Students will explore and identify the stages of the water cycle—evaporation, condensation, and precipitation—through hands-on experiments and visual activities, enabling them to describe each process and complete related illustrations.
Understanding the water cycle builds foundational Earth science knowledge, fosters environmental awareness, and supports later lessons on weather and conservation by connecting concrete experiences with scientific vocabulary.
Audience
Kindergarten to 2nd Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Hands-on experiments paired with interactive visuals.
Ask students: “Where does rain come from?” and record responses on chart paper.
Introduce key terms (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) with simple definitions and visuals.
Step 2
Evaporation and Condensation Experiment
20 minutes
Have each student fill a jar halfway with water and add one drop of blue food coloring.
Cover jars with plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band.
Place two ice cubes on top of the wrap and ask students to predict what will happen.
After 5–10 minutes, guide students to observe water droplets forming under the wrap—discuss evaporation (water turning to vapor) and condensation (vapor turning back to liquid).
