Objective:

Students will be able to observe the water cycle and understand how water moves through living and nonliving objects on earth.

Background:

The Water Cycle  is the journey water takes as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again.

The Sun's heat provides energy to evaporate water from the Earth's surface (oceans, lakes, etc.). Plants also lose water to the air (this is called transpiration). The water vapor eventually condenses, forming tiny droplets in clouds. When the clouds meet cool air over land, precipitation (rain, sleet, or snow) is triggered, and water returns to the land (or sea). Some of the precipitation soaks into the ground. Some of the underground water is trapped between rock or clay layers; this is called groundwater. But most of the water flows downhill as runoff (above ground or underground), eventually returning to the seas as slightly salty water.

Activity: Today you will be water molecules that will be followed for a brief period of time. You will go in the oceans, lakes, glaciers, soil, atmosphere, rivers, plants, or groundwater. Your movement will be determined by rolling the number cube and the action that matches the numbers posted in that station. Have a great time on your water molecule journey! Make sure you fill out your score card along your journey and be prepared to write a story about your journey as a water molecule.