Newton’s Three Laws of Motion
6-8
1
The Water Cycle
Lesson Details
Grade Level
3-5
Duration (minutes)
1
Summary
A quick lesson following a single water droplet through the four stages of the water cycle — evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.
Student Worksheet: The Water Cycle
Teacher Note: Students can watch the video lesson above and answer the questions. Click the “Teacher Answer Key” dropdown below when you are ready to review the solutions!
Key Concepts:
• Evaporation: The sun heats water until it rises into the air as invisible water vapor.
• Condensation: Rising water vapor cools and turns back into tiny liquid droplets, forming clouds.
• Precipitation: When a cloud gets too full and heavy, water falls back to the surface as rain, snow, or hail.
• Collection: Water gathers in rivers, lakes, and oceans, or soaks into the ground.
Instructions: Read each question carefully and write your answer in the space provided.
- Question 1: What causes ocean water to rise into the air as vapor?
- Question 2: What happens to water vapor as it rises and cools?
- Question 3: What is it called when water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail?
- Question 4: Where does water go after it falls back to Earth?
- Question 5: Put the four stages of the water cycle in order, starting with evaporation.
- Question 6: Why is the water cycle described as a “recycling program”?
Click to reveal Teacher Answer Key
1. The sun’s energy heats the water. @ 0:15
2. It cools and turns back into tiny liquid droplets, forming a cloud. @ 0:24
3. Precipitation. @ 0:38
4. It gathers in rivers, lakes, and oceans, or soaks into the ground (collection). @ 0:47
5. Evaporation → Condensation → Precipitation → Collection.
6. Because the same water keeps moving through the same stages over and over, so water on Earth is constantly reused.
Disclaimer: This worksheet was generated with AI assistance based on original video content. It is intended for educational reference only. Teachers are encouraged to review and adjust questions to fit their curriculum standards before classroom use.
🎯 Extension Activity: Have students draw their own water cycle diagram from memory, labeling all four stages with arrows showing the cycle repeating, then trace the journey of a single raindrop in their own words.