Objective

SWBAT describe the processes that take place during the water cycle.

Big Idea

Students will investigate how water changes from one form to another during the water cycle.

Lesson Overview
5e Lesson Plan Model

Many of my science lessons are based upon and taught using the 5E lesson plan model: Engage,
Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. This lesson plan model allows me to incorporate a
variety of learning opportunities and strategies for students.  With multiple learning experiences,
students can gain new ideas, demonstrate thinking, draw conclusions, develop critical thinking
skills, and interact with peers through discussions and hands-on activities.  With each stage in
this lesson model, I select strategies that will serve students best for the concepts and content
being delivered to them.  These strategies were selected for this lesson to facilitate peer
discussions, participation in a group activity, reflective learning practices, and accountability for
learning.

Unit Focus  

The Water on Earth Unit focuses on the interaction of the hydrosphere with other Earth systems
including the geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. Through models, investigations, research,
graphing, and multimedia, students learn that the amount of water on Earth never changes and
the amount available for human consumption is small. They identify and calculate the
distribution of water sources on Earth, distinguish the properties of various forms of water, and
recognize the cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere. 

Lesson Synopsis

Part 1- The Water Cycle, begins with an open ended question about the age of the water in a cup.
I have students use whiteboards to write justified predictions. I don't answer this question as they
will discover the answer between today's and tomorrow's lessons. The lesson continues with the
class taking part in a water cycle play. This play describes each phase of the water cycle and
brings the concept to life.  After reading the play, we have a guided discussion about each
process mentioned in the play and students note each one in a circle graphic organizer. I move on
to further explain evaporation and condensation and have students complete two activities to
observe each one in real life. I make a point to connect their investigations back to the water
cycle. Once we have identified the processes, I have students complete an exit ticket to show me
their understanding. I collect this and use it as a formative assessment.

 
Next Generation Science Standards  

This lesson will address and support future lessons on the following NGSS Standard(s):

5-ESS2.1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, hydrosphere, and
atmosphere interact.

Scientific & Engineering Practices

Students are engaged in the following scientific and engineering practices:

3.) Planning and Carrying Out an Investigation- Students conduct investigations on evaporation
and condensation to produce evidence to explain how water changes from liquid to a gas and a
gas to a liquid.

8.) Obtaining and Communicating Information- Students obtain and combine information about
the processes that take place during the water cycle from a play. They use the information within
the play to describe each process water travels.

Crosscutting Concepts

Part 1- The Water Cycle  lesson will correlate to other interdisciplinary areas.  These
Crosscutting Concepts include:

4.) Systems and System Models- Students read a play to understand how water moves through
the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. They can describe each part of the cycle
and how water changes and interacts as it moves through each part.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Disciplinary Core Ideas within this lesson include:

ESS2.C:  The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes

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Importance of Modeling to Develop Student

Responsibility, Accountability, and Independence 

Depending upon the time of year, this lesson is taught, teachers should consider modeling how
groups should work together; establish group norms for activities, class discussions, and partner
talks.  In addition, it is important to model think aloud strategies.  This sets up students to be
more expressive and develop thinking skills during an activity.  The first half of the year, I model
what group work and/or talks “look like and sound like.”  I intervene the moment students are off
task with reminders and redirection.  By the second and last half of the year, I am able to ask
students, “Who can give of three reminders for group activities to be successful?” Who can tell
us two reminders for partner talks?”  Students take responsibility for becoming successful
learners.  Again before teaching this lesson, consider the time of year, it may be necessary to do
a lot of front loading to get students to eventually become more independent and transition
through the lessons in a timely manner.

COLLAPSE

Engage
10 minutes

Sparking Curiosity

I begin by holding up a glass of water and asking students: "How old do you think this water is?"
(This is just a glass of water from the faucet. While I am not necessarily looking for the age of
the water, I want to get them to understand that water on Earth is constantly recycled and this
cup of water is the same water from millions of years ago. This idea will come to light at the end
of tomorrow's lesson when we figure out how water cycles through Earth's systems.)

I wait a few seconds to let students think about a possible answer. After noticing several hands
up, I have them write their ideas in their notebook. Then I ask each group of students to do a turn
and talk with their group. 

After some time, I reconvene the class as a whole and let each group shares their predictions out
loud.  As part of their share, I ask them to provide a reason for their prediction.  I want them to
be in the habit of justifying their thinking.

Once each group shares, I tell them their task is to find out the age of this water and come up
with an answer at the end of tomorrow's lesson. One way to help us find this out is to find out
how water moves through Earth's systems.

write their idea

a possible answer

provide a reason
EXPAND
Explore
10 minutes

Exploring How Water Moves THrough Earth's Systems

I display the term Water Cycle on the board. I break down the word into two parts: water and
cycle . I ask students to think of what they know about each word to help us develop a meaning.
We identify water as a liquid substance on Earth.  I elaborate a little on this by sharing with them
it is a form of matter (at the time of this lesson, I have not taught my unit on matter). We then
discuss the word cycle.  From our discussion, I define the term on the board. I do this to support
their use of academic vocabulary, especially for my English Language Learners and Special
Educations students.

water cycle: The repeated movement of water through the environment in different forms.  

Preparing for The Water Cycle Play

With the term displayed on the board, I explain to students that we are reading a play about the
water cycle process. I assign each table a role in the play. I hand out props to create visual replica
of the role they are portraying.

There are enough roles for all students to have a part.

● Sun                          ● Ocean water drop 1       ● Ocean water drop 2 

● Ocean water drop 3   ● Ocean water drop 4       ● Water vapor 1 

● Water vapor 2          ● Cloud Snowflake 1         ● Snowflake 2 

● Glacier ice 1          ● Glacier ice 2                   ● Stream water 1 

● Stream water 2         ● River water 1                 ● River water 2 

● Reservoir water 1      ● Reservoir water 2           ● Tap water 1

● Tap water 2            ● Water in drain pipe (2 students) 

● Sewage processing plant (2 students)

I selected this play because it provides an interactive way of learning. The roles within the play
connect back to the sources of water the students learned about earlier in the unit. The water
cycle can be a complicated process with the many forms water can take and places water can
travel.  In addition, this play benefits students who have limited science background, as many of
mine do.  By bringing the water cycle to life, students can visually see and hear the process
which helps construct a deeper meaning. 

Bringing the Water Cycle to Life

I hand out the script and explain, "when it is your part, please stand up,hold your prop (If you
have one) and read the line of your assigned role  to the class."  I emphasize to them that they are
acting and need to become the role. (They have studied plays in ELA and understand what I
mean by this.) To allow students to understand their roles, I give them 2 minutes to scan through
the play.

Once all groups appear ready, we begin.  I assume the role of the Sun/narrator to keep the flow
of play and clarify along the way if necessary. 

become the role

bringing the water cycle to life

a role in the play

think of what they know

develop a meaning

they are acting

EXPAND

Explain
20 minutes

After reading through the water cycle play, I instruct students to take out their interactive
notebook. I have them paste in a circle graphic organizer. As we discuss and define each part of
the water cycle, I have them write down details about the process. 

Guided Discussion-The Process of Water Cycle

With our notebooks set up, I explain to students that we are going to think about all the
interactions that took place in the water cycle play and describe them in our notebook. They are
creating an illustration and writing a description in each box that correlates to the processes.  I
continue saying, "you can create your illustrations in your own way as we write the details to
explain what is going on."  
Then, I project a water cycle chart displaying a replica of the process. I keep this posted as a
reference point for students as we sequence the steps.

I ask students to think back to the beginning of our play and to find where the water droplet
underwent changes. The first change is when the water droplet changed into water vapor through
the process of evaporation.  I ask students to think about what caused the water to change from
liquid to vapor. With context clues in the play, the sun's heat energy is identified as the cause for
the change from liquid to vapor. I explain that heat from the sun causes the water molecules to
move faster and further apart changing them into vapor. To make this concrete, I use a computer
simulation to further explain. At this point I only click on vapor and have it explain this process.
It also ties in how water from plants is evaporated out of its leaves through the process of
transpiration. I have them note the term evaporation and transpiration in their notebook

 evaporation-when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into
vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the
air as a gas.

 transpiration-the process by which water evaporates out of plants leaves

Next, students locate the next change in the play. This is when the the water vapor condensed
into a cloud.  I explain that when the warm vapor meets the cooler air, the vapor changes back
into liquid droplets. The cool air slows the water molecules down and they begin to stick
together, forming liquid.  I share that this process is called condensation. Again to make this
concrete, I use the computer simulation to further define. I define it on the board and have
students write it in their notebook. 
  condensation- As warm water vapor in the clouds cools down it becomes liquid water
again.

We move on to defining the remaining processes. I continue explaining and illustrating

precipitation, runoff, and infiltration. 

 precipitation- Water falls from the sky in the form of rain, snow, hail, or sleet

 runoff- Precipitation runs off the surface of the land, and flows downhill into streams,
rivers, ponds and lakes.

 infiltration happens when water soaks into the soil from the ground level. It moves
underground and moves between the soil and rocks. 

write down details

circle graphic organizer

writing a description
EXPAND

Elaborate
15 minutes
Pre-Teaching Water Cycle Processes

Investigating Evaporation and Condensation

Since evaporation and condensation are new concepts for students, I decide to help them develop
a better sense about each one by engaging them in two investigations.   

I begin asking: "Have you ever left a glass of water out and came back to it the next day and
realized it was gone? Or how about after leaving your glass out for awhile, you begin to notice
water on the outside of it, yet the cup does not have a whole in it. What you have noticed are
examples of evaporation and condensation."  I tell them we are setting up a model to observe
how these processes work.

Evaporation Investigation
I set up a demonstration to show students how heat causes water to evaporate and change from a
liquid into a gas.  I have students circle around a table with their interactive notebook, where I
use a hot plate and pan to boil water. As the water boils, I ask students to make observations and
record these in their notebook. We talk about what is happening to the water as it is heated. I ask
them:

 what is happening to the water? (Students should observe water is bubbling more and
faster as it is heated and steam appears to be rising from the pan.)
 How is it changing? (The water is changing from a liquid to a gas)
 Where is it going? (The water is in the air as vapor or gas)

After my demonstration, I share that boiling water was one way to make water evaporate. I
explain that evaporation is a natural process within Earth's hydrosphere. And that evaporation
changes liquid water into a gas, is a slow process.

Condensation Investigation

For this investigation, students set up two cups, one with ice and red water, the other with room
temperature red water only. I explain that we are using red water so when it is time make an
observation, we can clearly identify the water we originally used.

While they wait a few minutes, I have students draw a model of their two containers in their
interactive notebook. After a few minutes, I have students make observations and record them in
their notebook and add any details to their models.

I engage them in a brief discussion on their observations by asking them relevant questions to
elicit critical thinking skills.

 What do you notice about the outside of the cups? (I want them to recognize the outside
water droplets are clear and the water is red.  I guide them in recognizing that the water
on the outside is not the same water as the inside of the container.) 
  Is there a difference between the results of the ice water cup and room temperature cup?
Explain why the results were different. 

 As they share their observations, I explain that the water on the outside of the icy cup came from
the water vapor in the air, not the water in the cup. I remind them the water in the cup is red and
the water on the outside of the cup is clear. I continue, "Water vapor in the air is warm and
changed into a liquid because it came in contact with the cold glass. This is how condensation
takes place, warm water vapor comes in contact with a surface that is colder than the surrounding
area. The cold ice water is the cold surface area that the warm water vapor comes in contact with
causing it to change or condense.

Connecting Evaporation and Condensation to the Water Cycle

I connect their observations to the water cycle by pointing out that when water is heated over a
period of time, it will change into a vapor through the evaporation processes. The heat causes the
liquid water molecules to move far apart and eventually become light enough to rise into the air
as gas. I explain that the atmosphere holds this vapor until it condenses back into a liquid.  That
is when vapor changes back into liquid, through condensation. The vapor condenses into tiny
liquid droplets and forms a cloud, and when the clouds are too filled with condensed water, they
are released back to the Earth by precipitation. 

water on the outside of the icy cup

what is happening

their observations

demonstration to show students

hot plate
what is happening to the water as it is heated
EXPAND

Exit
5 minutes

Checking for Understanding

After identifying and defining the processes of the water cycle, I hand out an exit ticket. This exit
ticket has students analyzing a blank diagram of the water cycle. Their task is to label each arrow
with a process that arrow is illustrating. Then, theyuse the diagram to answer questions about it.

I collect this at the end of class and use it as a formative assessment.