to see if your ideas were right, but be careful not to spill the water on the floor or the desks. There are paper towels sitting (show them where) if anyone does accidentally spill. (Pass out dishes of water.)
o Give the students some time to do the experiment and see what happens.
o Alright, now that you have seen what happens to the sponges, let’s see how this relates to clouds.
Explain:
o Why do you think the water, or rain, fell from your clouds after you dipped them in water, but not when you first got them, even though they were wet? (Write student responses on the board)
o The clouds were able to hold onto the amount of water that was in them to begin with, but when you put them in the water, they had so much they couldn’t hold it in anymore, so it came out in the form of “rain.” This is the basic idea of what happens when clouds outside get a lot of water vapor in them, which condenses and turns into water droplets.
o The type of the precipitation we experience though is based on the temperature outside. If the temperature is above freezing, it will fall as rain, but if the temperature close to the earth is below freezing, it will fall as snow. Does anyone remember what temperature it has to be to be below freezing? (Take responses, if they don’t know, you can just tell them it is 32˚ F)
Elaborate:
o Now that we have discovered the types of precipitation and their cause, let’s discuss some of the benefits and problems of the two most common types of precipitation: rain and snow.
o What do you think some benefits of rain are? (Water plants, fun to play in it, puts water back in the oceans, lakes, ponds, etc.)
o What are some harmful effects of rain? (too much water can destroy plants, can cause flooding, can’t do certain things outside)
o What are some benefits of snow? (snow day, fun to play in, protects plants in the winter)
o What are some harmful effects of snow? (can cause electricity, phones, and/or gas supply to shut down, make the roads slippery, snow day, can destroy plants if it comes before farmers expect it)
Evaluate:
o Observe and make notes while the students are doing the experiment with the sponges and water. Also, make notes while they are answering the questions throughout the lesson.
o Give them the short worksheet attached and have them complete it individually.
Plans for Individual Differences
• Give extra assistance to any students who may not be able to do the sponge activity on their own. If a student is blind, they could feel the sponge and water coming from it with their hands as another student (whom you pair them with)does the experiment for them.
• With gifted students who may know more about this process, have them help explain it to students who are having difficulty with the subject.
Name: ____________________________________ Date: _____________________
Answer each question in complete sentences.
1. Name at least three types of precipitation.
2. What is rain formed from?
3. Name at least two benefits of snow and at least two benefits of rain.
4. Name at least two problems with snow and at least two problems with rain.
Precipitation
I. Engage
a. Ask questions on why precipitation occurs
II. Explore
a. Experiment with sponges, water, and pie tin
III. Explain
a. Ask questions about what happened in experiment
b. Show students how this relates to clouds and precipitation
c. Discuss different types of precipitation
IV. Elaborate
a. Ask students benefits of different types of precipitation
b. Ask students the problems of different types of precipitation
V. Evaluate
a. Take notes while students answer questions and do the experiment
b. Have them complete the worksheet (See end of precipitation lesson)
Pop Bottle Terrarium:
A lesson in Transpiration
Subject/Grade Level:
Science—Water Cycle—5th Grade
Rationale/Purpose:
Students should learn this concept in order to be able to tie concepts of the water cycle together and in order to understand how plants are part of this cycle.
MI Benchmarks:
II.1.el.1: Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically
II.1.el.4: Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
IV.2.el.1: Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5)
V.2.el.2: Trace the path that rain water follows after it falls
V.2.el.3: Identify sources of water and its uses
Objectives:
TLW describe what transpiration is and how it works.
TLW describe the movement of a water molecule within the Terrarium, and therefore be able to explain that same movement in the atmosphere.
Content:
Transpiration is a form of evaporation that takes place in plants. During the water cycle, water enters plants through the roots in the ground, evaporation then takes place through the leaves of the plants and the water is again released in the atmosphere, where the cycle continues. Evaporation is what happens when the water molecules heat up and become gas and enter the air. Transpiration is simply when this happens through the vehicle of a plant. Terrariums are self-enclosed eco systems in which water continually recycles itself. When setting up the terrarium a small amount of water is put in the bottle. The plants use this water and then the water transpires from the leaves and enters the air of the terrarium. The water condenses and collects in droplets on the side of the terrarium where it falls back down into the soil where it is again used by the plant. The cycle will continue and the water does not need to be replenished for months at a time.
Concepts: (see attached concept map for unit concepts)
*Transpiration
*Evaporation
*Condensation
Materials:
• a two liter pop bottle cut 5 in from the bottom all the way around
• gravel
• small plants (suited to your growing conditions)
• rocks, branches, moss
• plastic wrap
• screen or stocking
• spray bottle
• insects and/or worms (optional)
Strategies and Activities:
Engage: Bring in an already made Terrarium that has been going for a month. Tell the students that you haven’t watered these plants for a month and ask them to share their observations and any questions they have about how the plants and insects inside are surviving.
Explore: Divide the students into groups of two and take the students outside with plastic closed containers (gladware® Tupperware would work nicely). **This must be done during spring/summer/early fall when plants are not dormant and preferable on a hot day where evaporation takes place quickly** Have the students put their container over the grass, making sure that the sides touch the dirt so that the grass is completely contained. Tell the students to observe what happens. The students should bring out their science journal where they make observations. Have the students observe for about 10 minutes what happens inside the container. After that time, bring the students back inside to discuss their findings.
Explain: Have the students present their thoughts and observations in their groups in front of the class. Encourage them to share what they know about plants and what they think the grass was doing inside the container. Explain to the students that the same thing is happening inside of the terrarium that you have built. Then explain the process of transpiration using a diagram on the board. Build on the fact that the students have prior knowledge of evaporation and explain how transpiration is this same process, simply through plants. Ask the students why they think you have not needed to water the plant in the terrarium yet? Then explain that the water collects in droplets on the sides where it has condensed where it goes back into the soil to get recycled by the plant again.
Elaborate: This is where the students get to build their own terrarium. Before you begin having the students build their own terrarium have them brainstorm ideas regarding what they think they will need in order to build a successful terrarium where the water cycle can successfully be enclosed within. Have them draw from not only what they observed outside, but also upon what they know about planting plants, and what they can see you have done with your terrarium. If a student suggests something they have observed from your terrarium, have them explain why they think you needed to include that. Once the brainstorming is done, verbally go through all the steps that they have outlined and then place an overhead up which outlines the following steps so that they can refer to it as they build their terrarium. Explain that they will have to take turns. Have “terrarium building stations” set up around the room so a couple of students can work at each station at a time. Stress to them that they must keep things neat and tidy as they do this (if it is a nice enough day, have them build the terrariums outside, in which case you would need the directions on a poster board that you can hang outside and not an overhead). While students are waiting their turn they can observe as other students build, and they can make predictions about how long they think their plant will last without watering it. If you think that it is impossible to have all your students work on this at the same time, have them move on to another activity and bring them out in small groups to build their terrarium. Using a two liter bottle have the students build their own terrarium using the following steps: 1)put a layer of pebbles at the bottom of the container 2) put two inches of topsoil on top of the pebbles 3)put a few bigger rocks within the terrarium 4) put branches, moss, plants, and dried leaves in the soil 5)use a spray bottle to moisten the terrarium 6)put the top half back over the bottom half and tape shut if necessary/ put the cap back on 7) if worms and/or insects are used then the hole at the top must be covered with a screen (however, the insect option allows for more evaporation outside of the terrarium and therefore needs frequent watering. Set the terrariums (after they have their names taped to them) by a window in the room, or have students take them home to observe. The student must observe their own terrarium for a couple of weeks in order to understand the concept better and through their own eyes.
Evaluate: Have the students write in a journal their observations each day of their terrarium. At the end of their observation time the students must describe the journey of a water molecule within their terrarium, using the words and concepts that they have now learned. They may even draw out the life of a droplet in a story but they need to be sure to highlight the key concepts as they go along (write them on the side next to the picture).
Plans for Individual Differences:
Students will be allowed to observe their own project at their own pace. There will also be plenty of time to share ideas if students are audio learners and/or interpersonal learners. In addition, this is a very “hands-on” activity and so kinesthetic learners are engaged.
[pic]
Sources:
Transpiration: Pop Bottle Terrarium
I. Engage
a. Show students an already made Terrarium and explain that you have not watered it for a month—base the discussion around that
II. Explore
a. Take students outside in groups of 2 with a Tupperware container
b. Students observe in their science journal what happens when they place the container over the grass for a period of time
III. Explain
a. Have students discuss their results in the class
b. Refer back to the evaporation and condensation concepts they have already learned
c. Explain that the same thing is happening in the terrarium
IV. Elaborate
a. Have each student build their own terrarium by moving to different stations (for four to five people) which are all fully equipped to build a terrarium
b. Build outside if possible
V. Evaluate
a. Students make observations in their journal daily for a couple of weeks
b. At the end of a few weeks students write out the “life story” of a droplet of water in their terrarium
Title: Soak It Up
Subject: Infiltration
Grade level: 4th and 5th
Rationale/Purpose: The purpose of this lesson is to explore how water flows through different types of soil and explain how water travels through the ground. Water flows through the ground and is stored in underground rivers called aquifers. Aquifers hold groundwater. Groundwater moves more slowly than surface water. This movement is very important because as water moves through soils and the pebbles below the soil it is filtered and purified making it an important source of drinking water.
EH.V.2.2.el All students will trace the path that rain water flows after it falls. Especially touching on the concept that rain water flows downhill to rivers and into the ground.
Objectives:
The learner will…
• Illustrate how infiltration is a part of the water cycle using proper labels
• Identify soils that are more porous and less porous
• Explain how types of soil affect the flow of water
• Describe the importance of groundwater to all living things
Content:
The rate at which water will soak onto the soil depends on the intensity of the rainfall, and the porosity, permeability, thickness, and current moisture level of the soil. Soil that is very porous will allow water to drain through but soil that is compacted will not easily or quickly absorb water causing the water to run off or evaporate. Hard packed soil or clay allows very little water to seep in. Soils that are saturated do not easily absorb more water so excess water becomes run off. This can be compared to a sponge that water runs out of when it is saturated. When rain falls, part of it flows directly into rivers and other water sources. The rest gets soaked into the ground and becomes soil water or groundwater. Gravity is responsible for pulling water down into the aquifers. When water hits the solid rock below the bedrock it begins to fill in the spaces between the pebbles creating the aquifer where groundwater is stored. The process of water soaking into the ground and joining groundwater is called infiltration or percolation.
Concepts being taught: porous soil, non-porous, infiltration, runoff, soil water, ground water, aquifer
[pic]
Materials needed:
6 of each of the following – 3 lb. coffee cans with both ends removed, 2 liter bottle filled with water, measuring cup, stop watch, digging tool such as trowel, screw driver (something to loosen packed down soil), activity sheet, pencil, clip board, diagram of water cycle from previous lessons, and a piece of lined paper. The teacher will need: overhead projector, large diagram of how water soaks into the soil, and large diagram of water cycle.
Engage:
Have you ever dug a hole in sand or dirt? Did you ever dig deep enough to reach water? Where were you? (In your backyard, at the beach) About how deep were the holes? How did the water get there? Where did it come from? Where is it going? Yesterday we learned about precipitation and spoke briefly about where the water goes that falls to earth. Today we will take a closer look at what happens to the water by investigating to find out the answers to these questions.
Explore:
Soil Soakers experiment from Water Precious Water: AIMS Activities Grades 2 - 6
Key investigative question: How does the type of soil affect the rate of water penetration?
Students will work in groups of four. They will choose tasks: recorder/speaker, measurer/water bottle carrier, can twister/get supplies and return them, timer/mathematician
Materials needed: per group
• 3 lb. coffee can with top and bottom cut out
• 2 liter bottle filled with water
• 250 ml. measuring cup
• Stop watch with second hand
• Digging tool
• Activity sheet
• Clip board
Supplies will be in a bag ready to go so students will just have to pick up the bag. This exploration will be conducted outside on the playground.
Student directions: to be read first
There are several different types of soil found on the playground such as: SAND, GRAVEL, PACKED DOWN SOIL OR CLAY, WET SOIL, LOOSE SOIL THAT HAS BEEN DUG UP WITH YOUR TOOL.
1. Before you begin this experiment write your hypothesis to the question: How does the type of soil affect the rate at which it soaks up water?
2. locate one type of soil
3. take the can and twist it into the soil about 2 cm down
4. pour 250 ml of water into the can (if water leaks out the sides twist the can into the ground until no more water is leaking out)
5. start the stop watch when all the water is out of the measuring cup
6. stop the timer when water is no longer on the surface
7. record the time on your worksheet (make sure you tell what type of soil you are testing)
8. move over a little and do steps 3 – 7 again
9. record the second time on your worksheet
10. move to a new type of soil and begin the process over again
Make sure you test at least THREE different types of soils listed. If you have time you can test all six. You will have 20 minutes to conduct this investigation. When you hear the whistle line up at the door.
• When students return to the classroom they will average the data, analyze it, and graph their results. There are a couple questions to help them process the information they gathered.
While students are working on this the teacher will draw a chart on the board to record group data.
Explain:
What were your results? The teacher will record them on the board
Which soil had the highest average time? Why?
Which soil had the lowest average time? Why?
How does the flow of the water in sand compare to the flow of water in clay or packed down soil? Why?
How can you change soil that doesn’t soak up water into soil that absorbs water more quickly?
What did you learn from doing this investigation?
What happens to rain water that falls on soil? Have you ever seen it rain so hard that streams of water run through the streets? Where does the water go? How can this investigation help us answer that question?
Elaboration:
Soil on the top of the ground is made up of tiny mineral particles, decomposing plant and animal matter, air, and water. There are tiny spaces between the particles that allow liquids and gases to pass through. Soils that allow water to pass through are called POROUS. What soils tested today were porous? Why? Gravity pulls the water through the soil. Water that is in the soil is called SOIL WATER. What part of the water cycle does this process help? This is where plants get their water from. The more porous the soil the easier the water moves through it. What soil was the least porous?
Water passes through the soil and into porous rocks below the soil. As the water passes through the soil and rocks it is filtered or cleaned. When the water reaches a solid layer of rock that is not porous, it begins to fill up the rocky area. This is called GROUNDWATER. Groundwater is where well water comes from. River and lake water also seeps into the groundwater. Eventually the groundwater ends up back in lakes and oceans. The place the groundwater is stored is called an AQUIFER. Some aquifers are found closer to the earth’s surface than others are. The teacher will use a diagram to help explain the process.
When precipitation falls too fast or hard the soil can’t soak it in it becomes runoff. As you think about the different types of soils tested today, what might be other reasons runoff could occur besides the precipitation falling too hard or fast? Runoff can also occur when the soil is already too wet or if the soil is too dry and hard. Where does runoff go? Let’s look at our diagram of the water cycle that we have been working on in this unit. Most of the runoff goes into bodies of water on the surface of the earth, ditches, and gutters. Other runoff eventually seeps into the soil and down into the groundwater. How does this process help with the continuous cycling of water? The soil soaks up the water, gravity pulls it down, water is cleaned as it slowly flows through the different layers, and the clean water ends up in the groundwater where our drinking water comes from. How does the groundwater get back to the earth’s surface? It flows into lakes and oceans. Why is this important? The continuous cycling of water keeps Earth’s water resources fresh. Cleaned water goes back into the lake and ocean to be evaporated once again.
Evaluation:
Take a few minutes to label your water cycle diagram with the new information learned today. Use the scientific names listed on the board. Then answer these questions on the lined paper at your table: Where did the water in soil come from? How does the type of soil affect how the water gets into the ground? Where does the water in soil go? Why is this important? What would happen if the infiltration system was not a part of the water cycle?
Plan for individual differences:
Students with physical disabilities will receive assistance from group members as needed to get round. The outdoor activity should be barrier free since it will be on the playground. Students with reading or writing difficulties will be supported by the group and will be able to choose a job that does not require them to read or write independently. The student that learns best by touching, seeing, or doing will be able to do all three as they conduct the experiment. Visually impaired students will have the support of their group to describe what they are seeing and may touch the soil/water as the experiment is conducted. It is becoming obvious to me that science taught through the inquiry method is conducive to many different learning styles.
Lesson 7 – Infiltration
Title: Soak It Up
I. Engage
a. Teacher will ask a series of questions to start the students thinking about ground water.
i. Have you ever dug a hole in sand or dirt?
ii. Did you ever dig deep enough to reach water? How deep did you have to go?
iii. Where were you?
iv. How did the water get there? Where did it come from?
v. Where is it going?
b. Yesterday we learned about precipitation and talked briefly about what happens when the precipitation lands on earth. Today we are going to take a closer look.
II. Explore
a. Soil Soakers Experiment
i. How does the type of soil affect the penetration of water?
ii. Before beginning exploration have students write their hypothesis to this question
b. conduct experiment on 6 different types of soils
c. record and analyze data and fill in a graph
III. Explain
a. What were your results? Teacher will record them on the board
b. Which soil had the highest average rate of penetration? Lowest? Why?
c. How does sand compare to clay?
d. How can you change soil that doesn’t absorb as quickly?
e. What did you learn from this exploration activity about how water gets into the soil?
f. What happens to rain water that falls to the earth?
g. Have you ever seen it rain so hard that streams of water were running everywhere?
h. Where does the water go?
i. How can this exploration activity help us answer that question?
IV. Elaborate
a. Soils that allow water to run through them are called porous.
b. Gravity pulls the water down through the soil
c. Water passes through soil and rocks and as it does it gets filtered or cleaned
d. Water found in soil is called soil water.
e. Water found deeper in the ground it called ground water.
f. An aquifer is where ground water is stored
g. Run-off occurs
i. When rain falls too fast
ii. When the ground is already too wet
iii. When the ground is too dry and hard
h. Most of the run-off goes into lakes and rivers
i. Some seeps into the soil
i. How does this process help with the continuation of the water cycle?
V. Evaluate
a. Fill in new information on water cycle diagram using proper terminology learned today
b. Answer these questions on a lined piece of paper:
i. Where does the water that is in soil come from?
ii. How does the type of soil affect the ability of water to soak into the soil?
iii. Where does the water in the soil go?
iv. Why is this important?
v. What would happen if the infiltration system was not a part of the water cycle?
The Life of a Drop of Water
Subject/Grade Level
• Curriculum area: Water Cycle
• For what grade level is this appropriate: 4th-5th Grade
Rationale/Purpose:
• Students should learn this material because it is important to know how water is used in our daily lives and how water goes through the water cycle. Students need to understand that water is continuously cycling and therefore we need to do everything we can in order to preserve clean water.
• The value to the student is to see how the water cycle affects our everyday lives and how the water is constantly changing states and moving from one part of the environment to the other. When the students have an understanding of the water cycle it will allow the students to have a better understanding of how the environment works, and to realize the importance of persevering clean water.
• Michigan Curriculum Framework Benchmark
o Science Strand II. Content Standard 1. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 1:
• Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically.
o Science Strand II. Content Standard 1. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 4:
• Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
o Science Strand IV. Content Standard 2. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 1:
• Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5).
o Science Strand V. Content Standard 2. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 2:
• Trace the path that rain water follows after it falls.
o Science Strand V. Content Standard 2. Elementary.
▪ Benchmark 3:
• Identify the sources of water and its uses.
Objectives:
• TLW describe the process of the water cycle.
• TLW relate the water cycle to their daily life.
• TLW use a multi-sensory approach to portray the information of the water cycle.
• TLW integrate the water cycle with other content areas.
Content:
• The background content the teacher needs to understand to teach this lesson is to be familiar with the water cycle. Water moves from one part of the environment to another in a continuous cycle. The water that is on the earth today has always been on the earth. The water cycle takes place on, above, and below the earth. Water is found in oceans, rivers, lakes, puddles, in and on plants, runoff, etc. The cycle of water takes place through condensation, evaporation, precipitation, and transpiration.
• The water cycle is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving. The hydrosphere includes all the water on earth. Evaporation occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor. The water vapor rises and meets with colder air causing it to condense. The condensed water becomes water droplets which attach themselves to particles in the air, forming clouds. Wind blows the clouds spreading the condensed water to other places on the globe. When the clouds become too full of droplets they are released in the form of precipitation. The precipitation falls to the ground where some of it becomes runoff, some lands in bodies of water, some is absorbed by plants, and some infiltrates the soil. Plants send water back into the air in a process called transpiration. Some of the water the plants absorb they use and some is evaporated. Water does not cycle through each compartment in order. These processes occur simultaneously.
• The concept that I am trying to teach is how the water cycle occurs. I also want the students to know how the water cycle affects our everyday lives.
Materials:
• Bottles of water
• Overhead projector
• Transparencies of pictures of the water cycle
• Lined paper
• Pens, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, markers
• Construction paper
• Graphs
• Dress up clothes for costumes
• Variety of music that can by used for songs
• Paints
• Molding clay or play dough
Strategies and Activities:
Engage: I will start by having the students in groups of 3 or 4 and discuss whether or not they think that the water that is in the water bottle on their table is the same water that was on the earth when the dinosaurs were on the earth. As a class we will go over what the students discuss in their groups. (Since this is the last lesson in the unit the students should be familiar with the water cycle and know that it is the same water. This is a way for them to review that information.) After discussing how the water in the water bottles is the same water that was on the earth when the earth started I will place some pictures of the water cycle on the overhead and have the students brainstorm in their groups other ways that we could demonstrate our knowledge of the water cycle. As a class we will go over the ideas the students come up with and write them on the board. (Examples: charts, graphs, pictures, songs, poems, essays, skits, journal entries, sculptures, murals, stories, dances, etc.) (This is how integration will be seen in this lesson. Students will create a variety of projects using art (pictures, murals), math (charts, graphs), language arts (poems, essays, skits, and journal entries), music (songs), and physical education (dances).)
Explore: Students will then be given the opportunity to decide which method they want to use to explore their knowledge of the water cycle. Depending on what method the students choose they will be allowed to work in small groups (skits, etc). Students will be given time to explore various methods of portraying their knowledge of the water cycle and if time permits they will be encouraged to try more than one method.
Explain: I will have the students explain the method they choose to the rest of the class. Students will be given the opportunity to read their essays, perform their skits, sing their songs, portray their murals and sculptures, etc. Having the students present their project to the class will open up the discussion of the terms that we have studied relating to the water cycle.
As a class we will go over terms such as:
o Water cycle- which is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving.
o Evaporation- which occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor.
o Water vapor- is a gas; rises and meets with colder air
o Condensation- change in the matter of a substance to a denser phase
o Precipitation- any form of water that falls from the sky to the ground, responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the planet
o Transpiration- evaporation of water from parts of plants
o Runoff- water from rain, snowmelt or other sources that flows over a land surface
Elaborate: The students will use the terminology that we reviewed relating to the water cycle and choose a different method to portray the information. I will encourage the students to try to portray the information using another content approach (example if a student choose to write an essay the first time using a language arts approach they should try to paint a mural using an art approach, etc). Students will then have the opportunity to share those projects with the class.
Evaluate: I will know if my students have achieved the learning objectives based on the projects that they come up with. The students projects that they make should portray an accurate knowledge of the terms that we review as a class as well as a creative method of portraying the information. I will evaluate the student’s projects for accuracy, creativity, and using two different content approaches. As the students are working on their projects I will go around the classroom and hold conferences with the students giving them an opportunity to tell me what they know and for me to get an idea of what their thought process is as they work on their projects.
Plans for Individual Differences:
• Assist students in naming the various components of the water cycle if they are a learner
who needs more time.
• Write the directions on the board for students who have trouble listening.
• Place students in groups with diverse learners so they can offer different perspectives to help students see the various learning styles and everyone has something to contribute.
Sources:
▪
Water Cycle Assessment
I. Engage
a. Have students discuss if the water in the water bottle is the same water that was on the earth when the dinosaurs were
b. Brainstorm ways for students to demonstrate their knowledge of the water cycle
II. Explore
a. Students will work individually or in small groups to explore their knowledge of the water cycle based on the method they choose
III. Explain
a. Students will explain the method they choose to the class in a demonstration
b. Teacher will make sure that terms such as water cycle, evaporation, condensation, transpiration, precipitation, runoff, and water vapor are covered
IV. Elaborate
a. Students will try other methods of exploring their knowledge of the water cycle
(Encourage students to use another content approach)
V. Evaluate
a. Accurate knowledge and use of terms included in water cycle project
Assessment Strategies:
General Objectives (Cognitive):
▪ The student will grasp the concept that the water on earth is in a closed system and is being constantly recycled in the earth’s ecosystem. They will be able to describe this concept.
o This will be evaluated through the Terrarium lesson (lesson 6) when they make their own terrariums. It will be evaluated again in the final lesson through the discussion of the water in the water bottle being the same water that was on the earth when there were dinosaurs.
▪ The student will be able to describe the major elements of the water cycle; condensation, evaporation, and precipitation. They will be able to describe how these elements are interrelated and dependent upon one another.
o In the final lesson, the students are to come up with a project to describe the water cycle. In this project, they will have to use proper terminology describing the whole water cycle.
▪ The student will be able to explain how plants are connected to the water cycle through transpiration.
o In lesson 6 on transpiration, they will present their findings orally in front of the class from going outside. They will also make a terrarium showing how plants are related to the water cycle.
▪ The student will be able to describe how animals and the earth are connected to the water cycle using the terms aquifer, ground water, and absorption.
o From lesson 7:
Soil on the top of the ground is made up of tiny mineral particles, decomposing plant and animal matter, air, and water. There are tiny spaces between the particles that allow liquids and gases to pass through. Soils that allow water to pass through are called POROUS. What soils tested today were porous? Why? Gravity pulls the water through the soil. Water that is in the soil is called SOIL WATER. What part of the water cycle does this process help? This is where plants get their water from. The more porous the soil the easier the water moves through it. What soil was the least porous?
Water passes through the soil and into porous rocks below the soil. As the water passes through the soil and rocks it is filtered or cleaned. When the water reaches a solid layer of rock that is not porous, it begins to fill up the rocky area. This is called GROUNDWATER. Groundwater is where well water comes from. River and lake water also seeps into the groundwater. Eventually the groundwater ends up back in lakes and oceans. The place the groundwater is stored is called an AQUIFER. Some aquifers are found closer to the earth’s surface than others are. The teacher will use a diagram to help explain the process.
When precipitation falls too fast or hard the soil can’t soak it in it becomes runoff. As you think about the different types of soils tested today, what might be other reasons runoff could occur besides the precipitation falling too hard or fast? Runoff can also occur when the soil is already too wet or if the soil is too dry and hard. Where does runoff go? Let’s look at our diagram of the water cycle that we have been working on in this unit. Most of the runoff goes into bodies of water on the surface of the earth, ditches, and gutters. Other runoff eventually seeps into the soil and down into the groundwater. How does this process help with the continuous cycling of water? The soil soaks up the water, gravity pulls it down, water is cleaned as it slowly flows through the different layers, and the clean water ends up in the groundwater where our drinking water comes from. How does the groundwater get back to the earth’s surface? It flows into lakes and oceans. Why is this important? The continuous cycling of water keeps Earth’s water resources fresh. Cleaned water goes back into the lake and ocean to be evaporated once again.
Affective & Psychomotor Objectives:
***The final lesson is a cultivation of all of the goals in this section and all of the General and State goals***
▪ The student will develop an appreciation for the role of water in our ecosystem.
o The will show the importance of water to themselves and to life on earth in general through questions and projects throughout all the lessons. By understanding the importance of water in our ecosystem and how it relates to themselves, they will learn to appreciate it.
▪ The student will develop keen observation skills.
o The students are required to complete many experiments where they need to make observations about what is happening. This will improve their skills in this area by practicing through experiments.
▪ The student will develop an appreciation for the process of the water cycle and will be able to identify specific examples of the water cycle taking place in the world around them.
o In many of the lessons, the students are required to brainstorm, coming up with where they would find the different concepts presented in the lesson.
State Objectives:
MI Benchmarks:
II.1.el.1: Develop an awareness of the need for evidence in making decisions scientifically
o The students will do experiments and make observations in many of the lessons in this unit. This will encourage students to find evidence to back up what is being taught and their own views on the concepts being taught.
II.1.el.4: Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world
o The students will discover more about the water cycle, which is part of the natural world, and be able to demonstrate how it relates to themselves as well as the world around them and the survival of life on earth.
IV.2.el.1: Describe common physical changes in matter- size, shape, melting, freezing (K-2); dissolving, evaporating (3-5)
o Students will show the change in water from gas to liquid (or liquid to gas) in the condensation, transpiration, evaporation, precipitation, and final evaluation lesson.
V.2.el.2: Trace the path that rain water follows after it falls
o The students will learn this and demonstrate it in steps through all of the lessons, and then in whole in the final lesson through the project they complete.
V.2.el.3: Identify sources of water and its uses
o In the precipitation lesson, the students will be able to name the different types of precipitation and the benefits and problems of these. They will also see through other lessons that water can come from oceans, condensation, etc. In each of the lessons, the students are asked in some way the importance of it, which will demonstrate some uses for water in each of the contexts.
Local Objectives:
KC4 (Kent County Collaborative Core Curriculum)
5:3 TLW investigate various forms and movement of water on the earth’s surface including the Great Lakes region.
o This local objective is evaluated in each of the eight lessons. They all evaluate some part of the movement or forms of water, including evaporation, precipitation, gas, solid, liquid, etc. These assessments are given in the TLW statements throughout the individual lesson objectives.
Individual Lesson Objectives:
Lesson 1: Where on Earth is Water Found?
TLW tell the three states of water and give an example where each is found on earth
o The stations in lesson 1 cover the different types of water and where it is found on earth. On the handout for each station, the student is to circle the state that water is in, which will help them understand the three states as well as discover where each of the states are found. By evaluating the answers on the handouts, the teacher will be able to assess if the student understand this concept.
TLW demonstrate that water moves from place to place
o Students will be given five minutes to respond to the question: using the information and proper terms you learned, explain how it is possible that the water from the dinosaur age could still be around today. If the student is able to answer this question, they will demonstrate water moves place to place and therefore is the same water we have always had on earth.
Lesson 2: Where does the Water Go?: Evaporation
TLW be able to explain the process of evaporation
o I will have the students get into partners and talk about their experiments using the water dishes, hairdryer, and other methods that they tried to make the evaporation process take place quicker. (Another option is to have the students form small groups and then exchange members from their groups to another group and explain what they did.) Then, as a whole class we will talk about what the students discussed in their partners or small groups. We will record the observations on the board about our experiments and talk about what happened and why we think it happened that way. We will also revisit the answers that we wrote down early about why wet clothes go into a dryer wet and come out dry and see if we still agree with what we wrote down and why.
Terms that we will focus on are:
o Evaporation- which occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor
o Water vapor- is a gas; rises and meets with colder air
o Water cycle- which is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving.
TLW describe the process of the water cycle
o Then students will be given a chance to draw a picture that portrays the water cycle, specifically focusing on evaporation based on their observations of their experiments. We will compile all the students’ pictures into a big book for students to look through. For students that prefer not to draw pictures they will be allowed to write a small book using the terms we studied and the information they recorded from their observations on the experiments.
Lesson 3: Where does that Water come from? Lesson in Condensation
TLW describe what condensation is
o Have students, in their groups, discuss with each other what condensation is and how it happens. While they are discussing, one of the students should be writing down their thoughts on a sheet of paper with all their names on it to turn in when they are finished.
TLW describe where condensation comes from and how it happens
o Have students, in their groups, discuss with each other what condensation is and how it happens. While they are discussing, one of the students should be writing down their thoughts on a sheet of paper with all their names on it to turn in when they are finished.
TLW identify the relationship between temperature and the amount of water vapor in the air
o Have the students draw a bar graph of every minute with the temperature on the y-axis and the minutes on the x-axis. Tell them to draw a line across the graph at the temperature where condensation took place and water droplets formed. Then have the students color coordinate their bars into two colors. One color of bars should be those that fall above the line (or simply the temperature where condensation had not occurred yet) and the other color should be those bars that are below the line (where condensation was occurring).
Lesson 4: Cloud Formation
TLW be able to describe the cloud formation process
o Have the students individually write a one page paper (grammatically and structurally correct) describing the cloud formation in the water cycle. Write words on the board they must use in the paper, let them know they may include more, but not less. Examples of words you may want to put on the board: evaporation, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, etc. Make sure the words you use have been covered well enough in class for the students to be able to recognize them.
TLW be able to use proper terms when describing cloud formation (evaporation, condensation, water vapor, etc.)
o Have the students individually write a one page paper (grammatically and structurally correct) describing the cloud formation in the water cycle. Write words on the board they must use in the paper, let them know they may include more, but not less. Examples of words you may want to put on the board: evaporation, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, etc. Make sure the words you use have been covered well enough in class for the students to be able to recognize them.
Lesson 5: Precipitation
TLW be able to explain why precipitation occurs.
o The teacher will be able to see if the student understands this concept by the answers to question 2 on the worksheet, “What is rain formed from?” and through notes made about questions the students answer and statements they make throughout the lesson.
TLW be able to name different types of precipitation.
o The first question on the worksheet the students are to complete after the lesson asks “Name at least three types of precipitation.” Student answers to this question will allow the teacher to know if they understand the names of the various types.
Lesson 6: Pop Bottle Terrarium: A Lesson in Transpiration
TLW describe what transpiration is and how it works
o Have the students present their thoughts and observations in their groups in front of the class. Encourage them to share what they know about plants and what they think the grass was doing inside the container. Explain to the students that the same thing is happening inside of the terrarium that you have built. Then explain the process of transpiration using a diagram on the board. Build on the fact that the students have prior knowledge of evaporation and explain how transpiration is this same process, simply through plants. Ask the students why they think you have not needed to water the plant in the terrarium yet? Then explain that the water collects in droplets on the sides where it has condensed where it goes back into the soil to get recycled by the plant again.
TLW describe the movement of a water molecule within the Terrarium, and therefore be able to explain that same movement in the atmosphere
o Have the students write in a journal their observations each day of their terrarium. At the end of their observation time the students must describe the journey of a water molecule within their terrarium, using the words and concepts that they have now learned. They may even draw out the life of a droplet in a story but they need to be sure to highlight the key concepts as they go along (write them on the side next to the picture).
Lesson 7: Soak It Up: Infiltration
TLW illustrate how infiltration is a part of the water cycle using proper labels
o Take a few minutes to label your water cycle diagram with the new information learned today. Use the scientific names listed on the board.
TLW identify soils that are more porous and less porous
o Soil on the top of the ground is made up of tiny mineral particles, decomposing plant and animal matter, air, and water. There are tiny spaces between the particles that allow liquids and gases to pass through. Soils that allow water to pass through are called POROUS. What soils tested today were porous? Why? Gravity pulls the water through the soil. Water that is in the soil is called SOIL WATER. What part of the water cycle does this process help? This is where plants get their water from. The more porous the soil the easier the water moves through it. What soil was the least porous?
TLW explain how types of soil effect the flow of water
o Then answer these questions on the lined paper at your table: Where did the water in soil come from? How does the type of soil affect how the water gets into the ground? Where does the water in soil go? Why is this important? What would happen if the infiltration system was not a part of the water cycle?
TLW describe the importance of groundwater to all living things
o Then answer these questions on the lined paper at your table: Where did the water in soil come from? How does the type of soil affect how the water gets into the ground? Where does the water in soil go? Why is this important? What would happen if the infiltration system was not a part of the water cycle?
o
Lesson 8: The Life of a Drop of Water: Assessment
TLW describe the process of the water cycle
o I will have the students explain the method they choose to the rest of the class. Students will be given the opportunity to read their essays, perform their skits, sing their songs, portray their murals and sculptures, etc. Having the students present their project to the class will open up the discussion of the terms that we have studied relating to the water cycle.
As a class we will go over terms such as:
o Water cycle – which is a necessary part of the survival of life on earth. It keeps our water resources fresh because it’s continuously moving.
o Evaporation – which occurs when the heat of the sun hits the surface of the water turning the liquid water into a gas called water vapor.
o Water vapor – is a gas; rises and meets with colder air
o Condensation – change in the matter of a substance to a denser phase
o Precipitation – any form of water that falls from the sky to the ground, responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the planet
o Transpiration – evaporation of water from parts of plants
o Runoff – water from rain, snowmelt or other sources that flows over a land surface
TLW relate the water cycle to their daily life
o This will be seen through the various projects the students do and through the explanation of the water cycle. When the students do their projects in the different content areas, they will show how it can relate to other subjects. Also, through the explanation of the water cycle, they will show the relation to their daily lives by discussing how it affects the survival of life on earth.
TLW use a multi sensory approach to portray the information of the water cycle
o I will know if my students have achieved the learning objectives based on the projects that they come up with. The students projects that they make should portray an accurate knowledge of the terms that we review as a class as well as a creative method of portraying the information. I will evaluate the student’s projects for accuracy, creativity, and using two different content approaches. As the students are working on their projects I will go around the classroom and hold conferences with the students giving them an opportunity to tell me what they know and for me to get an idea of what their thought process is as they work on their projects.
TLW integrate the water cycle with other content areas
o The students will use the terminology that we reviewed relating to the water cycle and choose a different method to portray the information. I will encourage the students to try to portray the information using another content approach (example if a student choose to write an essay the first time using a language arts approach they should try to paint a mural using an art approach, etc). Students will then have the opportunity to share those projects with the class.
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