water unit 1: where is all the water? - seed homeseed.vic.gov.au/resources/seed/210_water unit 1...

Water Unit 1 Water Cycle VELS 4 of 14

Created by North East Water March 2009

Water Unit 1: Where is all the water?

Level 4– (Grade’s 5&6)

If based on inquiry learning or blooms

Activity Duration Page

Remember & Analyse 1. Introducing the Water Cycle 1 hour 3Understand & Analyse 2. Have we seen this drip before? Part 1: 45 minutes

Part 2: 45 minutes55

Analyse & Create 3. Exploring the three states of water-liquid, gas & solid

Part 1: 45 minutesPart 2: 2 hours

78

Evaluate 4. Water Cycle Reflections 45 minutes 12Level 4 VELS links and assessment tasks 13-14

Unit OverviewThe following unit is based around Inquiry Learning. Students explore where our water comes from and how much we have on the earth. Students build a greater understanding of the water cycle, the different places we find water, how much water is available for humans to readily use and the three different states of water.

BackgroundThe water cycle is the continuous movement of water between the land, bodies of water and the atmosphere, and it is a very important element of life on earth.

When rain falls from the sky, the water can do one of several things. It can be used by trees and plants and subsequently be transpired to the atmosphere as water vapour; it can flow over the land as run-off and enter streams, lakes or the ocean; it can soak into the ground, join the ground water table and eventually make its way to streams, lakes or the ocean; or it can evaporate from the ground upon which it falls.

In any case, the end result is always evaporation, with the rising vapour condensing in the sky to form clouds, and the clouds providing more rain.

Did you know?

All the water on earth is all the water we’ll ever have and it’s been this way since the earth was formed. There are three states of water, which are recycled over and over again through a continuos process known as the Water Cycle. This means that the water we use now could be used by our great, great, great, great, great grandchildren!



Keywords & Definitions

The following keywords & definitions will be explored throughout this unit. In order for students to become familiar with the terminology the keywords and their definitions can be used as ‘words of the week’. Have students write out the keywords and definitions and put them up in the classroom or write them on the board for easy reference.

Atmosphere: The layer of gases that make up the air around the earth

Condensation: Water vapour rises into the air and cools, it turns into water droplets, forming clouds, mist and fog.

Dissolved: When a solid has mixed with a liquid and a new liquid is formed.

Evaporation: Is the process that describes water changing from a liquid to a gas.

Ground Water: All subsurface water, generally occupying the pores and crevices of rock and soil.

Precipitation: Water dropping from the sky as rain, snow, hail or sleet.

Runoff: Water that travels over the surface of the earth.

Seepage: Water that soaks or seeps into the soil and the earth.

Surface Water: Includes rivers, lakes, oceans, sea - water that you can see.

Transpiration: The plant takes water from the ground, through the plant and out the leaves.

Water Cycle: The cycle of water on planet earth.

Water Vapour: The process that describes water changing from a gas to a liquid.



Activity One: Introducing the water cycle

Overview:Students learn the terms and processes of the water cycle by researching the definitions and processes.

Duration:1 hour

Equipment: Various resources to research the terms of the water cycle including books and the internet

Water, Learn It Live It Black Line Master: Haven’t we seen this drip before? page 61 (Each School should have a copy of this resource, or contact North East Water [email protected])

Blackboard or whiteboard

Activity: The water cycle1. Ask students a set of questions to stimulate students thinking of the water cycle. To find out where

they think the water in the rivers, creeks and taps comes from.

2. Questions to ask students could include:

a) Where does the rain in our rivers, creeks, dams and lakes come from?

b) When we turn on our taps, where does this water come from?

c) What happens to water on a very hot day? Where does the water go? Think about a puddle or when you water a plant.

d) When it rains where does the water go?

3. Draw a K.W.L table, like the one shown below on big pieces of butcher’s paper.

4. Explain to students that as a class they are now going to make a plan to investigate where their water that they use everyday comes from.

5. Ask students to write in their workbooks the sentence “Where does the water in our rivers, creeks, dams and taps come from?” Under this sentence ask the students to list facts about the topic that they already know. Explain that they will not be tested on these answers and it is just to get them to start thinking about the topic and how much they already know.

6. Once the students have completed the first step, ask them to select one point that they have recorded to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the butcher’s paper under ‘What I Know’. Add any additional points from students not already listed.

7. Next again ask the students to write in their workbooks the sentence “Where does the water in our rivers, creeks, dams and taps come from?” Under this sentence students write down some questions that they want to find out about the topic. There is no such thing as stupid questions. Students should be encouraged to look for broad ideas, rather than having a narrow focus.

8. Again ask the students to select one point that they have recorded that they want to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the butcher’s paper under ‘What I Want to know’. Add any additional points from students not already listed.

9. Explain that the final column will be completed once they have completed their unit on the water cycle. When you return to complete this section, advise students that this section is a chance to think about what they have learnt while studying the water cycle.

10. Discuss some of the points students have listed up on the board about what they know and what they want to know.



11. Introduce students to the concept of the water cycle by drawing a diagram of the water cycle (online examples include: http://cd7.e2bn.net/e2bn/leas/c99/schools/cd7/website/images/bp-watercycle2.jpg or http://community.seas.columbia.edu/weatherstation/glo/images/diag_water_cycle.gif) on the board and listing the terms of the various aspects of the water cycle.

Example of K.W.L

Topic: Where does the water in our taps come from?

What I Know What I Want to know What I have Learnt

(Facts)

(Questions)

(Related concepts) (Previous Learning’s) (Big Picture)



Activity Two: Have we seen this drip before?

Overview:Students build their understanding of the water cycle and that it is a continuous process that has been happening for millions of years. They do this through researching the water terms and labelling the water cycle diagram.

Duration:Part 1: 45 minutes

Equipment: Various resources to research the terms of the water cycle including books and the internet

Water, Learn It Live It Black Line Master : Haven’t we seen this drip before? page 61 (Each School should have a copy of this resource, or contact North East Water [email protected])

The Silent Card Shuffle Picture Cards (page 6)

Activity: Part 1: The never ending cycle of water1. Students are to use the internet, books or other resources to find out what the terms of the water

cycle mean. Ask the students to design a recording sheet to record information that helps answer their question and the websites where the information was located. Some great websites include:

a) The Water lili website

b) http://www.olliesworld.com/planet/aus/index.htm

c) http://www.water-ed.org/kids.asp

d) http://www.watercare.net/wll/wc-watercycle.html

2. Bring the group back together and dicuss the various aspects of the water cycle, and how it gets recycled over and over again, as it has been doing for millions of years.

3. Print out a copy of the Black Line Master on page 61 of the Water Live It Learn It resource (Each School should have a copy of this resource, or contact North East Water [email protected]) for students to fill in and label the components of the water cycle diagram, or conduct the Silent card shuffle activity.

Part 2: The silent card shuffle water cycle1. Break students into small groups of 3 or 4 and each group a set of cards. Explain to students that

without talking they need to sort the cards to represent the process of the water cycle (this could be done in a line from top to bottom or in a flow chart). They can use actions to communicate but they are not allowed to talk and all members of the team should contribute. Explain that there are no wrong answers they just have to agree on the order.

2. After groups have finished placing the cards in order allow the groups to discuss amongst themselves about their decisions, explaining that they will need to explain their reasons to the other groups.

3. Regroup students and discuss in turn where students thought the water cycle process started and finished. Discuss how the process is ongoing with no real start or end, and that there are no wrong answers, as it’s a never ending process.



Activity Sheet 1: Silent Card shuffle picture cards

CONDENSTATION CLOUDS EVAPORATION

GAS

PRECIPITATIONRAIN, HAIL,

SNOW

RUN OFFSURFACE WATER

SEEPAGEGROUND WATER

TRANSPIRATION FROM TREES

MOUNTAINS SUN

RIVERS AND STREAMS



Activity Three: Exploring the three states of water- liquid, gas & solid

Overview:Students build on their previous knowledge of the terms and processes of the water cycle by undertaking a number of experiments (adapted from the North East Wet Wild & Wonderful Educational Resource book page 22 and the Water Learn It Live It Resource page 65)

Duration:Part 1: 2 hours

Equipment: Student worksheets (one per student)

Experiment instructions (below)

Black Line Masters of ‘Build your own water cycle’ and equipment page 65 of the Water Learn It Live It resource

Experiment 1

Saucer or small container (one for each group)

Salt

Glass jars and spare cups for mixing water (one for each group)

Experiment 2

Kettle

Wall or board

Experiment 3

Plastic bag with fresh green leaves (one for each group)

Experiment 4

Large plastic bowl

Thick sponge

Bucket

Cloth or face washer

Sand, Plastic wrappers, rubbish or dirt

Experiment 5

A packet of jelly crystals

Hot water boiled from a kettle

Various shaped jelly moulds

Experiment 6

Frozen ice cube



Activity: Part 1: Water makes a statement

1. Ask students what the three states of water are and write them up on the board in a table

2. Prompt students with examples of the three states and include examples under each of the three headings.

3. Discuss with students how each state of water is turned into another state i.e. boil liquid to make steam turning liquid to a gas, freeze liquid water to make a solid ice cube, leave a solid ice cube in the sun until it melts to a liquid etc.

4. Have students conduct some experiments to explore the three different states of water that are apart of the water cycle.

Example of the states of water table

Topic: The three states of water

Liquid Gas Solid

Rain Running water Lakes, rivers & dams Dew

Vapour Steam Cloud Mist & fog

Ice & icebergs Snow Hail Frozen liquids (iceblock)

Activity:Part 2: The water cycle experiments

a. Set up the room with separate stations for each of the experiments students will be undertaking. Each station should include a heading of which aspect they are conducting, instructions and the necessary equipment (see below).

b. Explain to students how to undertake each experiment, asking students which experiments they think correspond to which aspect of the water cycle

c. Give each student a worksheet that they can work through whilst undertaking each experiment or complete at the end.

d. Break students into groups – one group for each of the stations except for one. This will allow groups who finish experiments quicker to go on and complete another experiment.

e. Students are to rotate through the experiment stations, setup and undertake each experiment.

f. Students will need to observe some experiments throughout the day and later record their results.



Activity Sheet 1: Water cycle experiment instructionsExperiment 1: Evaporation (gas)

1. Mix some water and salt in a cup.

2. Fill a small saucer with the salty water and leave out in the sun.

3. Leave in the sun for a 1-2 hours.

4. Observe what has happened and record your results.

Experiment 2: Evaporation, Condensation & Precipitation (gas & liquid)1. Carefully fill a kettle with water and turn on

2. When it is heated what can you see come out of the kettle spout?

3. Place the kettle near a wall or carefully place something over the steam. What happens to the steam?

4. Watch the droplets forming on the wall or object.

5. Observe what is happening at each stage of the experiment and record your results

Experiment 3: Transpiration (gas)1. Place the green leaves into a plastic bag and seal.

2. Leave the plastic bag in the sun and return after a few hours.


Experiment 4: Seepage & Groundwater (liquid through solid)1. Place the thick sponge in a bucket

2. Place a face washer or cloth over the sponge and cover with a layer of sand.

3. Carefully and slowly pour small amounts of water over the sand.


5. Place some pollution in the water like plastic wrappers, rubbsih and dirt and pour over the sand

6. Empty the water into a glass jar.

7. Observe what has happened and record your results

Experiment 5: Liquid to a Solid1. Pour hot water into a bowl filled with Jelly crystals

2. Mix and pour into jelly containers of different shapes

3. Place Jelly mix in fridge and allow it to set

4. Observe what has happened and record your results

Experiment 6: Solid to liquid1. Ask students to hold an ice cube in their hand

2. Observe what happens and record your results



Experiment 7: Build your own water cycle1. Follow the Black Line Master on page 65 of the Water Learn It Live It resource (Each School should

have a copy of this resource, or contact North East Water [email protected]).

2. Keep observing the experiments over a period and observe the different water cycle processes and discuss.

Activity Sheet 2: Water Cycle Experiments worksheetExperiment 1: Evaporation

1. When the suacer of water is left in the sun what happens to the water?________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is left behind on the saucer?____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. Explain the process of evaporation:___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Experiment 2: Evaporation, Condensation & Precipitation1. When the kettle is heated what can you see come out of the kettle spout?_____________________

2. What part of the water cycle does this show?___________________________________________

3. What happens to the steam when it comes into contact with the wall or object? _________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. What part of the water cycle does this show?____________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

5. If the droplets get really heavy what happens to the droplets?_______________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

6. What part of the water cycle does this show?____________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Experiment 3: Transpiration1. What happens to the leaves and the bag over a period of time?_____________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

2. What collects on the inside of the bag?_________________________________________________

3. Explain the process of transpiration:___________________________________________________

Experiment 4: Seepage & Groundwater1. What happens to the water when its poured over the sand?__________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________



2. Where does the water go?___________________________________________________________

3. What would happen if there was some pollution in the water like plastic wrappers, rubbsih and dirt?

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Is the water clean or dirty? Why?_____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

5. What is Seepage?:________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is ground water?______________________________________________________________

Experiment 5: Liquid to a Solid1. What happens to the jelly crystals when the hot water is poured over them?_____________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

4. Can you see the jelly crystals once they have dissolved?__________________________________

5. What shape did the hot jelly mixture take?______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

6. Once the Jelly is set, is it a gas, liquid or solid? What tells us that it is this state?________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Experiment 6: Solid to a Liquid1. What happens to ice cube in your hand after a while?_______________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you think causes this to happen? ______________________________________________

4. What state of water does the solid ice cube turn into? What tells us this? ______________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________



Activity Four: Water Cycle Reflections

Overview:Students revisit the first activity to draw conclusion and conclude what they have learnt about the Water Cycle using the K.W.L

Duration:45 minutes

Equipment: Students work books and completed K.W.L’s from Activity One.

Butcher’s paper

Activity:Part 1: What have I learnt about the Water Cycle?

1. Draw the final K.W.L table column from Activity One in this unit, “What I have Learnt”, on a big piece of butcher’s paper.

2. Explain to students that as a class they are now going to complete the final column of their K.W.L -what they have learnt about the water cycle.

3. Ask students to write in their workbooks the sentence “Where does the water in our rivers, creeks, dams and taps come from?” Under this sentence ask the students to list facts about what they have learnt about the water cycle.

4. Once the students have completed the first step, ask them to select one point that they have recorded to share with the class, without repeating what has previously been said. Write the points up on the butcher’s paper under ‘What I have Learnt’. Add any additional points from students not already listed.

In conclusion to this unit discuss with the class what it is that they have learnt about the water cycle and revisit any areas which students may ask questions about.



Unit 1 The Water Cycle

LEVEL 4: VELS LINKS

Activity Description of Activity

Links to VELS (DOMAIN: Dimensions)

1. Introducing the Water Cycle

KWL to share knowledge and ask questions

SCIENCE: Science knowledge and understanding

Students explain change in terms of cause and effectTHINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry

Students develop their own questions for investigation, and collect relevant information from a range of sourcesCOMMUNICATIONS: Listening, Viewing and Responding Students ask clarifying questions about ideas and information they listen to and viewPERSONAL LEARNING: The Individual Learner Students seek and respond to teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding

2. Have we seen this drip before?

Part 1

Researching the water cycle

Part 2

Silent Card Shuffle to demonstrate understanding of the cycle


Students explain change in terms of cause and effectTHINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry

Students develop their own questions for investigation, and collect relevant information from a range of sources and make judgments about its worth

They use the information they collect to develop concepts or inform decision making

They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY: Communicating

Students use websites and frequently asked question facilities to acquire information from experts

They use recommended search engines to refine their search strategies in order to locate information quicklyPERSONAL LEARNING: The Individual Learner

Students seek and respond to teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understandingINTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams

Students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and complexity

3. Exploring

the three state of water –

Conducting experiments to gain understanding


Students explain change in terms of cause and effect

They identify the characteristics of physical change

They describe how substances change during reactions



Activity Description of Activity

Links to VELS (DOMAIN: Dimensions)

liquid, gas & solid

of the different states of water

They identify and compare the properties of the changed material with those of the original materialScience at Work

Students describe the purpose of experiments they undertake and relate this to the nature of the data that is collected

They use a range of simple measuring instruments and materials, and demonstrate understanding of their personal responsibility in using them

They identify and describe safety requirements and procedures associated with experiments and the use of standard equipment

Students use the terms relationships and cause and effect when discussing and drawing conclusions from the data they collect

COMMUNICATIONS: Listening, Viewing and Responding

Students develop interpretations of the content and provide reasons for themINTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: Working in Teams

Students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of varying length and complexity

They work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop timelines

They accept responsibility for their role and tasksPERSONAL LEARNING: Managing Personal Learning

Students develop and implement plans to complete short-term tasks within timeframes set by the teacher, utilising appropriate resources

They undertake some set tasks independently, identifying stages for completion

4. Water Cycle Reflections

Identifying what has been learnt

THINKING: Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry

Students distinguish between fact and opinion

They use the information they collect to develop concepts or inform decision making

They develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidencePERSONAL LEARNING: The Individual Learner

Students monitor and describe progress in their learning and demonstrate learning habits that address their individual needs

They seek and respond to teacher feedback to develop their content knowledge and understanding

water unit 1: where is all the water? - seed homeseed.vic.gov.au/resources/seed/210_water unit 1...

Documents