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Demo week, Grade 4 General Science

The water cycle

This is what a student sees. Teachers get the same lesson with instructions, expected answers, timings, differentiation and an answer key.

Build your own water cycle

Students use the knowledge in a new situation.

  1. The foggy mirror

    Real-world example, 0–5 min

    Which part of the water cycle is this?

    After a hot shower, the bathroom mirror is foggy. You can draw on it with your finger.

  2. Water cycle in a bag

    Experiment, 5–22 min

    What do you think you will see inside the bag tomorrow?

    Make a tiny water cycle you can watch on the window.

    • Draw a sun and a cloud at the top of the bag. Draw waves at the bottom.
    • Pour a little water into the bag.
    • Seal the bag tightly.
    • Tape the bag to a sunny window.
    • Look at the teacher's bag from yesterday. What can you see?

    Water Cycle in a Bag

    Water cycle, about 30 minutes

    Low riskAdult supervision required

    Safety

    • Wipe up spilled water straight away to avoid slipping.
    • An adult should tape the bags to the window so that students do not climb on furniture or lean on glass.
    • Plastic bags must never be placed over the face or head.
    • Food colouring can stain clothes and skin.
    • Do not drink the water from the bag.

    You need

    • Clear zip-seal plastic bag
    • Water
    • Measuring cup or small jug
    • Permanent marker
    • Strong sticky tape
    • Sunny window
    • Blue food colouring (optional)

    What to do

    1. Draw the Sun, a cloud and the sea on the outside of the bag with the marker.
    2. Pour a small amount of water, about a quarter of a cup, into the bag.
    3. Push out most of the air and seal the bag tightly.
    4. Ask your teacher to tape the bag upright to the sunny window.
    5. Look at the bag after one hour and write down or draw what you see.
    6. Look again later in the day and the next day, and record where the water is each time.
    7. Label your drawing with the words evaporation, condensation and precipitation.

  3. Match it

    Game, 22–29 min

    Match each part of the water cycle to an example. Choose an item on the left, then its partner on the right.

  4. Draw and label your model

    Project or challenge, 29–39 min

    Draw your bag. Add arrows to show where the water goes. Label the four parts.

    • Draw the bag with the sun, the cloud and the water.
    • Add an arrow going up, and an arrow coming down.
    • Write the four words in the right places.

  5. Talk about it

    Discussion, 39–42 min

    • What is the sun's job in your model?
    • What is the 'cloud' in your bag?
    • Where is the 'rain'?

  6. Exit ticket

    Exit ticket, 42–45 min

    What makes the water in your bag go up?