SThe
aving
Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 1a
Use these words
Activity:
1. Cut around the shapes on Worksheet 1b.
2. Stick them onto the diagram above in the correct
order to explain how the Water Cycle works.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
SThe
aving
Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 1b
Finding out about the Water Cycle
Use these words
wos
evaporation
cloud formation
precipitation
condensation
Activity:
1. Cut around the shapes and stick them onto the diagram
on worksheet 1a in the correct order to explain how the
.
Water
Cycle works.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
The Water Cycle - Worksheet 2
Waterr Cycle Matching Game
clo
u
d
fo
r
co
ion
t
sa
ion
at
m
nd
en
Match the words to the pictures
:
Activity
Hard
level
a
or
n
tio
ev
a
p
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
ita
- Fasten together
and match
words to pictures
p
r
e
cip
-Make a hole in
the middle of
each one
n
tio
-Cut out circles
© Scottish Water 2004
S aving
The
Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 3
The Water Cycle Story
The Water Cycle is a natural system in our
environment. It has no beginning and no end.
Water goes round in a circle between
the sea, air and the ground.
Use the list on the left to fill in the missing words to
tell the Water Cycle story.
Use these words:
- sun
- vapour
- evaporation
- condenses
- cloud
- rain
- snow
- rivers
1. When the s _ _ shines on the sea, warm air rises and forms
water v _ _ _ _ _.
This is called e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _.
2. The water vapour in the air c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ into lots of tiny
drops of water so small that we cannot see them.
3. The tiny droplets bump into each other forming bigger drops
that we can see as a c _ _ _ _ .
4. When the drops are big and heavy they fall as r _ _ _ , hail
or s _ _ _ .
5. This falls onto the land and into the rivers. The r _ _ _ _ _
flow into the sea and everything starts again.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
S aving
The
Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet
The Water Cycle Story
The water cycle is a natural system in our
environment. It has no beginning and no end.
Water goes round in a circle between
the sea, air and the ground.
Use the list on the left to fill in the missing words to
tell the water cycle story.
When the s _ _ shines on the o _ _ _ _, warm air rises and forms
Use these words: water v _ _ _ _ _.
This process is called e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
Ha rd level
invisible
rain
snow
vapour
drops
evaporation
cloud
rivers
ocean
condensation
sun
cooler
Find the
meaning of
these words:
- evaporation
- condensation
- precipitation
The water vapour in the air c _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ into lots of tiny d _ _ _ _
of water, so small we cannot see them.
This warm moist air rises up into the sky.
As the water v _ _ _ _ _ rises high up in the sky the air gets
c _ _ _ _ _ . The water vapour condenses making the tiny drops
of water in the vapour a bit bigger.
They are no longer i _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and form a c _ _ _ _.
The clouds may be blown towards the land and precipitation as
r _ _ _ , hail or s _ _ _ occurs.
This falls onto the land and into the r _ _ _ _ _.
The rivers flow into the oceans and everything starts again.
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 4
What happens when the sun
heats the water in the sea?
How to find out:
1. On a sunny day, put some water in your bucket and take it into the
playground.
2. Find a good place to make a puddle and pour the water onto the
ground. You need to find a place which has a hollow to hold the
water.
3. Draw round the puddle with your chalk.
4. Wait for at least an hour and then check the puddle.
You will need:
Draw what has happened:
1
1
2
3
4
5
- a bucket of water
- a piece of chalk
Try to answer these questions:
1. Is the puddle bigger or smaller than it was at the start?
2. Why do you think it is smaller?
3. Where is the water that is missing from the puddle?
4. Think about the Water Cycle. What happens when the sun heats the water in the sea?
5. Which part of the Water Cycle does this experiment show?
evaporation
condensation
cloud
formation
precipitation
Clues to help you:
When the water gets hot, some of it evaporates to make water vapour.
This is warm air which holds lots of tiny drops of water so small we cannot see them. This
warm air rises up into the sky.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 4
What happens when the sun
heats the water in the sea?
How to find out:
1. On a sunny day, put some water in your bucket and take it into the
playground.
2. Find a good place to make a puddle and pour the water onto the
ground. You need to find a place which has a hollow to hold the
water.
3. Draw round the puddle with your chalk.
You will need:
4. Wait for at least an hour and then check the puddle.
What has happened?
Write up your experiment.
Start like this:
- a bucket
- a piece of chalk
1. What we used.
2. What we did.
3. What happened.
Try to answer these questions:
1. Why is the puddle smaller?
2. Where is the water that is missing from the puddle?
3. Think about the Water Cycle. What happens when the sun
heats the water in the sea?
Clues to help you:
When the water gets hot, some of it evaporates to make water vapour.
This is warm air which holds lots of tiny drops of water so small we cannot see them.
This warm air rises up into the sky.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 5a
What happens to water when
it is left in a container?
How to find out:
1. Measure 40ml of water in the jug.
2. Empty this into a beaker.
3. Pour 40ml of water into the second beaker.
4. Cover this with cling film.
5. Measure 40ml of water in the jug and place it next to the two
beakers.
6. Using a felt pen, mark the level of water on each beaker.
You will need:
Look at the water level at the end of the day and then again at
the end of the next 4 days.
Try to answer these questions:
- a measuring jug
- 2 clear plastic
beakers
- some cling film
- a felt pen
1. At the end of the day, which beaker had the most water in it?
2. Did the jug have more or less water than this?
3. After 5 days which beaker had the least water in it?
4. Did the jug have more or less water than this?
5. Where is the water that is missing from the beakers and the jug?
6. Think about the Water Cycle. Which part of the Water Cycle does
this experiment show?
evaporation condensation cloud formation precipitation
Clues to help you:
Some of the water evaporates to make water vapour. This is
warm air which holds lots of drops of tiny water so small we
cannot see them.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 5a
What happens to water when
it is left in a container?
How to find out:
1. Measure 40ml of water in the jug.
2. Empty this into a beaker.
3. Pour 40ml of water into the second beaker.
4. Cover this with cling film.
5. Measure 40ml of water in the jug and place it next to the two
beakers.
6. Using a felt pen, mark the level of water on each beaker.
You will need:
Look at the water level at the end of the day and then again
at the end of the next 4 days.
What has happened?
Write up your experiment.
Start like this:
1. What we used.
2. What we did.
3. What happened.
- a measuring jug
- 2 clear plastic
beakers
- some cling film
- a felt pen
Clues to help you:
Some of the water
evaporates to make water
vapour. This is warm air
which holds lots of tiny
drops of water so small we
cannot see them.
Try to answer these questions:
1. Why has the water level reduced?
2. Where is the water that is missing from the containers?
3. Think about the Water Cycle. Which part of the Water Cycle does
this experiment demonstrate?
Now try this:
1. Put 40ml of water into two foil trays
2. Place one tray on a radiator or in a sunny area
3. Place the other tray away from any heat
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Look at the two trays at the
end of the day. Describe
what has happened and
explain why.
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 6
How are clouds formed?
How to find out:
You will need:
1.
Fill the bottle with some hot water. Leave
for a few minutes then ask an adult to
pour most of it away.
2.
Put your ice cube on top of the bottle.
3.
Put the black paper behind the bottle and
watch what happens next.
- some hot water
in a jug
- clear glass bottle
- an ice cube
- some black paper
Try to answer these questions:
1. What did you see when you put the black paper behind the bottle?
2. What happened when the warm air hit the ice cube?
3. Think about the Water Cycle. What do you think happens to the moist
warm air rising from the sea as it gets higher?
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 6
How are clouds formed?
How to find out:
1.
Fill the bottle with some hot water. Leave for
a few minutes then ask an adult to pour most
of it away.
2.
Put your ice cube on top of the bottle.
3.
Put the black paper behind the bottle and
watch what happens next.
You will need:
- some hot water
in a jug
- clear glass bottle Try to answer these questions:
- an ice cube
- some black paper 1. What was in the warm air rising up from the hot water?
2. What happened when the warm air hit the ice cube?
3. Think about the water cycle. What do you think happens to the
warm moist air rising up from the sea as it gets higher and
higher.
Write up your experiment:
Start like this:
1. What we used.
2. What we did.
3. What happened.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
Clues to help you:
As the water vapour rises high up in the sky, the air
gets cooler. The water vapour condenses making the
tiny drops of water in the vapour a bit bigger. They
are no longer invisible and form a cloud.
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 7
Making Rain
How to find out:
1. Put some warm water in a plastic fish tank.
2. Stretch cling film over the top of the tank.
3. Put 3 or 4 ice cubes in a pile at one end of the cling film. Pucker the
surface of the cling film so that they are kept in the same position.
Watch what happens.
You will need:
Try to answer these questions:
1. Where does it start to rain?
2. Why does it rain there?
3. Where does the rain fall?
Think about the Water Cycle.
What happens to the rain after it falls to the ground?
Clues to help you:
-plastic fish tank
-some cling film
-some ice cubes
When you breathe out, water evaporates from your
lungs. It forms vapour in the air.
How ice cubes in a beaker cause condensation.
The ice cubes in the beaker start to melt. The air in the beaker is warm to start with and the
water evaporates. The air in the beaker slowly cools down as the ice cube melts and
eventually the air is cold enough for the water droplets to condense on the surface of the
cling film. This is because the air in the beaker is now colder than the air in the classroom.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The Water
Cycle - Worksheet 7
Making Rain
How to find out:
1. Put some warm water in a plastic fish tank.
2. Stretch cling film over the top of the tank.
3. Put 3 or 4 ice cubes in a pile at one end of the cling film. Pucker the
surface of the cling film so that they are kept in the same position.
Watch what happens.
You will need:
Write up your experiment:
1. What we used.
2. What we did.
3. What happened.
Try to answer these questions:
-plastic fish tank
-some cling film
-some ice cubes
1. Where does it start to rain?
2. Why does it rain there?
3. Where does the rain fall?
4. What do you think happens next?
5. Why do you think it is called the Water Cycle?
Other things to do:
1. Put a plastic bag over a potted plant like a Busy Lizzie. Keep it in place by putting an
elastic band round the bag and the flower pot.
2. Look at it the next day and record what you see.
3. Think about the Water Cycle. What do you think is happening?
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 8
Water droplets
How to do it:
1. Breathe on a window.
2. Take 1 ice cube and a paper
towel. Hold the ice cube
against the window for a few
minutes.
Wipe the melted ice off the
window.
Draw what you see.
You will need:
4. Put 4 ice cubes in the plastic
beaker and cover it with cling film.
Draw what you see happening.
3. Describe what you can see
on the other side of the window.
I can see:
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
- ice cubes
- clear plastic
beaker
- paper towel
- cling film
Try to answer these questions:
1. What did you see when you breathed on the window?
2. What happened when you wiped the melted ice off the window?
3. What did you see happening on the other sides of the beaker?
4. Think about the Water Cycle. Which part of the Water Cycle do these experiments show?
evaporation
condensation
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
cloud formation
precipitation
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
Water
The
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 8
Water droplets
How to do it:
1. Breathe on a window. What do you see? Can you explain it?
2. Take 1 ice cube and a paper towel. Hold the ice cube against the
window for a few minutes. Wipe the melted ice off the window.
Describe what you can see on the other side of the window.
3. Put 4 ice cubes in the plastic beaker and cover with cling film. What
do you see happening on the sides of the pot?
You will need:
Write up your experiment:
Start like this:
1. What we used.
2. What we did.
3. What happened.
Try to answer these questions:
1. What did you see when you breathed on the window? Can you
explain it?
- ice cubes
- clear plastic
beaker
- paper towel
- cling film
2. What happened when you wiped the melted ice off the window?
3. What did you see happening on the sides of the beaker? Make a
list of times when you can see water droplets forming.
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© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
The
Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 9a
Water Cycle Quiz
True or False?
Are the following statements True or False?
Circle the answer.
1. The Water Cycle has no beginning and no end.
True
False
2. When the sun shines on the sea warm air rises
and forms water vapour.
True
False
3. We can see the tiny water droplets in the air.
True
False
4. Clouds are made of water droplets.
True
False
5. When clouds are full of water droplets they fall as rain, hail or snow.
True
False
6. The rain falls on to the land and stays there.
True
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False
© Scottish Water 2004
Saving
The Water
Water
Cycle - Worksheet 9b
Water Cycle Quiz
Answer Sheet
1. True.
It is a natural system in our environment and has been happening in
the same way for millions of years.
2. True.
This is called evaporation.
3. False.
Water vapour is made up of tiny droplets that we
cannot see.
4. True.
The tiny water droplets bump together forming bigger drops that we
can see as clouds.
5. True.
The clouds may be blown towards the land and precipitation happens.
Watch the weather forecast and listen carefully and you will hear the
word precipitation.
6. False.
Rain falls onto the land and into rivers which flow back into the sea
and the Water Cycle begins again.
www.scottishwater.co.uk/education
© Scottish Water 2004