Lesson

The Water Cycle Date 11/29/23

Title/Focus
Subject/ Time
Grade 3 Science 60 minutes
Grade Level Duration

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General
Learning Students investigate and analyze how materials have the potential to be changed.
Outcomes:
Specific
Water can change state from solid to liquid and back again.
Learning
Outcomes: Water can change state from liquid to gas and back again.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will:
1. Identify and label the processes of the water cycle.
ASSESSMENTS (How I will know students have achieved the objective(s))
 If they can recreate a model of the water cycle and accurately describe the processes of it in the correct
locations of their drawings.
Prior to the Lesson MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
 Students have had lessons on the states of matter as  Water Cycle model
well as what some of the processes for how it is  Google slides
changed look like.  Pencils
 Worksheets
 Construction paper
 Glue
 Red and blue pencil crayons
PROCEDURE
Introduction Time
 “What happened to the snow we had last week? Can anyone tell me where it went?” 20 minutes
o The answer I’m looking for is the snow melted because of the warm weather and then
was absorbed into the ground.
o I want to start with a recap to see what they remember from last week since it has
been a decent while that we have discussed the water cycle.
 “Can anyone tell me what happened to the water puddles once the weather got warm? Did
they go up into the atmosphere?”
 We are back talking about the water cycle, but this time we are going to be a bit more specific,
and I have just the way to show you.
o Pull out the model I have and work through the processes with them.
 I will fill the model with water, and they can use the sheets they filled out last
week so we can work through each process of the water cycle together.
o I wanted to bring a model since I have discussed the cycle in great detail, and while I
know vision trumps other senses, I want to show them a physical model of an
ecosystem so they can see where the water goes and visualize where the processes we
have discussed actually occur.
o Moreover, with those in my class who are English Language Learners, I feel like
having this physical model being something they can see us close (not through a
screen) will help with their understanding of something like “okay evaporation starts
on the ground and ends in the sky.”)
 Furthermore, I completed a worksheet in which we labelled processes so they
may reference that if they are stuck.
 This lesson is “hands on” to the point where they can see the ecosystem, but

1
 not touch since it is from the Curr Lab. This model can be used to connect to
places like Banff and really demonstrate that the water cycle happens all
around them.
Body Time
 We will go through the slides I made last week and demonstrate with the model. 35 minutes
Unfortunately, the model does not react to heat well so I won’t put any boiling water in it.
o Despite this, the model and lesson will be broken into basic chunks, the processes will
have basic explanations so as to not confuse them, and the model will be referenced
throughout.
o First doing a review of what the processes are though will help with overload, so
that’s what the questionnaire in the beginning is for.
o Instead of explaining the processes, I will recall on previous experiences in the last
month they can draw on to connect what they learned with what they are learning, and
absorb this information into what they already know.
 We will start with Evaporation:
o “Remember when we made Jello, and we boiled water. When we boil water, where
does it go? What state does it take?”
o I’m looking for something like: It gets really hot and turns into water vapour and goes
into the air.
 We will then move into Condensation:
o “What happens to water in the air after it has evaporated? Is the air up there cold or
warm?”
o “What are things that can block the sun on a sunny day?”
 I am looking for something like: it forms clouds.
 We will then move into Precipitation:
o “When clouds take on enough water, what do they do with it?”
 If they are really stumped, I can use the example of us. When we drink too
much water, we need to use the bathroom, so that’s what clouds do.
 This example is a bit crude so only use it as a last resort.
 Last will be a new process called Collection:
o “When rain or snow fall down, is that the end of the cycle, or does it start again?”
o I am looking for the cycle starts again because rain and snow fall into bodies of water
and can be evaporated again, thus continuing the cycle.
 Activity 1: Labelling processes of water cycle sheet.
o They will each receive a sheet with an ecosystem example and blanks where the
processes will go. We will work through it together and using my model to
demonstrate the water cycle.
o This activity should not take too long however I must ensure as many people as
possible are writing it down.
 For those who have difficulty, I can fill in the sheet for them and have them
follow along with a highlighter or something like that.
o We will work through this together using my slides, but it is just labelling the
processes of the water cycle from the start to the end.
 Activity 2: making their diagram of the water cycle.
o Students will need to draw an example of a landscape. They can use the model I will
bring to class as inspiration of an ecosystem, and I will have example pictures on the
board.
o After drawing their landscape, they will need to cut out little cards with each process.
There is also a title card they should glue on it as well.
o The process:
 You will get a sheet and you will write your name on it.
 Draw your ecosystem on the sheet (remind them it is to be simple because

2
 there is limited time).
 It should include some land, clouds, rainclouds, a body of water, and
the sun.
 Then they will label the processes on their drawings in the correct order.
Closure Time
 They need to have both sheets finished for their work tickets to be signed. The hard cutoff for
this lesson is 1:52 because we need to clean up and prepare for the next class.
 Make notes of their drawings and their labeling for future reference. I am not looking for the
5 minutes
art to be great, I just want to see if they can recreate what I showed them.
 Closing question: “what processes in the water cycle do you think you see the most? Do they
see precipitation the most or evaporation with a boiling pot?”

Sponge
Activity/Activities

Reflections:

What did you learn about teaching and learning during this lesson that can help you be more effective
with your students during subsequent lessons?
Overall, I think the lesson went well. I am still learning some things like timing and pacing, but the lesson
was well received by my TA and my students. We started a couple of minutes behind, but Science is right after
lunch recess, so it usually takes a while for them to get inside and ready to learn. In my written feedback, My TA
liked my review portion of the lesson and liked the questions I used, as she felt it primed them for the rest of the
lesson without just recapping what we had learned the previous week. Moreover, my differentiated sheets were
appreciated and these even paid off towards the end of the lesson because those students who would usually
struggle to catch up or get their ideas down were participating as much as the students who always raise their hands.
I would aim for more differentiation as a result of this lesson.

Specific to your instructional practice, what would you do more of, why?
The water cycle visual was effective, and while I believed I used it at the right time, both my TA and I
agreed that I could have called students up to see the model in a better way. As soon as I set up the model, they
immediately rushed to see despite me telling them to stay seated. Additionally, because of this, some students could
not see the model as well as others, so calling up groups at a time to see would have been the better approach. This
visual helped with their diagram making, as many opted to base their diagram on my model. Some did more than
that and added their homes or anything they remember like Henderson Lake. This is what I was hoping for, so I
think it was a success. The students worked hard on their models and almost all of them finished in time because I
gave them a time limit.

Specific to your instructional practice, what would you do less of, why?
If I could improve anything, it would be my closure. My TA mentioned that it started great but then derailed as I
began setting up for the next lesson I had right after Science. She liked the questions I posed, like “What is a
process you see the most in your lives?” One student responded with “precipitation” which was gratifying to hear. I
would also improve my visual instructions to include a clearer checklist of what I wanted them to have in their
diagrams.