Create a part of the water cycle in a plastic bag

Educator collects all the necessary materials

Educator collects all the necessary materials

Educator asks the students to be divided in pairs or small groups and to draw the water cycle diagram in their plastic bag (Students should draw in the bag the sun the clouds and other elements of the water cycle, see picture below)

Educator gives the following instructions to the students :

• Warm up the water until steam starts to rise but do not let it boil.
• Add blue food coloring into the water to represent ocean water.
• Pour the water into a ziplock bag and zip it up.
• Hang the bag upright on the window (or the door) using packing tape.

Educator gives more information about the procedure. He/she asks the students to explain and write in their notebooks what happens in their bag when the water evaporates.

Students take photos and videos of their water cycle, and they write some hypothesis about the water cycle.

Students discuss about their hypothesis in the classroom

Educator  discuss with the students after the implementation of the experiment the following issues:

• How is the water cycle important to weather and climate?
• What happens to water that isn't part of the water cycle? 
• What will happen if we use cold water instead of hot water?
• Give examples of the three stages of the water cycle.

Students create a poster or a ppt presentation with their photos or videos and they also write a short composition about their experiment where they present all the elements which were used for the demonstration of the water cycle. They also refer which element of their experiment represents each phase and part of the water cycle.