The water cycle

http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=393

A lesson plan for Grade 5 Science

Provider: American Association for the Advancement of Science

About this resource

Appropriate grades

5

Subjects

science (environmental science), thinking skills (higher order thinking, information literacy, research skills, visual literacy)

Provider

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Legal

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The purpose of this lesson is to help students understand the continuous cycle that water undergoes as it changes form. Students build upon their previous investigations of water and its different forms by learning about the water cycle and its continuous flow. This lesson furthers what students know about the connection between liquid and solid forms of water, in addition to helping them recognize that water can also be a gas. After reviewing what students know about the different forms of water, the teacher challenges them to answer questions from the e-sheet using web resources provided by Science NetLinks. Then, students work in collaborative groups to create a model of a water cycle and discuss their findings. Finally, students create drawings that depict the water cycle and explain the process to their classmates. Science NetLinks provides links to student handouts and web resources, as well as optional enrichment activities, the EPA’s “Water Sourcebook Series” website, and the Franklin Institute's “Water in the City” webpage.