Water Cycle Investigations

Predict and explain a cold glass that "sweats", a bag on a sunny window, and a melting ice cube.

Warm-up, learn, try it together, practice, then a quick check. About 15 minutes.

What children learn in Level 28

You can see the water cycle at home! Put ice water in a glass and wait. Drops appear on the outside.
The water didn't leak through. Water vapor in the air touched the cold glass, lost heat, and condensed into drops.
Try it with a grown-up: tape a bag with a wet paper towel to a sunny window. The towel's water evaporates, then condenses on the cooler bag.
Scientists measure, too. A puddle traced with chalk shrinks fastest in the hot middle of the day.

Georgia Standards of Excellence in Science:

S4E3.a — Plan and carry out investigations to observe the flow of energy in water as it changes states from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water vapor) and changes from gas to liquid to solid.
S4E3.b — Develop models to illustrate multiple pathways water may take during the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation). (Clarification statement: Students should understand that the water cycle does not follow a single pathway.)