Water Cycle Resources – Fourth Grade

 

STANDARD: 3040 - 03

 

Students will explain the water cycle.

 

PURPOSE:

 

OBJECTIVES:

 

     3040-0301

          Explain the processes of melting, precipitation, evaporation, condensation,

percolation, and erosion.

 

               Collect and record data on the various processes listed.

Science Links   http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?Grade=k-2&BenchmarkID=4&DocID=4

                                    Water 1: Water and Ice - To explore what happens to water as it

                                    goes from solid to liquid and back again; to use observation,

                                    measurement, and communication skills to describe change.

Science Links   http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=168

                                    Water 2:  Disappearing Water - Students will observe the amount

                                    of water in an open container over time, and they will observe the

                                    amount of water in a closed container over time. Students will

                                    compare and contrast the sets of observations over time.

ScienceLinks    http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=161

                                    Water 3:  Melting and Freezing – To explore what happens to the

                                    amount of different substances as they change from a solid to a

                                    liquid or a liquid to solid.

 

               Set up or draw apparatus which will cause water to change form.

ArtsEdge          http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teaching_materials/curricula/curriculum.cfm?curriculum_id=12&mode=overview

                                    This is part of a unit on the Water Cycle that includes the

                                    performing arts as a way to visualize the states of water.

ArtsEdge          http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/teaching_materials/curricula/curriculum.cfm?curriculum_id=11&mode=objectives

                                    This is part of a unit on the Water Cycle that includes the

                                    performing arts as a way to visualize the states of water.

ScienceLink  http://wings.avkids.com/Curriculums/Atmosphere/making_rain_howto.html

(reviewed)                    This site explains how to set up an experiment to demonstrate how

                                    rain is formed.  It includes a QuickTime movie demonstrating the

                                    process.

ArtsEdge          http://www-k12.atmos.washington.edu/k12/pilot/water_cycle/grabber2.html

(reviewed)                    This is another explanation of the water cycle including a diagram.          It includes activities on all aspects of the water cycle.       

 

               Explain in their own words the processes listed and the relationships

                        between them.

Science Links   http://www.nwf.org/kids/cool/water1.html

(reviewed)                    This site is a Ranger Rick Cool Tours for Kids entitled “Everybody

                                    Needs Water.”

 

     3040-0302

          Construct a chart or drawing of the water cycle.

 

               Make a model of the water cycle (e.g., drawing, computer simulation,

physical model).

ScienceLinks    http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=8

                                    Models of the Water Cycle

                        http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids/cycle.html

                                    The Water Cycle at Work – a diagram of the water cycle.

                        http://www.mos.org/oceans/planet/cycle.html

                                    Building Models of the Water Cycle

                        http://www.mos.org/oceans/planet/watercycle.html

                                    Going Further – Building Models of the Water Cycle

 

               Explain in their own words what "cycle" in water cycle means.

 

               Explain how a change in one part of the cycle would affect other parts.

Xpeditions        http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/14/gk2/clean.html

                                    CAN WE KEEP THE LAKE CLEAN?

Overview:  This lesson introduces students to the water cycle by

having them help draw a picture of a lake ecosystem, adding

human impacts that affect water quality. Draw this picture on the

board with colored chalk or erasable markers, and allow students

to help fill in the components of the drawing. Students will

conclude by creating their own illustrations of human-induced

changes to a lake ecosystem.

ScienceLinks    http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=44

                                    Smoke and Rain – This is a Science update on research being done

about the way that smoke from forest fires is affecting the rainfall amounts in affected areas.

Xpeditions        http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0813_cloudforest.html

(reviewed)                    This is a link to an article in National Geographic on the shrinking cloud forests.  These are evergreen forests that are almost constantly covered in cloud or mist.  They provide billions of gallons of clean, fresh, filtered water.

 

               Create a story taking a drop of water through the water cycle.

Xpeditions        http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/07/gk2/water.html

                                    Splish, Splash, Water’s Journey to My Glass

ScienceLinks    http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/lessons.cfm?DocID=162

                                    This is a web site on the Oceans.  It includes an activity for an

                                    essay on the journey of a drop of  water.

ArtsEdge          http://www.crayola.com/educators/lessons/display.cfm?id=311

(reviewed)                    This lesson plan describes an activity where students write folk

                                    tales about bringing rain.  They also create mobiles to explain the

                                    water cycle.

 

General Resources:

                        http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/kids/exper.html

The EPA has many resources at all grade levels.  These resources are in PDF format.  They include lesson plans and activities for students.

EconEdLink     http://www.yvw.com.au/students/juniorindex.html

(reviewed)                    This site includes water facts, water cycle story, and an interactive

                                    site on pond ecology. The link is into the junior site.  It also

                                    includes a senior site and resources for teachers.

EconEdLink     http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/

(reviewed)                    The US Geological Survey’s Water Education site includes a lot of

information.  Check out the link to “Second Grader’s View of the Water Cycle” http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle2ndgrade.html.  This could be a cool idea for a class presentation, HyperStudio stack or KidPix slide show.  The site also has a great picture gallery and its articles have hyperlinks to a glossary of water terms.  The site also includes interactive quizzes on water use.

 

     SKILLS AND STRATEGIES: