The Water Cycle

This term science has been our inquiry focus. As part of our inquiry, we have been learning about the water cycle. We have learned that the water on Earth is reused again and again. First, the sun heats up the water on Earth and it turns into water vapour and rises up into the sky (this is called evaporation). Next, the water vapour turns back into water drops when it is high in the sky, and mixes with gases and dust to make clouds (this is called condensation). Then, the clouds get too heavy and rain, snow or sleet falls down back to the ground (this is called precipitation).

We made water cycle bags to see the water cycle working close up. We drew pictures on a plastic bag, then we put some water in the bag (and added a bit of blue food colouring). We taped them to the window where they would get the heat of the sun. The water evaporated and created water droplets on the side of the bag, like clouds. Then the water at the top of the bag got too heavy and started sliding down the bag, like rain.