LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Weathering the water cycle: Precipitation

Students will learn that precipitation is one of the three stages of the water cycle and how it relates to the other stages.

A lesson plan for grades 2 and 5 Science

By Cathie Hill, Jackie Parker, and Karen Neilson

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  • Water and Weather: From just looking at cloud formations to building a weather station, this sampling of resources help students learn all about climate, weather, and the water cycle.
  • Catawba Science Center: Students will enjoy visiting the Catawba Science Center, a hands-on museum, where learning is fun!
  • Horizons Unlimited: This wonderful education center and museum provides hands-on programs for students in the areas of history and the physical and biological sciences.

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

  • Gain an understanding of the different types of precipitation through an online precipitation scavenger hunt.
  • Construct a rain gauge.
  • Gather and graph measurements of rainfall.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

3 weeks

Materials/resources

  • instructions for constructing a rain gauge (for each student)
  • rainfall data collection worksheet (for each student)
  • precipitation grading rubric
  • books on precipitation:
    • What Makes It Rain? by K. Brendt ISBN # 0893755834 Pub: Troll Communications
    • Why Does It Rain? by Marian B. Jacobs ISBN# 0823952738 Pub: Rosen Publishing Group
  • video or book: The Magic School Bus Kicks Up A Storm ISBN# 0439102758 Pub: Scholastic Trade

Technology resources

  • computer(s)
  • internet access
  • software for creating spreadsheets and graphs

Pre-activities

The teacher will initiate a class discussion on the different types of precipitation and their causes. Students will discuss what they know about precipitation, and what they want to learn. The teacher can read one of the books about precipitation or show the video.

Activities

Activity 1 should be completed at the beginning of the unit.

Activity 2 should be started at the beginning of the unit and tracked throughout the duration of the unit.

  1. Students will construct a rain gauge following the instructions on the handout.
  2. Students will take the rain gauges and home and record the amount of rainfall each day for two weeks. This should be part of their daily homework. The differing amounts could be briefly compared daily.
  3. Students will complete the online precipitation scavenger hunt. Students may print out their completed hunt as a measure of assessment.
  4. At the end of the two week measuring period, students will use the data they collected to create a spreadsheet on the computer. After completing the spreadsheet, the students will then convert the spreadsheet into a graph.

Assessment

The teacher will use the rubric to assess the students based on the completion of the data collection activity, the spreadsheet/graph, and the completed scavenger hunt.

Supplemental information

Attachments:

The teacher should have a previous knowledge of creating spreadsheets and graphs on the computer.

Comments

The spreadsheet activity could be completed in a multi-computer lab or the data could be compiled/totaled to create a single spreadsheet/graph on a single computer.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 2

  • Goal 2: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate tools to build an understanding of the changes in weather.
    • Objective 2.03: Describe weather using quantitative measures of:
      • Temperature.
      • Wind direction.
      • Wind speed.
      • Precipitation.
    • Objective 2.04: Identify and use common tools to measure weather:
      • Wind vane and anemometer.
      • Thermometer.
      • Rain gauge.

Grade 5

  • Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and use appropriate technology to build an understanding of weather and climate.
    • Objective 3.01: Investigate the water cycle including the processes of:
      • Evaporation.
      • Condensation.
      • Precipitation.
      • Run-off.
    • Objective 3.02: Discuss and determine how the following are affected by predictable patterns of weather:
      • Temperature.
      • Wind direction and speed.
      • Precipitation.
      • Cloud cover.
      • Air pressure.