Browse lesson plans

Coastal processes and conflicts: North Carolina's Outer Banks

The lessons in this unit allow students to explore the processes affecting North Carolina's Outer Banks and the impact these processes have on daily life there.

Format: lesson plan (multiple pages)

Development and flooding: Is there a connection?

In this lesson, students will take their knowledge about the hydrosphere and apply it to the issue of population growth and development. In particular, students will learn how increasing development in eastern North Carolina may have worsened the effects of flooding from Hurricane Floyd due to lack of soil and tree absorption of run-off. Students will create their own development plans for North Carolina in small groups, explaining how their plan will benefit North Carolina’s water resources and environment.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)

More than just a rainy day: The water cycle

Students will identify water sources in the school environment in order to understand the origins of our water and to gain perspective about the students' place in the water cycle. Students will learn about the water cycle using a variety of resources and discover connections between the water cycle and the water that they use every day.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Development and Science)

By Kelly This and Leigh Thrower.

Observing the water cycle

Initially, students will observe a demonstration of the water cycle and apply the information gained through the demonstration. Then students will measure and graph rainfall for two weeks.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 and 5 Mathematics and Science)

By Priscilla Nutt.

Rising tides: Climate change and the sea

This lesson plan uses videos, NASA visualizations, and digital map projections to help students understand the connection between climate change and sea level rise. The lesson draws on the "Climate Refugees" story on the Powering a Nation website, and includes independent research and inquiry activities that allow students to explore sea level changes in North Carolina and around the world.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Science)

By Linda Schmalbeck.

Round and Round It Goes; Water, Where It Stops Nobody Knows

This experimental lab lesson will show the process of the hydrological cycle as it relates to the earth's atmosphere by showing three different scenarios.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 English Language Arts and Science)

By Mark Clinkscales and Carrie Palmer.

Water cycle word study

Students will look at the written similarities in the words used to describe the water cycle (ex., evaporation, transpiration, precipitation, accumulation, condensation), focusing on suffixes and prefixes as a way to gain understanding of those terms. Students will group words by meaning and label a blank water cycle chart based on the categories for the groupings they create. This lesson is designed in conjunction with “More than just a rainy day—the water cycle.”

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Science)

By Kelly This and Leigh Thrower.

Weathering the water cycle: Conclusion

This lesson concludes the unit "Weathering the Water Cycle." As a result of this unit, students will understand that the water cycle is a continuous cycle made up of three stages. The other lessons in this series include lessons on evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Format: lesson plan

By Cathie Hill, Jackie Parker, and Karen Neilson.

Weathering the water cycle: Condensation

This lesson introduces students to condensation as one phase of the water cycle. Through the use of the four lessons in this series students will learn that the water cycle is a continuous cycle. The other lessons in this series include lessons on evaporation and precipitation as well as a conclusion.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Science)

By Cathie Hill, Jackie Parker, and Karen Neilson.

Weathering the water cycle: Evaporation

Students will learn that evaporation is one of the three stages of the water cycle. The other lessons in this series include lessons on condensation and precipitation as well as a conclusion.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–3 Science)

By Cathie Hill, Jackie Parker, and Karen Neilson.

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. The other lessons in this series include lessons on evaporation and condensation as well as a conclusion.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 and 5 Mathematics and Science)

By Cathie Hill, Jackie Parker, and Karen Neilson.

Resources on the web

Rain, ice, steam: Using reading to support inquiry about the water cycle

This unit of study allows students to discover the repetitive cycle of water. Read-alouds introduce the topic of rain and hands-on experiments and classroom centers teach students about the water cycle and how it functions. After introducing the topic of... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 English Language Arts and Science)

Provided by: ReadWriteThink