Water Cycle Unit, Objectives and Scope

Title – Water Cycle Unit, Objectives and Scope
By – Kristy Brooten
Primary Subject – Science
Secondary Subjects – Math, Social Studies
Grade Level – 4
The Water Cycle Unit Contents:

• Objectives and Scope for the Unit
• Lesson 1 – Motivation Activity
• Lesson 2 – Evaporation Part A
• Lesson 3 – Evaporation Part B
• Lesson 4 – Cloud Formation
• Lesson 5 – Precipitation
• Supplementary Materials
• Culminating Activity
• Assessment (plus Sources)

The Water Cycle
A Unit for Fourth Grade Science

Kristy Brooten
11/30/00

*Please Note: This unit contains religious themes that may not be appropriate for public school instruction. However, much of the unit can be taught without including these themes. These sections would be appropriate for private schools.

Unit objectives

TSWBAT explain and demonstrate that water vapor moves between the earth’s surface and its atmosphere in a continuous cycle
TSW acknowledge and praise God as the Sustainer of the earth
TSW value the work of experimentation as a scientist
TSWBAT communicate the processes of the water cycle
TSWBAT infer what variables affect the processes of the water cycle
TSWBAT experiment and investigate the processes of the water cycle

Content scope and sequence
C1 – Water droplets collect in water sources and evaporate into the air (affected by heat, surface area, air movement and water purity), becoming water vapor
          A1 – Wet blackboard: where does the water go? How can we make it disappear into the air (evaporate) faster?
          A2 – Two wet sponges: placing one in sunlight/over heating vent and one in cool, shaded area, predict which one will dry out more quickly and test it out
          A3a – Two dishes of water, both containing same amount of water: predict which will evaporate more quickly, shallow or deeper dish, and try it out
          A3b – In another dish of water, mix food coloring in with water. Will food coloring evaporate? Check back when water has evaporated – debris in water does not evaporate with water.
          A4 – Closure activity: given a variety of objects which can be used to affect rate of evaporation, group of students tries to find fastest way to evaporate designated amount of water

C2 – Water vapor separates into droplets in cold air, forming clouds, in condensation
          A1 – Two bottles of water, one cold and one room temperature: hypothesize in small groups why this occurs. Add bottle of hot water to consider.
          A2 – Cloud formation: experiment with drops of colored water on wax paper – how do drops of water form into clouds? (Water is cohesive)

C3 – Precipitation occurs when water droplets in clouds accumulate and fall to the earth
          A1 – Experiment with sponge and dish of water: at what point does sponge drip water? (saturation) Can a sponge contain water and not drip?
          A2 – Rain in a jar (water cycle model): given these objects, how can we produce precipitation? Hypothesize on paper first then try out ideas, focusing on correct one. What can we use the match for? How does this compare to the sponge in our last experiment?

C4 – Water vapor moves between the earth’s surface and its atmosphere in a continuous cycle
          A1 – In small groups, create your own depiction of the water cycle that clearly shows the three stages of the cycle (e.g. chart, song, journal entry, skit, rap, dance, mural, etc.)

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