Water Wizards Teacher Guide
Water Cycle Wizards
Teacher Guide • Grade 2 Science
Learning Objective
Students will be able to identify and explain the four stages of the water cycle: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, and Collection.
Pacing: 40 Minutes
- Hook: Ice Water Mystery 5 min
- Video: The Water Cycle Song 10 min
- Activity: Water Cycle in a Bag 20 min
- Closure: Lab Observations 5 min
Materials List
- Glass of ice water
- Ziploc bags (1 per student)
- Permanent markers
- Water & Blue food coloring
- Strong masking tape
- Lab Worksheets
1. The Hook: The Mystery of the Sweating Glass (5 min)
Place a glass of ice water on a table where everyone can see. Point out the water on the outside of the glass.
"Look at our glass. It's dry on the outside when I first poured it. Now it's wet! Did the water leak through the glass? Where did this water come from?"
Explain: Water is in the air as invisible gas. When it touches the cold glass, it turns back into liquid. This is part of a cycle!
2. Guided Video (10 min)
Play "The Water Cycle Song" (8:03 - 11:46). Pause at these timestamps to check for understanding:
8:37 - Evaporation
Ask: "What makes the water turn into vapor?" (The heat from the sun)
8:57 - Condensation
Ask: "What does the vapor turn into?" (Clouds)
9:17 - Precipitation
Ask: "What are the 3 ways water falls?" (Rain, snow, or hail)
9:37 - Collection
Ask: "Where does the water go now?" (Oceans, lakes, rivers)
3. Activity: Water Cycle in a Bag (20 min)
- Give each student a Ziploc bag and a sharpie.
- Drawing: Students draw a sun in the top corner, clouds at the top, and waves at the bottom.
- Filling: Carefully add about 1 inch of water (tinted blue) to each bag and seal it tight.
- Taping: Tape the bags to a sunny window.
- Predict: Ask students what they think will happen by tomorrow.
Pro-Tip for Success
Ensure the bags are sealed very tightly! If air escapes, the 'cycle' won't work as well. Use blue food coloring to make the 'collection' phase more visible.
Water Wizards Slides
Water Wizards
Mastering the Water Cycle
Grade 2
Earth Science
Mystery Question!
🥛
Where does the water on the outside of a cold glass come from?
Did it leak through?
Did someone spray it?
The Water Cycle Song
8:03 - 11:46
Embedded media
Stage 1
Evaporation
The SUN heats up water in oceans and lakes.
Water turns into invisible gas called Water Vapor and travels UP!
☀️
🌊
Stage 2
Condensation
The water vapor COOLS DOWN high in the sky.
It turns back into liquid water and forms CLOUDS!
Stage 3
Precipitation
The clouds get heavy with water. It falls back down to Earth!
🌧️
Rain
❄️
Snow
🧊
Hail
Stage 4
🌊
Oceans
🏞️
Lakes
Collection
Water gathers in Lakes, Rivers, and Oceans.
Then, the sun comes out and the cycle starts ALL OVER AGAIN!
ZIPLOC
☀️
☁️
🌊
Water Cycle Lab
-
1
Draw the cycle on your bag with Sharpies.
-
2
Add a little blue water and zip it TIGHT!
-
3
Tape it to a sunny window.
Water Wizards Lab Worksheet
Water Wizard Lab
Official Scientist Record
Name
Date
Part 1: The Sweating Glass
Look at the glass of ice water. What do you see on the outside?
Part 2: The Cycle Stages
Evaporation Condensation Precipitation Collection
☀️
Water going UP
☁️
Water turning to Clouds
🌧️
Water falling DOWN
🌊
Water gathering together
Part 3: My Water Bag
My Drawing:
Sketch your bag design here
My Prediction:
What will happen to the water in the sun?
Water Wizards Answer Key
Water Wizard Lab
Teacher Answer Key
Part 1: The Sweating Glass
Look at the glass of ice water. What do you see on the outside?
There are tiny water droplets on the outside of the glass. This is condensation from water vapor in the air cooling down.
Part 2: The Cycle Stages
☀️
Evaporation
Water going UP
☁️
Condensation
Water turning to Clouds
🌧️
Precipitation
Water falling DOWN
🌊
Collection
Water gathering together
Part 3: My Water Bag
My Drawing:
(Student Drawing)
My Prediction:
The sun will heat the water (Evaporation). It will turn into vapor and rise. When it touches the top of the bag, it will cool down and turn back into droplets (Condensation). Eventually, it will drip back down like rain (Precipitation).