the water cycle - cairns regional council · 2020. 5. 11. · 6 r low pmy prep to year 3 water how...

66 LOWER PRIMARY | Prep to Year 3 | Water How – The Water Cycle1

The Water Cycle

AT A GLANCE

Students investigate the different stages of the water cycle through four simple experiments.

CURRICULUM LINKS

Strand Sub-strandYear Level

Explicit Content Description

Science Understanding

Biological Sciences

F

Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) Elaborations: recognising the needs of living things in a range of situations such as pets at home, plants in the garden or plants and animals in bushland.

1

Living things have a variety of external features (ACSSU017). Elaborations: describing the use of plant partsfor particular purposes such as making food and obtaining water.

Chemical Sciences

1

Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU018). Elaborations: Exploringhow materials such as water, chocolate or play dough can change when warmed or cooled.

3

A change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat (ACSSU046). Elaborations: investigating how liquids and solids respond to changes in temperature, for example water changing to ice, or melting chocolate; predicting the effect of heat on different materials.

Science as a Human Endeavour

Nature and Development of Science

F&1

Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE013) (ACSHE021). Elaborations: sharing observations withothers and communicating their experiences; recognising that descriptions of what we observe are used by people to help identify change.

Continued overleaf

LOWER PRIMARY Prep to Year 3


Science Inquiry Skills

Questioning and predicting

FPose and respond to questions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS014) Elaborations: considering questions relating to the home and school and objects used in everyday life.

1&2

Respond to and pose questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS024) (ACSIS037). Elaborations: thinking about “What will happen if…..?” type questions about everyday objects and events.

Planning and conducting

1&2

Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions. (ACSIS025)(ACSIS038) Elaborations: (1&2) manipulating objects and making observations of what happens; (1) exploring different ways of solving science questions through guided discussion.

Processing and Analysing Data and Information

3

Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (ACSIS215). Elaborations: discussing how well predictions matched results from an investigation and sharing ideas about what was learnt

Communicating

F

Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012) Elaborations: working in groups to describe what students have done and what they have found out; communicating ideas through role play and drawing

1 & 2

Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways (ACSIS029). Elaborations: (1) discussing or representing what was discovered in an investigation; engaging in whole class or guided small group discussions to share observations and ideas; (2) presenting ideas to other students, both one-to-one and in small groups; discussing with others what was discovered from an investigation

3

Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations (ACSIS060). Elaborations: communicating with other students carrying out similar investigations to share experiences and improve investigation skill; exploring different ways to show processes and relationships through diagrams, models and role play; using simple explanations and arguments, reports or graphical representations to communicate ideas to other students

Cross Curriculum Priority

Key Concept Organising Ideas

Sustainability SystemsOI.1 The bioshphere is a dynamic system providing conditions that sustain life on Earth.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

Country/PlaceOI.3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have a holistic belief system and are spiritually and intellectually connected to the land, sea, sky and waterways.

General Capabilities

Literacy; Numeracy; Critical and Creative Thinking


TIME REQUIRED

The experiments in this activity will need to be conducted in two lessons over two days.

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

66 Respond to and pose questions about the different stages of the water cycle66 Participate in guided investigations to explore and respond to questions

ASSESSMENT FOCUS

Students are able to describe, draw or write about what has happened in each of the four experiments.

Did You Know? Petrichor is the name for the smell

following the first rains after a long dry period.


EXPERIMENT 1 Mini Water CycleWater, in its three different forms – solid, liquid and gas – travels around the earth in what is known as the hydrological or water cycle. We cannot get water from anywhere else in the universe; this means that the earth and its atmosphere (together known as the hydrosphere) hold as much water today as there has ever been. That is, the water we drink today is the same water that dinosaurs drank.

The water cycle can sometimes be a difficult concept to grasp. This simple experiment of making a mini water cycle assists students to have a better understanding of how water can change forms and cycle around the earth through the use of visual tools.

This experiment illustrates the principles of a water cycle and the change of water as a liquid to a gas and back to a liquid through the processes of:

66 Evaporation: heating water changes from liquid to gas (water vapour)66 Condensation: cooling the gas (water vapour), the water condenses forming water droplets (this happens in clouds)66 Precipitation: the water droplets get big and heavy and fall down, which is what happens when it rains

The water in the bowl represents the ocean. You should find that you can see condensation drops of water on the top of the cling wrap. The condensation droplets are the clouds. The water level will also lower, demonstrating that evaporation has taken place. When they get bigger and heavier they will drip back into the bowl (ocean), but some will now fall in the cup (dam/mountains), demonstrating precipitation (rain).

EXPERIMENT 2How Plants DrinkPlants suck up water from the ground through tiny tubes in their roots, like drinking straws. Water then travels through the plants stems and exits through the tiny pores (called stomata). This experiment demonstrates how water travels through a plant. Using coloured food dye, you can easily see the coloured water travelling through the celery through the stems to the leaves. If you cut the celery you can also clearly see the ‘tubes’ in which carry the water through the plant.

EXPERIMENT 3Leaf TranspirationPlants are also part of the water cycle. Transpiration is the movement of water through plants. Plants get most of the water they need from the soil through their roots, carrying it through tiny ‘pipes’ through the stems and to their leaves. The water escapes from pores (called stomata) under the surface of the plant’s leaves. This experiment is a very easy exercise to assist students to understand the process of transpiration (water vapour escaping or transpiring out through their leaves).

EXPERIMENT 4 Water in MeMore than half (around 60%) of the human body is water. Water is essential for us to survive. Without water, we can live for only a few days. Even the early stages of dehydration (a drop in human body water of 2%), can result in fuzzy short-term memory loss and difficulty in concentrating.

Humans take in water through drinking and in food. We lose water through sweating, urination and when we breathe out. This experiment assists students in thinking about their (and other animals) role in the water cycle and how water is lost from our bodies.

TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION


PREPARATION

You can conduct these experiments as a series of workstations which groups of students rotate around or together as a class. If you carry out experiments in workstations, you will need to start experiment 1 and 3 the day before.

EXPERIMENT 1Mini Water Cycle

This experiment will be conducted by the teacher and the class will observe. You may wish to nominate different roles for the students in this experiment. This experiment will need to be outside in the sun for at least 1 hour. It is recommended that you conduct this experiment first, before the other 3 experiments. Depending on how hot it is outside, this experiment may take longer than an hour. If you are short on time, you can put boiling water in the bowl which will speed up the process. Be very careful with students around the hot water.

EXPERIMENT 2How plants drink

For this experiment, the celery stalk will need to be in the coloured water for at least 30 minutes. It is recommended to conduct this experiment second, after the mini water cycle experiment.

EXPERIMENT 3Leaf Transpiration

You will need to conduct this experiment over 2 days, leaving the plastic bag on the plant overnight. Depending on the availability of plants at your school you may want to conduct this as a class experiment (rather than several groups). You will need to choose a plant or several plants before conducting this experiment with the class.

EXPERIMENT 4 Water in Me

This is a very simple, easy experiment and will take the least amount of time. You can conduct this experiment while waiting for Experiment 2 to be completed.

EQUIPMENT

For Teachers: For Each Group:

Mini Water Cycle (teacher demonstration/class observation):

66 A plastic bowl (mixing bowl size)66 A smaller bowl or mug66 Cling wrap66 String66 Water (boiling if need to speed up process)

Leaf Transpiration:

66 Clear, dry freezer bag (x number of groups)66 Twist tie or string66 Healthy plant in sunny location66 Measuring cup

How Plants Drink:

66 Fresh celery stalk66 1 tablespoon of food colouring66 1 cup of water66 Container to hold water and celery stalk66 Straw 66 Magnifying glass

Water in Me:

66 Mirror66 Your breath


LESSON STEPS

1. Explain to students that they are going to carry out a series of experiments to learn more about water – its properties, where we find it and how important it is.

2. It’s recommended you conduct the experiments in the following order: Experiment 1, 2, 3 then 4.

EXPERIMENT 1 Mini Water Cycle

1. Handout experiment sheet (Resource 1) to the students (or display this on a screen and have students write the experiment in their science workbooks).

2. Before you start, ask students to record what they think is going to happen to the water. Is it going to stay the same? Disappear? Change? and why they think this is going to happen.

3. Follow the steps of the experiment together as a class until you get to the step where you place the bowl in a safe, sunny location. If you’ve decided to use boiling water instead, please exercise great caution and safety to ensure no one is hurt by the hot water.

4. After 1 hour, or more, ask students to record and draw what happened to the water when the bowl was placed out in the sun.

5. Students record why they think this happened.

6. Prompt discussion around the level of the water in the bowl (A: should have gone down – because some of the water has turned into a gas). Is there any water in the cup? How did it get there? (A: the water was heated up by the sun, evaporated and turned to gas and then condensed on the clingfilm and fell back into the cup as rain/precipitation) How did the water droplets form on the clingfilm? (evaporation – as per previous answer)

7. Students record their explanations.

Extension: Add blue food colouring to the water and cover with plastic film. Ask students to predict what colour the water drops will be (A: when water evaporates, turning into a gas, the water and colour is separated, making the water droplets clear again).


EXPERIMENT 2How Plants Drink

1. Handout experiment sheet (Resource 2) to the students (or display this on a screen and have students write the experiment in their science workbooks)

2. Before they start, ask students to record what they think is going to happen to the celery and the coloured water? Is it going to change or stay the same?

3. Have students follow the steps of the experiment in their groups.

4. Proceed onto Experiment 4 while waiting 30 minutes for this experiment.

5. After 30 minutes, students observe what has happened and record their answers. Has the celery changed colour?

6. Students record why they think this has happened.

7. Prompt discussion around why the celery has changed colour. The celery has been in coloured water, how did the colour get to the leaves? (A: The celery (representing a plant) has sucked up and carried the coloured water through ‘tubes’ in the stems and leaves. If you cut the celery the students will be able to see the ‘tubes’. Use the magnifying glass to explore further. The coloured water has made seeing the water being transported through the plant easier). How is celery like a drinking straw? (A: the ‘tubes’ in the celery suck up the water just like a straw).



EXPERIMENT 3Leaf Transpiration


2. Before you start, ask the students to record what they think is going to happen to the plant and the plastic bag?

3. Go to the chosen plant(s).

4. Carry out first 4 steps in the experiment.

5. Ask students to record what they think will happen and why. What will happen to the leaf in the bag? Will there be anything different inside the bag after we leave it for a day?

6. Go back to the plant and have students carefully remove bag and measure liquid in the bag.

7. Students record and draw observations (including how much liquid was collected). What did you find in the freezer bag the next day?

8. Prompt discussion around where the water might have come from? How did the water get out of the plant? (A: water escaped through tiny holes in the plants leaves called stomata). What happens to the water when we are not catching it in a plastic bag? (A: Evaporation – water evaporates into the air as water vapour). How did the water get into the plant? (A: Through roots – as discovered in experiment 2). Does it matter if the soil is dry? Will the water in the plant keep moving out of the leaves (A: yes) What happens if the water keeps coming out of the leaves but the roots can’t get any more water? (A: plant will die – water is essential for plants survival).



EXPERIMENT 4Water in me


2. Before you start, ask students to record what they think is going to happen when they breathe onto the mirror.

3. Students record and draw what they observe happening to the mirror.

4. Ask students if they’ve seen this happen anywhere else? In the shower or on a car windscreen?

5. Prompt discussion around how water droplets have formed on the mirror? (A: water has escaped our body when we breathe out and formed water droplets on the mirror. This happens when water vapour/gas is cooled and it turns into a liquid)


7. Discuss the importance of water to us (essential for our survival). Ask them to answer true or false to the following questions? Without water we would die (T); Food is more important than water (F: we can survive for weeks without food, but only a few days without water); We lose some water from our bodies when we breath out (T – we can also lose water when we go to the toilet or by sweating); Our bodies don’t have any water in them (F – our bodies are made up of 65% water);

LINKING LOCALLY

The water cycle is happening all around us all the time. An extension activity is to look at the different places here in Cairns that are part of the water cycle. The steamy hot, sticky days when it’s very humid is when there’s lots of water vapour in the air. The dark storm clouds during a big build up. The wonderful rain pouring down when the wet season kicks off; keeping Copperlode dam full and our rivers and creeks – such as the Barron, Mulgrave and Russell Rivers and

Freshwater and Behana Creeks – all flowing. Those local creeks and rivers helping transport water out into the Pacific Ocean and the incredible Great Barrier Reef that we are lucky to have right on our doorstep. Don’t forget the World Heritage Wet Tropics Rainforest that also sucks up the water and back out into the air through transpiration.

In Cairns, it can get really hot in the summer and we lose more water when it’s hot through sweating. It’s important that we drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and healthy.


ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Book a visit from our WET VanFurther build on learnings from this activity by booking a visit to your school from Cairns Regional Council’s engaging and interactive, mobile water education van – the Water Education & Training (WET) Van. Speci ically, there is an interactive water cycle activity which further builds on students’ knowledge and understanding of the water cycle and different forms water can take.

Get together with all your year level teachers and organise a suitable day for the WET Van to come out and deliver to your full year level cohort. Due to high popularity and capacity of Council staff, we recommend you book for a whole year level and book ahead as much as possible to avoid disappointment.

Go to Cairns Regional Council Water and Waste Education page to request your booking.

Water Cycle PosterDownload the Water Cycle Poster from Council’s WaterWhys Education resources page or request a copy and display in your classroom to prompt further discussion about the water cycle.

Whizzy’s Incredible JourneyRead Waterwise Queensland’s pick-a-path book Whizzy’s Incredible Journey with your students to learn further about water cycle. A fantastic resource; where Whizzy the waterdrop travels through the water cycle and into the home through four separate journeys.


EXPERIMENT 1 – MINI WATER CYCLE

Note: This experiment works best outside in

a sunny, warm place.

Before you start, PREDICT what you think is going to happen.

I think that:

Because

During your experiment use your senses to OBSERVE what is happening.

I saw:

After you have finished your experiment EXPLAIN what happened.

I think this happened because:

My drawing of what happens

PlasticString

Glass Bowl

Water

Cup

You need:66 A clear plastic bowl (mixing bowl size)66 Cling wrap66 A mug or smaller ceramic bowl66 String66 Water66 Permanent marker

Method:1. Place the mug or small bowl inside the plastic bowl. 2. Pour water into the plastic bowl. 3. Using a permanent marker, mark the water level on

the plastic bowl.4. Cover the bowl tightly with cling wrap and secure

with string. 5. Place in a safe, sunny location.6. Record what you think will happen.7. Come back in an hour or more and record what you

observe and why you think this happened.

Student Resource 1 Name:

Date:


EXPERIMENT 2 – HOW PLANTS DRINK


I think that:

Because


I saw:




Fresh celery

Glass container

Water & Food colouring

You need:66 Fresh celery stalk66 1 tablespoon of food colouring66 1 cup of water66 Container to hold water and celery stalk66 Straw 66 Magnifying glass

Method:1. Place 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of food colouring

and stalk of celery into container.2. Leave for 30 minutes.3. Record what you think will happen to the celery.4. Observe the celery and record what you see. Is it the

same or different?5. Why do you think this happened?

Name:

Date: Student Resource 2


EXPERIMENT 3 – LEAF TRANSPIRATION


I think that:

Because


I saw:




Plant

Clear bag

Twist tieor string

You need:66 Clear, dry freezer bag66 Twist tie or string66 Healthy plant in sunny location66 Measuring cup

Method:1. Choose a plant from school garden or a pot plant

close to your classroom.2. Place dry freezer bag over a branch and secure with

twist tie or string.3. Leave this bag on the plant for 1 day.4. Record what you think will happen.5. Go back to plant and observe contents of the bag.

Carefully remove the bag from the plant.6. Record your observations. What did you find in the

freezer bag the next day? Measure the liquid in the bag.7. Why do you think this happened?

Name:



EXPERIMENT 4 – WATER IN ME


I think that:

Because


I saw:




Mirror

You need:66 Mirror66 Your breath

Method:1. Predict what will happen when you breathe onto the

mirror2. Breathe onto the mirror3. Record what you see. Have you seen this happen

before – in the shower or on a car windscreen?4. Why you think this happened?

Name:


the water cycle - cairns regional council · 2020. 5. 11. · 6 r low pmy prep to year 3 water how...

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