For Kindergarten, the instruction is written as Steps (rather than the 5 Es)
Step 1. The "Big Wonder" (Introduction)
Start with a “Turn and Talk.” about water in our world. Ask the students: “If you were a tiny drop of water, where would you land outside?”
- Record answers on chart paper (puddles, rivers, inside a flower, in a snowbank).
Make a connection from that one drop of rain to all the water on the planet. Water is life. Ask the students to name (and list ) some things that need water to live or prompt them with the following questions :
What kinds of animals need water?
What other living things need water to grow ?
Do we need water to live ? (Think about how good we feel when we quench our thirst — in other words– when we are “hydrated”?!!)
Check for understanding : Water is a life-sustaining resource. Water is something that all living things need.
Step 2. Water Cycle (Story)
Using the slide deck, introduce the vocabulary on each of the slides (Slides 2-6).
The water cycle graphic on Slide 7 shows the water cycle but intentionally does not show the vocabulary of the phases on the water cycle.
Review the connections between the vocabulary and the water cycle (e.g Clouds= Condensation)
- Instruction: In real time, ask students to add the vocabulary word that goes with the phase of the water cycle– use the given vocabulary words but add the “technical” name below. Explain that the Sun is the “engine” that pulls water up as a gas, and the clouds are the “bus” that carries water before it drops back down as rain or snow. A completed graphic for slide 7 is available on Slide 8
- Check for Understanding: “Does the water ever stop moving, or is it like a merry-go-round?” (It never stops but acts in continuous movement through the environment. Emphasize the Cycle).
Step 3. "My Water World" Model (Hands-on Activity)
Students will create a physical model to show how they are connected to the natural water cycle.
The Task: Create a diagram that includes a person, the sun, and a cloud.
The Challenge: Students use markers to “connect” the items.
- Example: Draw rain falling on the person, or a puddle “disappearing” (evaporating) up toward the sun.
- Early Finishers: Have them “accessorize” for the weather pattern they drew (boots for rain, a hat for snow).
Step 4. Acting it out (Kinesthetic Closure)
To solidify the concept of a system, have the students act it out.
Instructions: To prepare for this activity, make four paddles as described below. There is an accompanying movement for each water cycle paddle. Explain the movements to the students and let them practice. When a paddle is shown by the teacher, the students act out the water cycle as described below.
- The “Puddle”: Students crouch low on the floor.
- The “Vapor”: As you mimic “Sunlight” with your arms, students slowly rise and wiggle their fingers upward.
- The “Cloud”: Students grab hands to form a big circle.
- The “Rain”: Students pat their knees to make a rain sound and return to the floor.
Consider finding a catchy, educational song on youtube that will help students remember what they learned.
Here are some suggestions:
For musicality:
Water Cycle | Songs For Kids | Sing Along
The Water Cycle Rap
Imagery aligns well with vocabulary words
The Water Cycle Song | Science Songs
Teacher Support
- SWBAT: Create a visual model using paper cutouts and drawings to show how water moves in a continuous pattern between the sky (clouds) and the ground.
- Alignment: PA STEELS Standard Practice (Developing and using models).
- SWBAT: Recall, identify and use specific vocabulary—including gas (vapor), cloud, and precipitation (rain/snow)—to describe how weather patterns change over time.
- Alignment: 3.3.K.B (Weather & Climate).
- SWBAT: Explain the connection between the water cycle and living things by identifying at least one reason why people, plants, or animals need water to survive.
- Alignment: 3.4.K.C (Sustainability).
Paper Cutouts (Cloud, Sun, Person)
Glue Sticks & Markers
Teacher Created Water Cycle Paddles
Blue crayons/markers (optional for “gas)
Chart Paper and Markers
Sentence Strips
Cloud (Noun): Made out of clumps of water droplets or ice crystals floating in the sky.
Sunshine (Noun): Light that comes from the sun.
Snow (Noun): Small white ice crystals that are soft, light, and fluffy. (like frozen rain).
Hail (Noun): Frozen rain that are hard, solid balls, or chunks of ice.
Rain (Noun): Liquid water that falls from the sky.
Water Vapor (Noun): Little water droplets that can be found in the air all around us.
Use these prompts as you walk around the room to gather your data:
- For “Modeling”: “I see you glued your cloud at the top! Where does the water go when the cloud gets too heavy?”
- For “Sustainability”: “Your person looks happy! What would happen to them if there was no water for a whole week?”
- For “Gas”: “When the sun heats up that puddle on the ground, where does the water go? Can we see it?”
PA STEELS Standards
3.1 Life Science
3.1.K.A Energy Flow in Organisms: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.
3.3 Earth and Space Science
3.3.K.A Weather & Climate: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
Standards of Mathematical Process
Developing and using models to represent structures and systems.