Students follow water on its journey through the sky, learn to tell the difference between today’s weather and a region’s climate, and read weather patterns like a scientist.
Students will be able to…
It rains, dries up, and rains again — forever. Where does rain come from, and why is a rainy day different from a rainy climate?
Project the animated cycle, then have students tap each stage and record what water is doing — and what form it takes — at every step.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Where does a puddle go when it disappears?
Students trace water through the animated cycle.
Same sky, two different ideas.
Why is the desert dry and the rainforest wet?
Three quick checks on the cycle and climate.
Aligned to Next Generation Science Standards and Common Core literacy. State-standard crosswalks available on request.
Represent data in tables and graphs to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season.
Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world.
Develop a model to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
Use information from illustrations and words to demonstrate understanding of a text.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Tape a zip bag with a little water to a sunny window and have students observe evaporation and condensation over a few days — the cycle, right on the glass. A printable observation log is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.