Issaquah School District

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM

Grade: First

Title of task:                  Water Cycle: Weather Lesson 1

Essential Questions: What is the water cycle and what is its relationship to the weather?

Grade level:                           1st                          Time: 3-30min time periods plus

collecting weather data 5 min per day

Curriculum area(s):                Science, Math

District Framework:              Weather: water cycle, 3 states of matter; Math Trailblazers Unit 3, lesson 1

Developed by:                        Kathy Dunn, Janie Wood, and Megan Kophs, Issaquah School District

 

Materials:

Kit: 4 rain gauges, Cloud poster in notebook, 4 plastic beakers, food coloring, grease pencil, Project Wild Aquatic p.22 “Puddle Wonders” for background and further water studies

Teacher provided: Weather calendar and data worksheet from math Trailblazers, pencils

 

 

Brief Description of Task:

Students go on a walk to observe water.  Then students collect weather data and measure rainfall for the month.  The amount of water collected is measured and allowed to evaporate in front of a window.  Students make observations and discuss results.

 

Pre-Activity:

Go on “water walk” around the school. Make observations and answer pre-activity questions:

1.      As we stand here (any spot) where can you see or find water?

2.      Where is water found along the trail?

3.      How is water useful here in the park?

4.      Using your hands, feel objects to determine if water is present. Are objects equally moist?

5.      What are the sounds of a wet forest? (May want to play rainforest tape.)

6.      What are the sounds of a dry forest?

 

Activity:

1. During the month of October, students collect weather data daily (Math Trailblazers Unit 3:1) tally, & graph data.

2. Using rain gauges – collect water during the whole month of October.

3. Bring rain gauges inside at end of month, and transfer to clear beakers.

4. Mark water levels with a grease pencil.

5. Place beakers in window. Have students predict what will happen.

6. Based on teacher discretion, check water level periodically & record water level changes with grease pencil.

7. Lead discussion on “where the water has gone”.

8. Relate experiment to sky conditions such as cloudy & partly cloudy. Discuss how rain and clouds are connected in water cycle.

 

 

Thinking Skills:

Predicting

Scientific Process

 

 

 

Connections to state Essential Academic Learning Requirements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Science:12 know that matter can undergo changes of state such as evaporation and condensation, 1.3 observe and measure weather indicators such as temperature and precipitation. 2.1 plan and conduct simple investigations using appropriate tools and measures, record and report observations

 

Math: 1.4 collect data in an organized way and display in tables, charts, and graphs

 

 

Criteria for evaluation:

·        Student accurately completes MT data analyzing worksheet as an assessment

·        Student participates in class experiments and whole group discussions.

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

Title of task:                  Water Wonders PLT #44  Lesson 2

Essential Questions: What is the water cycle and what is its relationship to the weather?

Grade level:                           1st                          Time: 2-50min periods

Curriculum area(s):                Science, and Writing

District Framework:              Weather: water cycle, 3 states of matter; Writing-recount or expository lesson 1-uses beginning, middle, and end

Adapted from PLT by:  Kathy Dunn, Janie Wood, and Megan Kophs, Issaquah School District

 

Materials:

Kit: Water Cycle Score Card, Station Identification Pictures, Station Task Cards. Mini water cycle poster in notebook PLT #44

 

 

Brief Description of Task:

Students pretend they are a water molecule and play a game to travel through the water cycle.  Students then write about their journey.

 

Activity:

This activity requires 7 adults or older students.

 

1. Have students recall the water cycle.

2. Explain Water Wonders Game (PLT #44)

3. Have them use primary score card to record path they follow as a water molecule.

4. Model how to play the game, going to several stations.

5. Students will remove a strip from an envelope at their station. They will read the strip with assistance and write the underlined key words on their water cycle score card. The strip will explain which station to move to next.

6. Each student will visit 7 stations

7. Students return to seats and write a story using score card from a water molecules’ point of view that describes the journey they just took through the water cycle. (students could include pictures to go with their stories

8. Go over post–activity questions as a wrap up.

 

 

Thinking Skills:

Finding Patterns

 

 

 

Connections to state Essential Academic Learning Requirements

 

 

Science: 12 know that matter can undergo changes of state such as evaporation , condensation, freezing and thawing 1.3 recognize that water is continually cycled 2.1 model processes by representing them physically

 

Writing: 2.2 write for different purposes, 2.3 write in a variety of forms, narrative

 

 

Post-Activity Questions – Lesson #2

1.      How is the water being used by the city, people, fish, birds, etc.?

2.      How are plants and animals, including insects using it?

3.      Are there signs of water doing harm or being beneficial?

4.      In what ways is water important to living organisms? Including us.

5.      If every living thing needs so much water, how come water isn’t used up?

6.      Where does the water go when a puddle dries up?

7.      Why don’t oceans and lakes dry up like puddles do?

8.      Where does the rain come from?

9.      Do you think water always follow the same path as shown in the water cycle?

 

________________________________________________________________________________________

Title of task:                  Water Cycle-Lesson 3 

Essential Questions: What is the water cycle and what is its relationship to the weather?

Grade level:                           1st                          Time: 2-30min time periods plus

Curriculum area(s):                Science, Language arts, Art, Music

District Framework:              Weather: water cycle, 3 states of matter;

Developed by:                        Kathy Dunn, Janie Wood,  and Megan Kophs, Issaquah School District

 

Materials:

·         Banana Slug Band-audio cassette -"Water Cycle Boogie"; Video-The Adventures of Little Drip- Butcher paper, construction paper, markers

·         Copy of words of the song "Water Cycle Boogie"

·         Project Wild Aquatic (p.4) "Water Wings"- to be used for teacher background, and (p8) "How Wet is Our Planet"

 

 

 

Brief Description of Task:

Students watch a video about the water cycle, learn a song about the water cycle, and then create a mural illustrating the water cycle.

 

 

 

 

 

Activity:

1.      Show video "Adventures of Little Drip".  Start a discussion with the children using the terms, evaporation, condensation, and precipitation as they apply to the water cycle.  Then introduce the song, and motions to "Water Cycle Boogie."

2.      Make ahead labels for different parts of the water cycle:

a. Sun (heat)                           d. Ground water (puddle or ocean

b. Condensation (clouds)       e. Evaporation (arrows to sky)

c. Precipitation (snow, hail, rain)

3.   Divide class into 5 small groups.  Each group is responsible for crating a part of the mural to describe the water cycle.  Assemble the water cycle mural.  Sing the song as a student or students point to the correct part of the water cycle on the mural.

 

 

Thinking Skills:

Finding Patterns

Sequencing

 

Connections to state Essential Academic Learning Requirements

 

Science:1.2-identify the parts of a system, how the parts go together, and how they depend on each other; know that matter can undergo changes of state such as evaporation and condensation: 1.3 recognize that water is continually cycled 2.1 model processes by representing them with concrete objects.

Communication: 1.2 identifies and interprets illustrations

Arts: 4.1 use art forms including music to reflect concepts learned in other subjects

 

 

Criteria for performance

·        Students explain the water cycle correctly using pictures and taught vocabulary

·        While singing "Water Cycle Boogie" students correctly identify the components of the water cycle on the mural

·        Students can identify and correctly sequence the pattern of the water cycle.

·        Students correctly organize the components of the water cycle

 

Revised: December 28, 2004