Water Cycle
Background Information & Activities

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The water cycle describes the movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. This movie explains the major points of the cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. It also explains how water from precipitation contributes to groundwater and creates runoff into our streams, lakes, and oceans. The movie also discusses the importance of conserving water, a crucial natural resource needed by all living things. We highly recommend reviewing the Changing States of Matter movie, which teaches about evaporation and condensation, concepts children should be familiar with to understand the water cycle. You can also extend the topic by screening the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, movie.

Remind your children that the water cycle shows how water moves on, above, and below land. The entire cycle is powered by the Sun. Energy from the Sun heats up water in our rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, and other bodies of water. The water evaporates, or changes from a liquid to a gas. This evaporated water, called water vapor, is made up of tiny droplets that can float in the air. Help your children understand that even though we cannot always see water vapor, it is all around us. Water vapor rises into our atmosphere, or the air surrounding our planet. The atmosphere high above land is cooler, and as the water vapor rises, it cools. The water vapor can condense, or turn from a gas to a liquid. Tiny droplets in the water vapor can condense and collect to form larger droplets. The larger droplets can collect to form clouds. Help your children understand that water vapor in our atmosphere can move to other places. Have they ever seen a cloud move across the sky?

When air can no longer hold more condensed water, it falls to the ground as precipitation. Remind your children that precipitation is water that falls to the earth from the sky. Snow, rain, sleet, and hail are all forms of precipitation. Several things can happen to water that falls to the earth. Water can fall into streams, rivers, lakes, oceans, and other bodies. Land can also soak up water and it can become groundwater. Explain to children that groundwater is water that is found underground in spaces between soil, sand, or rocks. Have they ever seen a well? Have they ever dug a hole and found the soil deep down to be damp? Groundwater is important because we use it for drinking water, in addition to many other uses. Some water from precipitation can flow down and reach streams, rivers, and oceans. This is called runoff.

About 75% of Earth is covered by water. Most of it is saltwater in our oceans. Less than 1% of it is freshwater found on Earth's surface. Remind children that we need freshwater in order to live. Water is an important natural resource that all living things need in some way or another. Pollution can affect water and, in turn, affect everyone. Pollution may leach into our soil and reach our groundwater. Together with your children, brainstorm ways to cut down on water pollution. This can be as simple as throwing garbage in a wastebasket and not on the ground where it can be washed away into our sewers. Then explain the importance of conserving, or saving, water. If everyone in the United States saved one gallon of water a day, we could save over 85 billion gallons of water per year! This could fill a substantial lake! Think of ways to save water, such as turning off the faucet when it is not being used, taking shorter showers, running dishwashers and washing machines only when they are full, and only using water that we need. For every glass of water we drink, it takes two glasses of water to wash it!

Help your children understand that their actions impact the environment. Encourage them to be ecologically conscious and find ways they can change their daily habits. Even small changes can add up to a big difference.

Water Cycle Teacher Activities – Click Here!

Water Cycle Family Activities – Click Here!

Water Cycle Teacher Activities

© 1999-2009 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Water Cycle

Create your own water cycle! Have partners take a clear plastic container and fill it partway with soil. Then they can plant a seed or a small seedling or plant cutting. Water the plant and then cover the top with plastic wrap or with a clear plastic lid. Put the container in a sunny place and have students observe what happens. They may want to record, draw, or photograph their observations in a chart and measure their plants' growth. Students should see condensation on the sides of the container.

Pollution and Plants

Remind your students that all living things rely on water in some way. How might water pollution affect living things? As an experiment, give pairs or small groups a small cup of water, a stalk of celery (with leafy tops), and food coloring. Have them add a few drops of food coloring into the water and add the stalk of celery. Students can record their observations on a chart. What might happen to plants if our groundwater got polluted?

Water Cycle Family Activities

© 1999-2009 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Saving Water

Remind your child that if everyone in the United States each saved one gallon of water, we could save over 85 billion gallons of water in a year. Together, find ways to save one gallon of water. This can entail taking shorter showers, turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, flushing the toilet one time less, etc. Go through your home together and check for leaky faucets or pipes. Your child can create a poster with helpful tips to post around the home or even the community.

Precipitation Chart

Together with your child, record the amount of precipitation that falls in your area over a week, month, or longer period of time. Your child can create rain or snow gauges by putting a plastic ruler in a clear plastic cup. Together, measure the precipitation and create a bar graph to display your findings. Compare the amount of precipitation in your area with other areas, such as the Amazon, Death Valley, or the Arctic.