Adaptations to lack of availability of water
Plants: thick waxy covering on leaves and stems, long vertical roots to reach water sources deep in the ground, extensive root systems near surface to capture moisture over a large area, small narrow leaves which decreases the heating from the sun
(and less transpiration), rotating leaves that allow plant to orientate its leaves away from the sun, seeds lying dormant for a long time until water is available, short life cycle to make most of rainy season, thick stems or trunks to store water, etc.
Animals: use of burrows or shade so animals are not exposed to sun, active at night, migration to other areas where there is more water, body capable of withstanding high temperatures without sweating or panting and so conserving water, very efficient kidneys, enlarged appendages such as ears to increase the surface area and therefore promote heat loss.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Water Cycle – possible labels to use evaporation condensation precipitation convection (warm air rises) water vapour infiltration clouds form water droplets transpiration river sea ground water lake bedrock runoff ice and snow water storage wind rain reservoir mountain cools
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Acid rain
Weather Definitions
Rain that is more acidic than usual because the water vapour condensed onto particles of sulphur or nitrogen oxide in the air
Blizzard Snow blown by wind with an average speed of at least 52 km/h
Climate The long-term average weather pattern of a region
Cloud
Dew
A structure formed by condensed water vapour and ice crystals
Liquid water that has condensed on to objects at or near the surface of the Earth
Drizzle Light rain with drops smaller than 0.5mm
Evaporation The process by which liquid water turns into water vapour (gas)
Fog
Frost
Hail
Water droplets in the air that reduce visibility to less than
1000m
White ice crystals deposited on the surface of objects that have a temperature below 0°C
Pieces of hard, solid ice falling from clouds
Humidity The amount of water vapour in the air
Hurricane
Lightning
Mist
Precipitation
A tropical revolving storm with wind speeds of more than
118km/h. (Also known as a typhoon or cyclone)
Discharge of static electricity in the atmosphere, usually between a storm cloud and the ground
Slightly reduced visibility resulting from water droplets suspended in the air
Moisture that is released from the atmosphere as rain, drizzle, hail, sleet or snow, as well as dew and fog
Rain
Sleet
Snow
Drops of liquid water falling from clouds
Precipitation consisting of a mixture of water and ice (usually partly melted falling snow or hail)
Ice crystals that fall from clouds and which may stick together to form snowflakes (hexagonal shapes)
Thermometer An instrument for measuring temperature
Weather
Wind
The changing atmospheric conditions at a place and time, including temperature, humidity, wind, cloud and precipitation
Air in motion moving from high pressure to low pressure, described by the direction it flows from
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Clouds (teacher version)
Name Description
Altostratus A continuous smooth layer at medium altitude. The sun can often be seen through them.
Picture
Stratus A low thin horizontal grey sheet or fragmented cloud, often with rain or snow.
Altocumulus Cloud formed at a medium altitude as a layer of rounded masses with a level base.
Cumulus Rounded masses heaped on each other above a flat base at fairly low altitude.
Stratocumulus A low layer of clumped or broken masses with a grey base. They bring only light precipitation.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Cirrus Thin wispy clouds formed from ice crystals at high altitudes. They never bring precipitation.
Cirrocumulus A broken layer of small fleecy clouds at high altitude sometimes called a mackerel sky.
Cumulonimbus The tallest clouds, reaching as high as
18km (twice as high as
Mount Everest). They can hold more than half a million tonnes of water. They are darker and thicker and usually bring periods of continuous rain. Seen in thunderstorms.
Nimbostratus A low layer of uniform, dark grey cloud. It precipitates continuous rain or snow.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Cloud types
Cumulonimbus
Cirrus
Cumulus
Nimbostratus
Cirrocumulus
Altostratus
Altocumulus Stratus Stratocumulus
Hints: altus means high stratus means layer cumulus means heap cirrose means curl nimbus means cloud
High altitude: above 5.5km
Medium altitude: between 1.8 and 6km
Low altitude: below 1.8km
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Cloud descriptions
A low thin horizontal grey sheet or fragmented cloud, often with rain or snow.
A low layer of uniform, dark grey cloud. It precipitates continuous rain or snow.
A low layer of clumped or broken masses with a grey base. They bring only light precipitation.
A broken layer of small fleecy clouds at high altitude sometimes called a mackerel sky.
Thin wispy clouds formed from ice crystals at high altitudes. They never bring precipitation.
Cloud formed at a medium altitude as a layer of rounded masses with a level base.
Rounded masses heaped on each other above a flat base at fairly low altitude.
A continuous smooth layer at medium altitude. The sun can often be seen through them.
The tallest clouds, reaching as high as
18km (twice as high as
Mount Everest). They can hold more than half a million tonnes of water. They are darker and thicker and usually bring periods of continuous rain. Seen in thunderstorms.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Pictures of clouds
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Can you make it rain in doors?
What you need:
 Ice cubes
 Wide glass jam jar


Plate
Very hot tap water
Method:
1.
Put the ice cubes on the plate.
2.
Pour around 3 centimetres of very hot water into the glass jar.
3.
Place the plate and ice cubes on top of the jar.
4.
Watch what happens!
Can you see droplets forming on the bottom of the plate? If you tap the plate they will fall down like rain!
What's happening?
As hot air hits the bottom of the cold plate, water vapour in the air condenses. The water vapour forms water droplets on the bottom of the plate. The water droplets drip down like rain.
The same thing happens in the atmosphere. Warm, moist air rises. The rising warm air meets colder air high in the atmosphere. The water vapour in the warm air condenses and forms water droplets. The water droplets fall to Earth as rain.
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Weather Map
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F

Other Uses of Water
Leisure activities:
How much water do children think there is in an
average swimming pool? 375 000 litres in a 25m by 10m pool with depth 1m to 2m!
Factories:
Factories use large volumes of water to manufacture goods.
Leaking pipes:
A large volume of water is lost through leaking pipes – these should always be reported!
Building industry:
The building industry uses a lot of water in cement, plaster, etc. Are we building houses nowadays using less water and that are adapted to use as little water as possible, e.g. install toilets fitted with split flush button, fix flow restrictors to all taps, install water and energy efficient washing machines, building from
compressed straw panels, etc.?
© Original resource copyright Hamilton Trust, who give permission for it to be adapted as wished by individual users
Y4 Sc States of matter - Session F