Objectives:

Using this Project WET activity, students will:

• describe the movement of water within the water cycle.
• identify several different states of water as it moves through the water cycle.

Materials:

• 1 set of water cycle dice
• Laminated labels for each of the 10 stations
• Copies of the water cycle table
• tape of the Water Cycle Boogie
• Bell, whistle, buzzer, or other sound maker
• Journals or paper and pencil

Procedure:

1. Ask the students to identify the different places water can go as it moves through and around the earth. Write their responses on the board.
2. Tell the students that they are going to become water molecules moving through the water cycle. Compare their list with the 10 stations that are part of this activity. Were there any differences?
3. Place the laminated station labels and dice around the room or yard to mark the 10 stations: clouds, plants, animals, rivers, oceans, lakes, caves, groundwater, soil, and glaciers. Divide students evenly between the stations. (The cloud station can have an extra student if necessary).
4. Have each group identify the different places that water can move from their station. Discuss the conditions that cause the water to move from one location in the water cycle to another. Explain that water movement depends on energy from the sun, (electromagnetic energy), and gravity. Sometimes water will stay at a particular place. Have each group share their list. The water cycle table provides an explanation of water movements from each station.
5. Discuss the form in which water will move from one station to another. Most movement will take place when water is in the form of water vapor, with molecules moving rapidly and apart from each other. Some movement will be water moving as a liquid from place to place.
6. Have students line up at their stations. Explain the rules of play, and tell them that the game will begin and end with the sound of a bell. After the bell, the first student in each line rolls the die and goes to the station indicated. If they move as liquid, they will move in pairs (with the person behind them in line); if they move as vapor, they move alone. The pairs represent many water molecules clinging together in a drop. In water vapor, the molecules move individually. If the student rolls a "stay," they go to the back of the line of their present station, staying at that location. The next student in each line then rolls the die. End with the bell.
7. Students should keep track of their movements. This can be done by having them keep a journal or notepad to record each move they make, including "stays." Most students will end up in the ocean.
8. Use the music Water Cycle Boogie while doing this activity. If you would like more information about the Banana Slug String Band, visit their web site: www.bananaslugstringband.com for a wealth of great entertainment and useful information and an opportunity to get the Banana Slug String Band to play at your school!

Wrap Up:

Have students use their travel records to discuss the places the water has been. Discuss cycling that took place (that is, if the student returned to the same station). Provide students with a location and have them identify ways water can move to and from the site. Where did most students have to "stay"? Where in the real world does most of the water stay?

This activity is available as an Adobe PDF.

Introduction

• Why Water
• Personal Water Use Survey
• Sand and Surf
• All the Water in the World
• What's Water Made Of?
• Water Cycle Game
• Water Use Internet Sites
• Common Water
• Water Works
• Water Video
• Vocabulary List