water cycle essay 5th grade

What Is the Water Cycle?

Water can be found all over Earth in the ocean, on land and in the atmosphere. The water cycle is the path that all water follows as it moves around our planet.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Data source: NASA's Earth Observatory

On Earth, you can find water in all three states of matter: solid , liquid and gas . Liquid water is found in Earth’s oceans, rivers, lakes, streams—and even in the soil and underground. Solid ice is found in glaciers , snow, and at the North and South Poles . Water vapor—a gas—is found in Earth’s atmosphere.

How does water travel from a glacier to the ocean to a cloud? That’s where the water cycle comes in.

The Water Cycle

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Sun’s heat causes glaciers and snow to melt into liquid water. This water goes into oceans, lakes and streams. Water from melting snow and ice also goes into the soil. There, it supplies water for plants and the groundwater that we drink.

Snow falling on a glacier during winter months usually replaces any water that melts away in the summer. However, due to Earth’s overall warming , most glaciers today are losing more ice than they regain, causing them to shrink over time.

How does water get into the atmosphere? There are two main ways this happens:

• Heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from oceans, lakes and streams. Evaporation occurs when liquid water on Earth’s surface turns into water vapor in our atmosphere.
• Water from plants and trees also enters the atmosphere. This is called transpiration .

Warm water vapor rises up through Earth’s atmosphere. As the water vapor rises higher and higher, the cool air of the atmosphere causes the water vapor to turn back into liquid water, creating clouds. This process is called condensation .

When a cloud becomes full of liquid water, it falls from the sky as rain or snow—also known as precipitation . Rain and snow then fill lakes and streams, and the process starts all over again.

Clouds, like these over the savannah in Nairobi, Kenya, form when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses back into liquid water. Credit: Department of State

Why Do We Care About the Water Cycle?

We care about the water cycle because water is necessary for all living things. NASA satellites orbiting Earth right now are helping us to understand what is happening with water on our planet.

Water in the Soil

Humans need water to drink, and to water the plants that grow our food. NASA has a satellite called SMAP —short for Soil Moisture Active Passive —that measures how much water is in the top 2 inches (5 cm) of Earth’s soil . This can help us understand the relationship between water in the soil and severe weather conditions, such as droughts.

Water in the Atmosphere

NASA’s CloudSat mission studies water in our atmosphere in the form of clouds. CloudSat gathers information about clouds and how they play a role in Earth’s climate. Also, the international satellite called the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) observes when, where and how much it rains and snows on Earth.

Water in the Oceans

As Earth’s climate becomes warmer, land ice at the North and South Poles starts melting. The water then flows into the ocean, causing sea level to rise. NASA’s Jason-3 mission—short for Joint Altimetry Satellite Oceanography Network-3 —orbits Earth collecting information about sea level and ocean temperature. This helps track how the ocean responds to Earth’s changing climate.

NASA is also tracking how Earth’s water moves all around our planet. This is the work of the GRACE-FO —or Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment-Follow On —mission. It tracks the movement of water from one month to the next, and can even measure changes in deep groundwater hundreds of feet below Earth’s surface.

NASA’s Aqua satellite also collects a large amount of information about Earth’s water cycle, including water in the oceans, clouds, sea ice, land ice and snow cover.

Related NASA Missions

• Biology Article

Water Cycle

What is the Water Cycle? Water Cycle Diagram Stages of Water Cycle Implications of Water Cycle Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Water Cycle?

The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle or the hydrological cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above and below the surface of the Earth.

Water Cycle Diagram

During this process, water changes its state from one phase to another, but the total number of water particles remains the same. In other words, if it were possible to collect and boil 100 gms of water, it will still retain a mass of 100 gms as steam. Likewise, if 100 gms of steam is collected and condensed, the resultant water would still weight 100 gms.

Water changes its state through a variety of processes from evaporation, melting and freezing, to sublimation, condensation, and deposition. All these changes require the application of energy.

Stages of Water Cycle

There are many processes involved in the movement of water apart from the major steps given in the above water cycle diagram. Listed below are different stages of the water cycle.

1. Evaporation

The sun is the ultimate source of energy, and it powers most of the evaporation that occurs on earth. Evaporation generally happens when water molecules at the surface of water bodies become excited and rise into the air. These molecules with the highest kinetic energy accumulate into water vapour clouds. Evaporation usually takes place below the boiling point of water. Another process called evapotranspiration occurs when evaporation occurs through the leaves of plants. This process contributes to a large percentage of water in the atmosphere.

2. Sublimation

Sublimation occurs when snow or ice changes directly into water vapour without becoming water. It usually occurs as a result of dry winds and low humidity. Sublimation can be observed on mountain peaks, where the air pressure is quite low. The low air pressure helps to sublimate the snow into water vapour as less energy is utilised in the process. Another example of sublimation is the phase where fog bellows from dry ice. On earth, the primary source of sublimation is from the ice sheets covering the poles of the earth.

3. Condensation

The water vapour that accumulated in the atmosphere eventually cools down due to the low temperatures found at high altitudes. These vapours become tiny droplets of water and ice, eventually coming together to form clouds.

4. Precipitation

Above 0 degrees centigrade, the vapours will condense into water droplets. However, it cannot condense without dust or other impurities. Hence, water vapours attach itself on to the particle’s surface. When enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds and on to the ground below. This process is called precipitation (or rainfall). In particularly cold weather or extremely low air pressure, the water droplets freeze and fall as snow or hail.

5. Infiltration

Rainwater gets absorbed into the ground through the process of infiltration. The level of absorption varies based on the material the water has seeped into. For instance, rocks will retain comparatively less water than soil. Groundwater can either follows streams or rivers. But sometimes, it might just sink deeper, forming aquifers.

If the water from rainfall does not form aquifers, it follows gravity, often flowing down the sides of mountains and hills; eventually forming rivers. This process is called runoff. In colder regions, icecaps form when the amount of snowfall is faster than the rate of evaporation or sublimation. The biggest icecaps on earth are found at the poles.

All the steps mentioned above occur cyclically with neither a fixed beginning nor an end.

Also Read:  Back to the Oceans

Implications of Water Cycle

• The water cycle has a tremendous impact on the climate. For instance, the greenhouse effect will cause a rise in temperature. Without the evaporative cooling effect of the water cycle, the temperature on earth would rise drastically.
• The water cycle is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles.
• Water cycle affects all life processes on earth.
• The water cycle is also known the clean the air. For instance, during the process of precipitation, water vapours have to attach themselves on to particles of dust. In polluted cities, the raindrops, apart from picking up dust, also pick up water-soluble gas and pollutants as they fall from the clouds. Raindrops are also known to pick up biological agents such as bacteria and industrial soot particles and smoke.

Read more about the water cycle with diagram by registering @  BYJU’S Biology

• Biogeochemical cycles
• Oxygen Cycle
• Carbon Cycle
• Nitrogen Cycle

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the major 4 steps in the water cycle.

The major 4 steps are evaporation of water, then condensation, precipitation and collection. The sun evaporates water sources and contributes to the formation of water vapor. These water vapour accumulate in the atmosphere as clouds. The vapours condense into water droplets and when enough droplets merge, it falls out of the clouds as rain.

What is the difference between evaporation and condensation?

Evaporation is a process by which water changes into water vapour. Condensation is an opposite process by which water vapour is converted into tiny droplets of water.

Why is water cycle important?

Water cycle has a huge impact on determining the global climate. It is also an integral part of other biogeochemical cycles. It affects all life processes on Earth either directly or indirectly.

Put your understanding of this concept to test by answering a few MCQs. Click ‘Start Quiz’ to begin!

Select the correct answer and click on the “Finish” button Check your score and answers at the end of the quiz

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The Water Cycle!

Earth has been recycling water for over 4 billion years….

Pour yourself a glass of water and take a sip. Did you know that the water you’ve just swallowed is the same water that wooly mammoths, King Tutankhamun and the first humans drank? That’s because Earth has been recycling water for over 4 billion years !

The world’s water moves between lakes, rivers, oceans, the atmosphere and the land in an ongoing cycle called – you guessed it! – the water cycle . As it goes through this continuous system, it can be a liquid (water), a gas (vapour) or a solid (ice).

So, are all you budding young geographers ready to learn some splashing new facts? Then join NG KiDS as we take a look at the different stages of the wonderful water cycle…

Evaporation

Energy from the sun heats up the surface of the Earth, causing the temperature of the water in our rivers, lakes and oceans to rise. When this happens, some of the water “evaporates” into the air, turning into a gas called “ vapour “. Plants and trees also lose water to the atmosphere through their leaves. This process is known as “ transpiration “.

Condensation

As water vapour rises up high into the sky, it cools and turns back into a liquid, forming clouds. This process is called “ condensation “. Currents high up in the air move these clouds around the globe.

The water cycle is also known as the “ hydrologic cycle “.

Precipitation.

When too much water has condensed, the water droplets in the clouds become too big and heavy for the air to hold them. And so they fall back down to Earth as rain, snow, hail or sleet, a process known as “ precipitation “.

The fallen precipitation is then “collected” in bodies of water – such as rivers, lakes and oceans – from where it will eventually evaporate back into the air, beginning the cycle all over again. How it is collected, depends on where it lands…

• Some will fall directly into lakes, rivers or the sea, from where it will evaporate and begin the cycle all over again.
• If the water falls on vegetation, it may evaporate from leaves back into the air, or trickle down to the ground. Some of this water may then be taken up by the plant roots in the earth.
• In cold climates, the precipitation may build up on land as snow, ice or glaciers. If temperatures rise, the ice will melt to liquid water and then soak into the ground, or flow into rivers or the ocean.

Water that reaches land directly may flow across the ground and collect in the oceans, rivers or lakes. This water is called “ surface run-off “. Some of the precipitation will instead soak (or “infiltrate”) into the soil, from where it will slowly move through the ground until eventually reaching a river or the ocean.

And there you have it, gang – the ongoing  water cycle !

Water can change from a solid to a gas, without becoming a liquid first. Through this process of “ sublimation ” our planet”s ice can evaporate directly into the air without melting!

Be sure to check out our water conservation primary resource . Great for teachers, homeschoolers and parents alike, show children 25 ways to help keep our oceans, rivers and streams clean…

Illustration: Getty Images UK

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Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders Coursework

The purpose of the program is to introduce students to the water cycle systems, stages, and importance.

Program length: 2 weeks

Maximum Student number: 20

Goals and Objectives

The students will:

• Define and understand the water cycle. The students should understand that the cycle is a continuous phenomenon and name places where water is found on the surface of the earth.
• State reasons for water conservation. The students should mention water usage at home to understand its importance.
• Understand the role of the water cycle within the universe system. The student should be able to define and explain the water cycle stages.
• Describe ways of water conservation.

This module is intended for grade-5

Teacher background

The water cycle is a cyclic pattern of water from the sea to the atmosphere to the land and back to the sea. The heat from the sun strikes the earth causing evaporation of the surface water. This water rises in the form of vapor to the cooler atmosphere where it condenses to a liquid form that falls back to the earth’s surface in the form of rain or snow if solidifies.

The overview

The students will demonstrate the water cycle stages that are; evaporation, condensation, precipitation, water runoff, and soil moisture through activities.

Introduction

The teacher can come up with a repetitive song made up of the basic terms in the water cycle such as condensation, evaporation, and precipitation to entice the students so that they can remember the terms. The teacher should then engage the students in a discussion about their to understand their basic knowledge about the topic. Some of the questions to ask include:

• What is rain?
• What are clouds?
• What is the source of the ground?

After the discussion the explain to the students how every next step of learning would enable them to understand the topic.

Setting up activities

The teacher should involve at least three students in the activity preparation to enable them to feel involved as these will promote their attention to learn. If the practical materials are enough, students are divided into working groups according to the number of the activity stations and allowed to rotate from one station to the next. This approach will ensure that all the students are in close contact with the materials for a better understanding of the activity. Similarly, the teacher can handle the students collectively if the available materials are limited to group work.

Water cycle explanation

Ask the students to name some of the areas on earth that water can be found. Ask them to help draw them (clouds, groundwater, soil, lakes, animals, oceans, plants, rivers, and glaciers). Define and explain to the student the water cycle. Before introducing the water cycle processes, here are some of the questions to ask students.

• How does dew water get to the sky?
• How does rainwater get in a tree?

Allow them to draw using arrows as they provide these answers.

Evaporation Activity

Materials for three students per groups.

• Small dishes or Petri dishes
• Tablespoons
• Source of light
• Cover for the dishes

Before the activity starts ask the students these questions:

• Where does the water on wet clothes go when dried?
• Predict what will happen if we leave the water of the Petri dishes overnight?
• What will happen if the dishes are covered and left overnight?

After the activity, provide the students with sheets of paper to answer the following questions as a group.

• Which dish lost more water?
• Where did the missing water go?
• How did the water escape?

The teacher should explain to the students the process of that water loss in-depth, allow the groups to discuss and provide examples of evaporation. Divide the students into two, provide two dishes of water each with tablespoons. Place one dish on a light source and another under the shade, ask each student to observe each dish, and record observation.

Condensation Activities

Materials for three students per group.

• A clean and transparent two-liter bottle for every student
• A thermometer for each bottle

Questions for discussion

Here are questions to ask before the activity begins

• What warms the air and what happens when it warms up?
• What cools air and what happens when it cools down?
• What are clouds and what are they made up of?
• What are the three necessary things that form clouds?
• What is fog?

After the activity allows the students to discuss among their groups the previously asked questions and their understanding of air pressure, air temperature, condensation, and cloud formation.

This session is divided into two parts.

Session 1 change in temperate in a closed bottle.

Set a group of three and provide each with;

• A clear plastic bottle and cap
• A temperature strip
• A tape strip
• A box of matches
• Paper for data recording

Step: the bottle is topped with a temperate strip for reading and close4ly covered. Wet the inner surface of the bottle by swirling the water content, place the bottle on its side for easy reading of temperature. Read and record the air temperature inside the bottle. Squeeze the bottle using two hands and read the temperate after a minute while squeezing. Stop squeezing and read the temperature after a minute.

Ask the student to discuss the following questions:

• What happened to the air temperate when the bottle is squeezed?
• What happens to the air temperature when the squeezing was stopped?

Session 2. Making clouds

Pour a few drops of water into a bottle and cover tightly. Wet most of the bottle by swirling the water inside. Put the bottle on the side and apply pressure on it to half its size. Put a smoldering match stick in the bottle, remove the pressure, and cover it squeeze the bottle tightly for a minute until it opens up. Study what happens, You would see the clouds.

The experiment is to show how water molecules condense to form clouds. Squeezing the bottle increases the air pressure that consequently increases the temperature, the increase in air temperature condensed the water in the water into vapor, when the bottle opened up the pressure and temperature lowered leading to the formation of clouds (Ralph, 2008).

Evaporation

• Source of heat
• A container with handler
• Another container or a pie pan

What is rain/ how is rain formed? How is snow formed? What is hail?

Tell the students to observe these questions during the activity: what happens at the bottom of the bowl? What happens to the pie pin? How does water get into the bowl? Are the water drops formed on the bowl sides the same? Which drops look like rain and which like clouds? How are the large drops form?

Gather students around the activity to see what happens to the pot with ice in it and moisture dripping into the pie pan. Heat the water in the pot until it starts to boil. fill the container with the handler with ice. Hold the bowl of ice above the steam as the water boils. Collect the water dropping from the bottom of the bowl using into the pin. Ensure that all the students understand what happens to the pot surface with ice (Outdoor learning center 2006).

Evaporation is the process where water changes from liquid to gas. The heat from the sun or light source changes the liquid water into vapor which is the gaseous state of water. Water evaporates from all the nine places that it is found in the air.

Infiltration

• How many precipitation types do you know?
• How is the water stored on earth?
• Where does water on the surface of the ground go?

List places water goes after precipitation, draw the movement of water after it hits the ground, and has the class discuss the generated answers.

Infiltration is the movement of water through the soil particles into the groundwater.

Soil Moisture and Water Runoff

• Cone folded filter paper for every soil type
• Soil varieties (half cup of 100 ml)
• Graduated cylinder
• A jar full of water
• A container for collecting the dropping water
• What’s the source of groundwater?
• How are streams and rivers formed?
• Do all types of water hold the same amount of water?

Put the filters in the funnel and fill with soil, pour water slowly after every thirty seconds until water drops into the collecting container. Experiment repeatedly using different new materials.

Question of discussion after the activity, with a partner answer this question, “When do you know that the soil is saturated and what happens to the water?” List areas where the water goes after it gets into the stream.

Water Cycle

• Potting soil
• Pouring water container
• Plastic container

How does the water cycle stages fit and what happens without one step?

Ask students to describe the types of water cycle they observe after the terrarium is built.

Explain the water cycle system to the student so that they understand the cyclic system.

Help the students build their terrarium and observe the cycle. Provide the students with small plastic with a clear cover. Let the student put soil at the bottom of the container plant seeds and water the soil lightly, cover the terrarium with a tight clear cover to allow sunlight get through.

Is carried out during discussion throughout the activities. The subject of the final assessment will be; using drawings discuss the water cycle

The standards met by the module

Science library AAAS benchmarks and the AAAS science of all Americans

This constructivist approach motivates the learning process as it is wholly integrated and well structured therefore makes learning active, an interactive social process so that the students are not bored. Dividing students into groups promote collaboration among learners as they can understand and remember these activities in the future and during final exams.

Out door learning center (2006). Water cycle . Web.

Ralph, T. (2008). Water: A Never-Ending Story . New York. Pillsbury.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 14). Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders. https://ivypanda.com/essays/water-cycle-lesson-plan-for-5th-graders/

"Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders." IvyPanda , 14 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/water-cycle-lesson-plan-for-5th-graders/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders'. 14 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders." March 14, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/water-cycle-lesson-plan-for-5th-graders/.

1. IvyPanda . "Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders." March 14, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/water-cycle-lesson-plan-for-5th-graders/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Water Cycle: Lesson Plan for 5th Graders." March 14, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/water-cycle-lesson-plan-for-5th-graders/.

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Hydrologic Cycle

The water cycle describes how water is exchanged (cycled) through Earth's land, ocean, and atmosphere.

Earth Science, Meteorology, Geography, Physical Geography, Geology

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The  water cycle  describes how water moves through Earth's land, oceans and atmosphere. Water always exists in all three places, in many forms. It is in lakes and  rivers ,  glaciers and  ice sheets , oceans and seas. It is also found underground and as a gas in the air and clouds .

Evaporation , Condensation And Precipitation

The water cycle is made up of three major parts:  e vaporation ,  condensation and  precipitation .

Evaporation

Evaporation is when a liquid changes to a gas. In the water cycle, liquid water in the ocean, lakes or rivers evaporates. When it evaporates, it becomes water vapor. Water vapor is an invisible gas.

E vaporation is driven by the sun. The sun warms up the water on the surface of the ocean. The molecules that make up water start moving around quickly and spread apart. The liquid water then turns into an invisible gas.  E vaporation is also helped by  wind and air temperature .

Condensation

Condensation is when gas changes to a liquid. In the water cycle, water vapor in the atmosphere condenses. The gas molecules that were once warm and moving apart quickly become cooler and move closer together. This causes the vapor to become liquid. Clouds can form as water vapor condenses.

Precipitation

Precipitation is any liquid or solid water that falls to Earth after condensation happens in the atmosphere. Rain, snow and hail are all precipitation.

Precipitation is how water is cycled from the atmosphere to the Earth.

States Of Water

Through the water cycle, water continually rotates through three states: solid, liquid and vapor.

Ice is solid water. Most of Earth's freshwater is ice , locked in giant glaciers , ice sheets and ice caps .

Ice turns into a liquid when it melts. The ocean, lakes and rivers all hold liquid water, and it is also found underground.

The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is different across the Earth. There is a lot in the air above the ocean, but there is less in the deserts because there is less water there.

The Water Cycle And Climate

The water cycle has a big influence on Earth's climate and ecosystems .

Climate is all the  weather  conditions of a specific area. Humidity is a weather condition that has an effect on climate .

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Because water vapor is not evenly spread across the atmosphere, some places have higher humidity than others. This is why there are very different climates on Earth. Islands or coastal regions, like Florida or Hawaii, are usually very humid. Water vapor makes up a large part of the atmosphere in these areas. Inland regions with deserts, like Arizona, are usually not humid at all. That is because there is very little water vapor in the atmosphere.

The Water Cycle And The Landscape

The water cycle also influences the  physical geography  of the Earth. Glacial melt and  erosion are two of the ways the water cycle changes the land.

As glaciers slowly expand, they can carve away entire  valleys and create mountain peaks. They can leave behind rubble as big as boulders. The Matterhorn is a famous mountain peak between Switzerland and Italy. It was created when glaciers smashed together and squeezed up the earth between them.

Glacial melt can also create  landforms . The  Great Lakes , for example, are found in the Midwest of the United States and Canada. They were created when an enormous ice sheet melted and moved back, leaving liquid pools.

Erosion is when water wears away part of the land. For example, the flow of water can help carve enormous  canyons . These canyons , like the Grand Canyon , can be carved by rivers . They can also be carved by  currents deep in the ocean.

Breaking the Cycle The water cycle can change. Glacial retreat is the process in which glaciers melt faster than their ice can be replaced by precipitation. Glacial retreat limits the amount of fresh water available on Earth. We are experiencing the fastest rate of glacial retreat in recorded history.

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The Water Cycle

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How to Teach the Water Cycle to 5th Graders

It is water cycle time! The best part about the water cycle is all of the activities that come with it! We have so much fun when we are learn about the water cycle that we often forget we are learning! Let’s talk about some Water Cycle Activities!

Water Cycle Anchor Chart

If you’ve been following for a while, you know how much I LOVE anchor charts. (If not, check out this blog post !) I find them incredibly versatile and an important part of the learning process.

The Bag Experiment

This is an oldie but an absolute goodie!! I LOVE putting some water in a bag about 30% full, then adding blue dye to it. Before we put it on the wall (or add water) we label the parts of the water cycle. Then we hang it on the window. After a day or two, the water will “rain” inside the bag. It’s really cool to see the process and how the water moves through the process right before our very eyes!

Water Cycle Craft

This is not mine but we LOVE creating this together. This video will show the students how to make a 3D water cycle model!

Science Projects

I really love hosting science projects. These are quite fun and will be extremely helpful when my kids have a few minutes of “down time.” My kids have a fascination with working on science projects. I tend to give it to them as enrichment and then I let them work on it as morning work as well. The kids absolutely love working on it and learning about the water cycle by themselves.

Make the Water Cycle fun!!

Making things fun is always really hard! However, you know that if you can add a little (itty bit) of chaos to the normal day, you can make it insanely fun. The best part is that the kids will remember the topic or skills at hand.

Water Cycle Activities for 5th Grade

Interested in the science project? I can for sure help you with that. Head to my store to check out the awesome Water Cycle Science project that you can assign and go (or print and go)!

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ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Water cycle.

The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of the water on Earth.

Conservation, Earth Science, Meteorology

Deer Streams National Park Mist

A misty cloud rises over Deer Streams National Park. The water cycle contains more steps than just rain and evaporation, fog and mist are other ways for water to be returned to the ground.

Photograph by Redline96

Water is one of the key ingredients to life on Earth. About 75 percent of our planet is covered by water or ice. The water cycle is the endless process that connects all of that water. It joins the Earth’s oceans, land, and atmosphere.

The Earth’s water cycle began about 3.8 billion years ago when rain fell on a cooling Earth, forming the oceans. The rain came from water vapor that escaped the magma in the Earth’s molten core into the atmosphere. Energy from the sun helped power the water cycle and Earth’s gravity kept water in the atmosphere from leaving the planet.

The oceans hold about 97 percent of the water on Earth. About 1.7 percent of Earth’s water is stored in polar ice caps and glaciers. Rivers, lakes, and soil hold approximately 1.7 percent. A tiny fraction—just 0.001 percent—exists in the Earth’s atmosphere as water vapor.

When molecules of water vapor return to liquid or solid form, they create cloud droplets that can fall back to Earth as rain or snow—a process called condensation . Most precipitation lands in the oceans. Precipitation that falls onto land flows into rivers, streams, and lakes. Some of it seeps into the soil where it is held underground as groundwater.

When warmed by the sun, water on the surface of oceans and freshwater bodies evaporates, forming a vapor. Water vapor rises into the atmosphere, where it condenses, forming clouds. It then falls back to the ground as precipitation. Moisture can also enter the atmosphere directly from ice or snow. In a process called sublimation , solid water, such as ice or snow, can transform directly into water vapor without first becoming a liquid.

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Program specialists, specialist, content production, last updated.

October 19, 2023

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If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

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Biology library

Course: biology library   >   unit 28.

• Intro to biogeochemical cycles
• Biogeochemical cycles overview

The water cycle

• The carbon cycle
• The nitrogen cycle
• The phosphorus cycle
• Phosphorus cycle
• Eutrophication and dead zones
• Biogeochemical cycles

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Water Cycle Activities for 5th Grade Science

The resources below will provide students a comprehensive understanding of the water cycle. All of the following lessons are also included in the Kesler Science Membership .

The Water Cycle 5E Lesson includes materials for every "E" phase, including the Water Cycle Station Lab for Exploration and an interactive PowerPoint with digital INB templates for Explanation.

The lesson also includes introduction materials for Engagement, student-choice project ideas for Elaboration, and assessments for Evaluation.

After completing the Water Cycle 5E Lesson, students will be able to explain how the Sun and the ocean interact in the water cycle.

Essential Questions and Standards

Below are the essential questions and standards associated with the lessons and activities included in the water cycle unit. This topic is only one of many 5th grade science topics included in the  Kesler Science Membership .

• Why is the Sun important for the water cycle?
• What role does the ocean play in the water cycle?
• 5.8 B - Explain how the Sun and the ocean interact in the water cycle

Kesler Science Membership

Imagine never having to search for another middle school science lesson again. The membership gives you access to ALL of the Kesler Science products in one place (Yes, including everything above).

Say goodbye to long hours of lesson prep.

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

Water Cycle

About this worksheet:.

Week 25 Reading Comprehension (E-25). A reading passage about water’s three different forms or states: solid, liquid, gas. Cross-Curricular Focus: Earth Science. This worksheet is in line with Common Core Standards for 5th – 7th grade Key Ideas and Details, but may also be used for other grades. The passage’s Lexile Level is 970.

The water cycle

This worksheet originally published in Learn Science! for grades 5-6 by © Dorling Kindersley Limited .

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