Episode: The water cycle

Primary

Year F-2

Year 3-4

Year 5-6

Video

Science

Geography

Water cycle

Water supply

Saving water

The water cycle, or the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water around the Earth.

Learn about the key processes of the water cycle evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, infiltration and run-off. Find out how this cycle has been altered by building dams and reservoirs that store water, that is then piped into taps to supply water to people.

Water is a finite resource and find out what you can do to protect this resource so there is enough water for everyone.

Learning outcomes

Year F-2

Describe the observable weather of a place and seasonal changes using the water cycle
Know that water is a valuable resource and describe how it is used at school and in the home
Know that water is an important resource and we need to conserve it
Describe how our water supply supports people's lives

Year 3&4

Explain how water can be a liquid, solid or gas using the natural water cycle
Understand the different sources and uses of water and that wastewater can be recycled
Identify where tap water comes from and know what happens when it goes down the drain
Identify the importance of water to sustaining the lives of people

Year 5&6

Understand the connection between weather and climate and the water cycle
Explain how water behaves in different ways (liquid, solid or gas) using the natural water cycle
Understand that water scarcity is a major threat to the sustainability of people places
Understand how water resources are used and how they are managed

Things to think about

Have you ever wondered where your water comes from?
What might you have in common with dinosaurs?
List the things you can do to use less water.

Activities

Activity 1

Draw a mind map showing how you use water in your everyday life. Think about if there was less water accessible to you. How would this change your water use? Add this to your mind map.

Activity 2

Monitor the water levels in your local dam/s. Write down how much water the dam can store and how much is being stored. If there is more than one dam, write down each dam’s details.

Activity 3

Watch the Water, weather and climate video and then create a poster, a song, slideshow or performance to encourage the school community to conserve and use less water.