The Water Cycle

Introduction

Water is the most important liquid on Earth. It covers almost 75 percent of Earth’s surface in the form of oceans, rivers, and lakes. All plants and animals need water to live.

The most important source of water is rain. Other sources of water are surface water (oceans, seas, lakes, ponds, rivers) and groundwater (wells, springs, etc). 

Water is constantly moving as it travels through the water cycle. It works kind of like a recycling program. Evaporation occurs when water that is already on the earth is heated by the sun, changing it from a liquid to a gas known as water vapour. As the water evaporates, it rises into the air where it cools and gathers into clouds. This step is called condensation. Condensation occurs when water changes from a gas back into a liquid. After water condenses, the next step of the water cycle is precipitation. This happens when water falls back to the earth.

See the source image

Task

By the end of this web quest,  you should be able to:

  • From observation, identify the sun as the main source that drives the water cycle.

  • Illustrate the water cycle, and explain the process at each stage ( evaporation, condensation, precipitation).

  • State how the water cycle affects your life, based on experiences.

Process

1. Each student will be given enough time to study the lesson to be able to provide answers asked in the task section.  In this web quest titled "The Water Cycle", each student has to:

Watch a video and create a model of the water cycle in a bag. "See the water cycle in a bag". 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZB44_X0pFw

For this activity, you will need: permanent marker, water, tape, ziploc bags, blue food colouring, kettle. 

 

2. Answer the following questions in the Google Classroom. The Classroom Code is g7grd4s. 

  • What did you learn about the water cycle from the experiment?

  • Why is the sun so important to the water cycle?

  • How does the water cycle influence your life?

  • How have you seen the water cycle in action in your life?

  • Which step of the water cycle is currently happening outside? How can you tell?

 

3. Play The Water Cycle Multiple Choice Quiz Game

 https://www.twinkl.com/go/resource/water-cycle-multiple-choice-quick-quiz-tg-328-newlink

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWb4KlM2vts

 

4. Test Yourself

https://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-climate/water-cycle.htm

5.  Imagine a month that any process of the water cycle ceases and write a story about what they believe would happen.

Evaluation

Evaluation Rubric for "The Month Without  Water Cycle " story

Creativity (5 marks)

Are the ideas and concepts imaginative and original?

Is there evidence of creative storytelling, such as unexpected twists or imaginative descriptions?

 

Coherence and Structure ( 3marks)

Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end?

 

Character Development (1  mark)

 

Are the characters well-defined and believable?

 

Theme and Message ( 1 mark)

Does the story convey a clear theme or message about the significance of the water cycle? 

 

Total: 10 marks

 

 

Conclusion

Congratulations for finishing this WebQuest!

The student discovered during and after completing this WebQuest that the water cycle entails constant water circulation in the Earth-atmosphere system. The five key stages of the water cycle—evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and runoff—are the most crucial.  The lessons allow students to comprehend the value of water itself, how to conserve it, and how water impacts our daily life. Without water, neither humanity nor the planet could exist.

Credits

References

Twinkl.com. (n.d.). https://www.twinkl.com/go/resource/water-cycle-multiple-choice-quick-qu…

Weather and the water cycle: Studyjams! science. Scholastic.com. (n.d.). https://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/weather-and-cli…

YouTube. (2020, April 3). Try this: See the water cycle in a bag | #SMOatHome. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZB44_X0pFw

YouTube. (2015, January 27). Water cycle song. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWb4KlM2vts

 

 

Teacher Page

Subject: Science

Grade: 4

Duration: 60 minutes 

Term: 3

Strand/Theme: Living things, Life Processes and the Environment

Unit: Water and Air 

Topic: The water cycle

Focus Question: What is water and why is it important to life?

Attainment Target:  Recognize the variety of living things, their interdependence, and their inter-relationship with the environment.

Objectives: At the end of the lesson students in grade 4 should be able to:

  • From observation, identify the sun as the main source that drives the water cycle.

  • Illustrate the water cycle, and explain the process at each stage ( evaporation, condensation, precipitation) in groups.

  • State how the water cycle affects their life, based on experiences. 

 

Materials/ Resources: laptop, projector, permanent marker, water, tape, ziploc bags, blue food colouring, kettle, Water Cycle Video https://youtu.be/l-OHCgsm9_E, water cycle label chart



 

Key Vocabulary: property, evaporation, condensation, collection, precipitation, stream, reservoir, river, pond, lake, ocean, sea, water vapour.

Skills:

  •  Identify, illustrate and explain  parts of the water cycle.

  • Demonstrate the process of the water cycle