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The Water Cycle for Teachers.

Links to Australian Curriculum:



Links to the Learning Federation:

Look at why water is so important to humans. Explore the water cycle. Find out how water often dissolves other compounds in nature. Notice that drinking water contains dissolved carbon dioxide and minerals. This learning object is one in a series of five objects. The series is also packaged as a combined learning object.

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Lesson Plan:

Week 1:

Outline:

Day 1. Lesson: 30 minutes

1. Introduce the water cycle to students by showing a image on the interactive whiteboard 2. Ask students what are the 9 places where water can be found on earth (Clouds, Glaciers, Rivers, Plants, Groundwater, Soil, Animals, Lakes & Oceans) 3. Explain that the water cycle is the process by which water travels to and from the nine places where it exists on earth. 4. Ask students for homework to document on their blog or in their notebook what effects does water have on their own lives and how is water is used in their daily lives.

Day 2. Lesson: 1 Hour

1. Introduce four of the seven processes of the water cycle to the students that are as followed.

CONDENSATION: The process by which water changes from a gas into a liquid. Cooling of water vapor to become liquid. As water vapor rises into the atmosphere, it cools and turns back into liquid water. Examples: Vapor cools as it rises in the atmosphere. Clouds form at heights and fog forms at ground level. Clouds are just condensed water in the atmosphere, as is fog.Small droplets merge to form larger droplets, which may lead to dew from fog or rain from clouds. EVAPORATION: The process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas. Say you walked to school and there was a puddle on the sidewalk and when you left school it was gone? What happened to the puddle? The heat from the sun changed the liquid water in the puddle into water vapor, or water in its gaseous state. Examples: Steam. Water can evaporate from Lakes, Glaciers, Rivers, Soil, Animals, and Oceans. INFILTRATION: The process by which water enters the soil and groundwater by moving in between soil particles. Ask the students to raise their hand if they have heard the term used in the movies that they are going to infiltrate the enemy? This means that they are going to “move in” on them. In the water cycle, the water is moving into and through the soil. Plant roots may then remove water in the soil or it can exit via rivers, lakes, and oceans. We will look at this more with the groundwater model demonstration. PRECIPITATION: Water that falls from the atmosphere onto the earth’s surface. Precipitation falls from clouds when the condensed water droplets become heavy enough for gravity to pull them down to earth. Precipitation can return water to Glaciers, Rivers, Soil, Lakes, and Oceans.

2. Have students play the water cycle game found here. The water cycle game 3. Ask students to pair up and research the water cycle using a variety of websites, some could be used that are found on the resources page. 4. Hand out students a work sheet to complete for homework. 5. Encourage students to blog on what they have learnt so far about the water cycle.

Week 2:

Outline:

Day 3. Lesson: 1 Hour

1. Recap last weeks lesson by completing an online quiz on the water cycle. Click here to access the online quiz URL: http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/science/water/quiz316.html 2. Introduce the remaining 3 processes of the water cycle to the students which are as followed.

TRANSPIRATION: The process by which plants give off water vapor through pores (stomata) in their leaves. The trees let off their “sweat” back into the atmosphere. This is also called evade­transpiration. SUBSURFACE RUNOFF: Rain, snow melt, or other water that flows in underground streams, drains, or sewers. SURFACE RUNOFF: Rain, snow melt, or other water that flows in surface streams, rivers, or canals.

3. Play students the water cycle song and encourage them to learn it. This will help students memorise the processes. media type="youtube" key="okZBiy_IdBA" width="425" height="350"

Day 4. Lesson: 50 minutes

1. Recap what we have learnt about the water cycle during a group discussion with the aid of the interactive whiteboard. 2.. Hand out students a worksheet where they are to fill in the blanks and complete the whole water cycle. 3.. Allow students free time to research the water cycle and make notes either in their notebook or on their blog. Encourage them to access a variety of YouTube videos, and websites.

Week 3:

Outline:

Day 5. Lesson: 40 minutes

1. Complete an experiment reflecting the processes of the water cycle

Day 6. Lesson: 1 hour

1. Discuss factors that influence the water cycle in nature 2. Discuss water saving and the effects saving water has on the water cycle. 3. Introduce the water cycle assignment to students and let them begin to work on it. Students must choose either to do a PowerPoint presentation or a Podcast Video to present the water cycle to the class.

Week 4:

Outline:

Day 7. Lesson: 1.45 Hours

Prior Knowledge: Students should already be familiar with podcasting and making PowerPoint Presentations. If students still need guidance to complete these tasks then direct them to this video on creating a Podcast:

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And show students this example of a PowerPoint presentation on the water cycle

1. Students are to work in their groups to complete their assignments

Day 8. Lesson: 1.45 Hours

1. Students continue to work on the assignments in groups.

Week 5:

Outline: "Water Week" presentations. Day 9. Lesson: 1 hours

1. Continue to work on assignments and finalise them 2. PowerPoint presentations and Podcasts are due for assessment.

Day 10. Lesson: 1.45 Hours

"Water Week" Presentations

1. Students are to present their work to another classroom or school assembly dependant on time contstraints.

Day 11. Lesson: 1.45 hours

1. Complete student presentations.

Resources: Below is a variety of teacher resources such as lesson plans,worksheets, projects, experiments and interactive medias teachers can use to teach there students the water cycle.
 * Lesson Plans: **

On these sites you will find a variety of lesson plans that will benefit your students understanding of the water cycle. 1. Water Lesson Plans.


 * Worksheets: **

Below you will find worksheets that will aid your students in remembering the processes of the water cycle. Some worksheets are also not only education but engaging and entertaining for the students.

1. [|Water Cycle label diagram worksheet]

2. [|The urban water cycle in your garden worksheet]

3. A variety of useful worksheet.


 * Projects: **

1. Water Projects


 * Experiments: **

Experiments are a great way to encourage hands on and interactive learning amongst students.

1. The water cycle experiment

2. The transpiration experiment.


 * Games: **

[|The droplet water cycle game.]

[|Water cycle game.]