The Water Cycle WebQuest

Introduction

Task

Process

Evaluation

Conclusion

Teacher Page

Introduction Hey class! Today we are going to pretend that we are all a

tiny drop of water. We will explore the water cycle and answer some key questions. Where does water come from?

What are all of the different forms that water takes on? What are the different ways the water cycle affects our

lives? Are you ready to see the world from a water droplet’s perspective? Let’s get started!

Click on the water cycle to learn about your task!

TaskWith a partner, you are going to write a

creative story about the water cycle from the perspective of a drop of water. Be sure to include each of the different forms water takes on. After completing your story, you will brain storm at least ten different ways we use water in our everyday lives and create a PowerPoint

to show all of these uses. Hey kids!

Whenever you see me, click to move on!

To see how you will be graded, click on the rain

cloud!

Process Step 1: Click on these links to learn about the water cycle:

Water Cycle 1 , Water Cycle 2 , Water Cycle 3 ,Video

Step 2: Complete this worksheet using the information you learned

from the discovery website: Worksheet

Step 3: Write a short story from a water drop’s perspective. Be sure

to use your imagination and discuss all the different forms water

takes on.

Step 4: Use this chart to help you and your partner brainstorm

different uses for water: Chart

Step 5: Create a PowerPoint presentation showing the class all of the

different ideas you came up with about water usage (Hint: Be

Creative!)

Step 6: If you finish early, you can play this fun fact game to test your

knowledge about water: Fun Fact Game

Step 7: You and your partner will present your PowerPoint

presentation once the whole class has finished this project.

EvaluationBeginning (1) Developed (2) Accomplished (3) Exemplary (4) Score

Worked Well with Partner

Goofed Off in class or argued instead

of getting work done

Completed some of the work but did not work together

Completed the whole task but did the work separately instead of

as a team

Worked well together, shared all responsibility, and completed all tasks

Completed the Creative

Story

The story is not complete.

The story is complete but is not creative nor does it cover all stages of

the water cycle

The story is complete and covers all stages

of the water cycle but shows no creativity.

The story is complete, covers all stages of the water

cycle, and is creative.

Created a PowerPoint

on Water Usage

The PowerPoint is not complete.

The PowerPoint is complete but does not have at least

then uses of water and shows no

creativity.

The PowerPoint is complete, has at least ten uses of water, but is not

creative.

The PowerPoint is complete, has at least ten uses of

water, and is creative.

Used Available Resources

Did not use any of the available resources to

complete the task.

Used only a few of the resources to

complete the task.

Used all of the resources to

complete the task.

Used all of the resources plus

additional research completed

individually

ConclusionNow that you have completed all the tasks, you are

all more aware of where the water we use everyday

comes from. But don’t let your learning stop here!

Continue to learn and explore the water cycle and

the uses we have for water. Here are some links you

can look at:

Thirstin’s Water Cycle

Water Trivia Facts

Our World of Water

Teacher Page

The Water Cycle WebQuest

A WebQuest for 5th Grade Science

Lesson Plan

Created by:

Abby Gerst

agerst01@bellarmine.edu

Context

• This lesson relates to the current unit being studying because it covers water in its different forms, how water

circulates on Earth, and how water is continuously reused.

• The students have previously learned about weather and different forms of precipitation which will help them

better understand the different stages of the water cycle. They have also previously learned about Earth’s different

bodies of water.

• Water is an everyday part of all students’ lives. It is important for them to understand where it comes from and the

different ways in which we use water.

Learning Objectives

• As a result of this lesson, students will be able to write a creative story about the different forms that water takes

on.

• Students will be able to complete a worksheet about the water cycle.

• Students will be able to create a PowerPoint on the different ways we use water.

Lesson Plan

Program of Studies: Understandings Program of Studies:Skills and Concepts Related Core Content

SC-5-EU-U-1Students will understand that the earth’s water supply has existed since the formation of the planet and is constantly cycled from the ocean to the atmosphere, allowing the same water to be endlessly reused without the creation of new water.

SC-5-EU-S-1Students will investigate how water can change forms yet still be conserved in the water cycle SC-5-EU-S-2Students will create/analyze/explain representations that illustrate the circulation of water (evaporation and condensation) from the surface of the Earth, through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere (water cycle)

SC-05-2.3.1 Students will describe the circulation of water (evaporation and condensation) from the surface of the Earth, through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere (water cycle);

Water, which covers the majority of the Earth’s surface, circulates through the crust, oceans, and atmosphere in what is known as the water cycle.

Standards:

Name: Abby Gerst Date: November 9th, 2011

Age/Grade Level: 10-11/5th grade Number of Students: 25

Number of Students with IEP / 504 plan: 4 Number of Gifted Students: 3

Number of English Language Learners: 2 Subject: 5th Grade Science

Major Content: Earth Science Lesson Length: 8 days

Unit Title: The Water Cycle Lesson Number and Title: #7 The Water Cycle

Resources, Media and Technology

In order to complete this lesson, students will need access to the computer lab. The software that will

be used is Microsoft Office (PowerPoint and Word).

The Internet URLs used in this lesson are:

http://player.discoveryeducation.com/views/hhView.cfm?guidAssetId=087777c8-4ff0-45d2-878f

-e7cd90f7ee19

http://www.kidzone.ws/water/

http://www.epa.gov/region7/kids/wtrcycle.htm

http://www.neok12.com/php/watch.php?v=zX73676f0d5a4056514d7606&t=Water-Cycle

http://davidson.k12.nc.us/webquests/weather/the_water_cycle.htm

http://www.caledonia.k12.mi.us/k12resource/webquest2004/waterunit/waysweusewater.html

.htm

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_matching.html

http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html

http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/water_trivia_facts.cfm

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/youthdevelopment/components/0328-04.html

Procedures

• The activities involved in this lesson are writing a creative story, creating a PowerPoint, completing a worksheet

that is relevant to the topic, brainstorming ideas in a graphic organizer, and engaging in multiple online

interactive activities. This lesson will use the students’ prior knowledge of weather and Earth’s bodies of water.

This lesson uses a variety of media such as videos, interactive activities and text from the internet to implement

differentiated learning which appeals to each of the different types of learners in the class.

• The activities the students will engage in are as follows:

1. The students will explore the different websites provided to them in step one. They should have approximately

the first half of their class time on day one to do this.

2. The students will complete the worksheet that the link in step two provides for them. They can take the second

half of their class time on day one to complete this.

3. The students will work with a partner to write a creative short story about the water cycle. They should write this

story from the perspective of a drop of water. Students will be given three days to work on their stories.

4. The students will use a graphic organizer to brainstorm ideas about the different ways in which we use water

every day. They should be given approximately a half an hour to complete this chart.

5. Students will create a PowerPoint presentation using the ideas they brainstormed in their graphic organizers.

They will have the rest of class after completing the graphic organizer as well as one additional day. If they finish

early, they can explore the extra links provided to them at the end of the lesson.

6. Once all students have completed their PowerPoints, each group will present their slideshows to

the rest of the class. This should take about two days.

Objective / Assessment Organizer

Objective Number

Type of Assessment Description of Assessment Adaptations and/or Accommodations

Objective 1 Informative Students will complete a worksheet on the water cycle. Extra time provided for IEP/ESL students. Extra resources provided for gifted students.

Objective 2 Informative Students will write a creative story detailing the life of a drop of water.

Extra time provided for IEP/ESL students. Extra resources provided for gifted students.

Objective 3 Informative Students will complete a PowerPoint on the different ways in which we use water every day.

Extra time provided for IEP/ESL students. Extra resources provided for gifted students.

Objective 4 Formative Students will give a presentation their PowerPoints for the teacher as well as the rest of the class.

Extra time provided for IEP/ESL students. Extra resources provided for gifted students.

Assessment Plan

• Accommodations for students that are ESL learners are giving them extra time to complete the task and personally assisting them should they need extra help.