Yakima WATERS Mini Lesson
The Incredible Journey: A Water Cycle Exploration
Targets and Assessment
WA Science Standards Addressed:
 6-8 ES2C In the water cycle, water evaporates
from Earth's surface, rises and cools,
condenses to form clouds and falls as rain or
snow and collects in bodies of water.
Assessments:
Have students:
 Role-play water as it moves through the
water cycle (Step 7)
 Identify the states water is in while moving
through the water cycle (Step 4 & wrap up)
 Write a story describing the movement of
water (wrap up)
Lesson Parameters
Content Area: Earth Science
Overview: In this dice rolling activity students simulate the
movement of water within the water cycle.
Grade Level: Upper Elementary, Middle School
Suggested Time: Preparation time: 3- 50 min. class periods
Activity time: 1- 50 min. period
Special Materials:
 See details below in Materials
*NOTE TO TEACHER/INSTRUCTOR: This activity is a (slightly) modified version of The Incredible Journey, taken
from “Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide”. Reference information for this guide is listed below in
Sources.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Knowledge:
 Student will be able to describe the movement of water within the water cycle.
 Student will be able to identify the states of water as it moves through the water cycle.
Skill:

Students will develop organizational skills by setting up and exploring the water cycle. Exploration of
the water cycle will also enhance students understanding of how to identify components and
relationships within a system and to make observation supported interpretations.
SCIENCE CONCEPT BACKGROUND:
As described in The Incredible Journey (Durney, 1995):
While water circulates from one state or point to another in the water cycle, the paths it can take are variable.
Heat energy directly influences the rate of motion of water molecules. When the motion of the molecule
increases because of an increase in heat energy, water will change from solid to liquid to gas. With each
change in the state of a water molecule there is also a physical movement that occurs. For example, a glacier
might melt into a pool, which will eventually overflow into a stream, and/or may then evaporate into the
atmosphere.
Gravity further influences how water travels over, under, and above Earth’s surface. Water as a solid, liquid or
gas has mass and is subject to gravitational force. Snow on mountain tops melts and descends through
watersheds to the oceans of the world.
One of the most visible states in which water moves is in the liquid form. Water is seen flowing in streams and
rivers and tumbling in ocean waves. Water travels slowly underground, seeping and filtering through particles
of soil and pores within rocks.
Although unseen, water’s most dramatic movements take place during its gaseous phase. Water is constantly
evaporating, changing from a liquid to a gas. As a vapor, it can travel through the atmosphere over Earth’s
surface. In fact, water vapor surrounds us all the time. Where it condenses and returns to Earth depends upon
loss of heat energy, gravity, and the structure of Earth’s surface.
Water condensation can be seen as dew on plants or water droplets on the outside of a glass of cold water. In
clouds, water molecules collect on tiny dust particles. Eventually, the water droplets become too heavy and
gravity pulls the water to Earth.
Living organisms also help move water. Humans and other animals carry water within their bodies,
transporting it from one location to another. Water is either directly consumed by animals or is removed from
foods during digestion. Water is excreted as a liquid or leaves as a gas, usually through respiration. When
water is present on the skin of an animal (for example, as perspiration), evaporation may occur.
The greatest movers of water among living organisms are plants. The roots of plants absorb water. Some of
this water is used within the body of the plant, but most of it travels up through the plant to the leaf surface.
When water reaches the leaves, it is exposed to the air and sun’s energy and is easily evaporated.
All of these processes work together to move water around, through, and over Earth.
Vocabulary
*Note that the following vocabulary is optional for the instructor to use. For younger audiences these
concepts may be difficult to understand and thus the vocabulary descriptions may need to be modified. At the
beginning of the lesson you could consider incorporating a formative assessment probe that emphasizes
changes in the state of matter. The National Science teachers Association has developed a multi-volume
collection of probes that can be used in physical science assessments, I would recommend using probes from
Vol. 1: 5- Ice Cubes in a Bag, and 9- Is It Melting? (Keeley et al., 2005).
Condensation: A reaction between two or more organic molecules leading to the formation of a larger
molecule and the elimination of a simple molecule such as water. In meteorology this is the process by which
atmospheric water vapor liquefies to form fog, clouds, or the like, or solidifies to form snow or hail.
Evaporation: The change of a liquid into a vapor at a temperature below the boiling point. Evaporation takes
place at the surface of a liquid, where molecules with the highest kinetic energy are able to escape. When this
happens, the average kinetic energy of the liquid is lowered, and its temperature decreases.
Transpiration: The process of a living organism (i.e. plants) giving off vapor containing water and waste
products, especially through the stomata on leaves or the pores of the skin.
Sublimation: The process of changing from a solid to a gas without passing through an intermediate liquid
phase. Carbon dioxide, at a pressure of one atmosphere, sublimates at about -78 degrees Celsius. Ice and
snow on the Earth's surface also sublimate at temperatures below the freezing point of water.
MATERIALS:
*Note that the scale of this activity can be modified. The materials and lesson plan described were developed
at a large scale, to be used in the school gymnasium during a community science night. The materials and
quantities listed below are for the entire class, unless specified otherwise.



1 copy/student of The Incredible Journey Water Cycle Table (attached)
1 copy/student of The Incredible Journey Game Sheet (attached) OR 1 science journal/student
9 White boxes shaped like cubes/dice, each side should measure ~6 in.


9 Large pieces of paper (~3 X 3 ft)
Paint/Markers/crayons/colored pencils
PROCEDURE:
Engagement & Mini Lesson
Warm Up: Begin the activity by having the class brainstorm all of the places that water can go as it moves
through and around Earth. This can be done in a number of different ways, for example, have students write
their ideas on a piece of paper, crumble it up, toss it to another classmate, and then go around the room and
have each student share what is written on their piece of paper. This would also be a good time to have the
students complete a probe.
Activity Directions
DAY 1
Step 1: Explain that for this activity the students will be designing a game that explores the water cycle. In the
game they will become water molecules that move through the water cycle, taking variable paths through and
around Earth.
Step 2: To get the game set up you have to categorize the places water can travel through into 9 different
stations: clouds, plants, animals, rivers, oceans, lakes, ground water, soil and glaciers. Write each of the names
(prior to beginning the lesson) on the 9 large pieces of paper. The set up for the game can be an arduous task
(if on a large scale) so I included my students in the creative process- they literally design the game. I suggest
allowing at least one 50 minute class period for students to illustrate and label the stations, there are 9
stations so I assigned 2-3 students per poster. Below I have included a picture that shows the game set up, and
the scale and level of detail that students put into the station posters.
Step 3: The class size and amount of time you have available will dictate how you get the die done: I had ~30
students make the die labels in ~2 hours. Using the copy of “The Incredible Journey Water Cycle Table” I
recommend assigning labels to students. On pre-cut (to die-size) papers have the students label and draw the
sides of each station die. Assemble the labels to the die using tape once all of the sides have been completed.
Below is a photograph of how the die that my class made turned out.
Once all of the parts have been completed the activity can be arranged in a variety of ways, below is an
example of how you can set the game up if it is on the ground. The pictures above were from a set-up that
was done along the walls of the school hallway.
DAY 2
Step 4: As a class, brainstorm the different phases in which water moves from one location to another (i.e.
solid, liquid, and gas/vapor) and discuss the different paths that each station die has. Briefly review and record
on the board the different paths that a molecule of water will follow on their journey through the water cycle.
Step 5: Before beginning the game explain how students will travel from station to station. Students will line
up behind their die at each station. Students will then take turns rolling the die at each station and move as
directed by the result of the roll of the die. If the student rolls stay they need to move to the end of the line
and take another turn to roll.
Step 6: Each student should be recording their journey through the water cycle. The attached document “The
Incredible Journey Game Sheet” can be used to record their journey by recording tally marks or students can
use a science journal to record their movement, depending on the level of detail you expect them to use when
later describing the water cycle.
Step 7: Now the game should be ready to play! If you have the students use The Incredible Journey Game
Sheet to record their journey through the water cycle, allow enough time to record ~30-50 tally marks (or rolls
of the die). If they will be recording the journey in more detail in their science journals the time allotment may
be less, with fewer rolls of the die.
Wrap Up:
There are two options here:
1- Have students answer the questions on The Incredible Journey Game Sheet, tally their answers as a class
and discuss where water spends the most time.
OR
2- Have students use the water cycle journey that they recorded in their science journals to write a story
about the places and processes that they traveled in the water cycle.
In the class discussion (or in a written report) have students explain:
 The conditions necessary for water to move from location to location
 The state that the water was in when it moved (vocabulary words)
 Discuss any cycling that took place (if they returned to a location they had previously been to)
 Provide the students with a location (puddle, human body, field of corn, etc.) and have them identify
ways in which water could move to and from that site and identify the states of water as it moves.
EXTENSION(S):
Have students compare movement within the water cycle during different seasons, or in different locations on
Earth. The die could be changed and adapted to the different conditions and locations that the class chooses
to explore. Students could also explore the journey of water as it is polluted and cleaned within the water
cycle. Pollution could be represented in the game by attaching balls of masking tape to the soil, when the
water molecule evaporates, the contaminated molecules reside in the soil and the water continues on through
the water cycle.
TEACHING TIPS: The time allotment for this lesson and activity is right on- you will definitely need a good four
hours to prepare (as a class), execute and reflect on this water cycle activity.
SOURCES:
Attached documents:
The Incredible Journey Water Cycle Table (EXCEL)
The Incredible Journey Game Sheet (WORD)
For The Incredible Journey and many more watershed related activities:
Durney, Mike (Ed.), 1995, Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide: The Incredible Journey, p. 161-165. The
Watercourse and the Council for Environmental Education, Bozeman, MT.
For formative assessment probes:
Keeley, P., Eberle, F. and Farrin, L., 2005, Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 Formative Assessment
Probes, Vol. 1. National Science Teachers Association: Arlington, VA.
Author: Tabitha Trosper, Yakima WATERS Project, CWU, Winter 2011