Objective
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand the water cycle and its different stages.
Materials and Prep
- Water
- Small containers or cups
- Plastic wrap
- Rubber bands
- Marker
- Scissors
- Sunlight
Prior knowledge required: Basic understanding of water and its different forms (solid, liquid, gas).
Activities
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Introduction to the Water Cycle
Start by explaining that the water cycle is the continuous movement of water on Earth. Draw a simple diagram of the water cycle on a piece of paper, labeling the different stages (evaporation, condensation, precipitation).
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Evaporation Experiment
Fill a small container or cup with water and place it in a sunny spot. Cover the container with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band. Leave it for a few hours. Observe what happens to the water.
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Condensation Experiment
After the evaporation experiment, remove the plastic wrap from the container. Ask the student to touch the inside of the plastic wrap. Explain that the water vapor from the evaporation condensed on the plastic wrap, forming droplets of water.
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Precipitation Experiment
Cut out a cloud shape from the plastic wrap. Fill another small container or cup with water. Hold the cloud shape above the container and let the water droplets fall through the holes in the cloud. This represents precipitation.
First Grade Talking Points
- "Water can be found in many places on Earth, like oceans, lakes, and rivers."
- "When the sun shines on water, it causes it to change into a gas called water vapor. This is called evaporation."
- "When water vapor cools down, it turns back into liquid water. This is called condensation."
- "Condensed water droplets form clouds in the sky."
- "When the clouds get heavy with water droplets, they fall to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. This is called precipitation."
- "The water cycle is a continuous process, where water evaporates, condenses, and falls back to Earth as precipitation."