The Water Cycle

Introduction

Earth is the only planet we know of today that has liquid water on it’s surface. This of course is what makes our home planet habitable, and able to sustain life. However, that’s not all water does for us here on Earth. Among several other roles that the presence of water plays in society’s day to day life, water is one of the driving forces that creates the various types of weather we experience here on Earth. It does so through a process called

the water cycle.

What if I told you that today, here on Earth, there is just as much water as there was soon after the Earth formed some 4.5 billion years ago! You may say that’s not possible because we use water everyday see it go down the drain or even just “disappear”. Well the truth is, all water actually gets recycled as it goes through The Water Cycle.

Task

In this web quest, you will learn just what exactly this water cycle is, and how it allows the amount of water here on earth to stay constant. Once you understand the process of the water cycle, you will then see how it affects the weather we experience everyday. Likewise, you will learn how geology and geography in part with the water cycle, create different kinds of weather which result in various types of climates. Remember that climate and weather are two different things, as this web quest will help you be able to discern between the two.

*Before you go to the next page I want you to write a detailed paragraph about anything you know about weather ! 

Process

Activity #1

1) Click on http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/index.htm. Answer the following questions.

  1. What fraction of the earth’s surface is covered in water?

  2. What percentage of all the Earth’s water is in a form that is usable to humans and land animals?

2) Click on http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/concepts.htm. Answer the following questions.

  1. Evaporation is the process where a liquid changes from its __________ state to a ___________ state.
  2. Condensation occurs when a ____________ is changed into a __________. 

3) Click on http://www.mbgnet.net/fresh/cycle/cycle.htm. Answer the following questions.

  1. Using the terms "evaporation", "condensation", and "precipitation", explain the water cycle in your own words.

  2. What factor is most important in determining whether water is a solid, liquid, or gas?

Assignment:
Using what you now know about the water cycle, use Kid Pix or Hyperstudio that illustrates the various parts of the water cycle.Example: Activity #21) Weather is the state of the atmosphere at any particular place and time. It can be described in terms of temperature, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, wind, etc. There are a number of types of weathers that one can experience because there can be several different combinations of each of these factors.Click on the link Weather Simulator to see how different combinations of equatorward temperatures, pole ward temperatures, and humidity levels can create different types of weather.

2) Go to http://www.weatherforkids.org to answer the following questions about weather. Record your answers in "task 2" of your web quest packet.

1. Where is the windiest place on earth?

2. How fast can lightning travel?

3. What is a tornado?

4. Everyday across the planet there are about _____ thunderstorms.

Assignment:

After going through "Activity 2" , name 10 different types of weather that you have experienced. Next to each type of weather, draw a picture of what that weather looked like. Make sure your pictures are colorful and descriptive!

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-words.htmExample:

Evaluation

Beginning

1

Developing

2

Accomplished

3

Exemplary

4

Score

 

Process

Questions Completion

 

 Questions not complete- not all areas addressed. Less than 3 answered correctly. Quetions not filled out completely- not all areas addressed. Less than 6 answered correctly. Questions filled out completely with areas addressed. At least 6 answered correctly. Questions filled out completely with each area addressed. All answered correctly.

 

Process

Colorful and Descriptive

 

 Significance of assignment not addressed. Significance not addressed for both colorful and descriptive. Minimal support provided. Significance of assignment addressed with both colorful and descriptive. Good support provided. Significance of assignment addresses for both colorful and descriptive. Well-supported.

 

Process

Illustration/ KidPix or Hyperstudio

 

 One achievement. Picture. Lacks creativity. Two achievements with pictures.Not very neat or creative. Three achievements identified. No pictures. Neat and creative.  Three achievements clearly identified with pictures. Creative.

 

Task

Detailed Paragraph

 

 Not much effert, no details. Not written out clearly. Hard to understand Details somewhat supported. Not very organized. Many details, and  indepth. Easy to understand, and read.

 

Mechanics-

Grammar, Format, Spelling 

 

 Major mechanical errors in grammar, formatting, and spelling. The final body of work has 3-5 mechanical errors in grammar, formatting, and spelling. The final body of work has 1-2 mechanical errors in grammar, formatting, and spelling..  The final body of work is free of mechanical errors..

Conclusion

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’VE REACHED THE END OF YOUR QUEST!

The study of weather and climate is called Meteorology, and the scientists who dedicate their careers to this study are called Meteorologists! You have now taken your first step into the world of meteorology.

Now you know the life story of water, how it starts off in our oceans before getting evaporated into the atmosphere, and condensing into a cloud... only to be precipitated back down on the surface as various types of weather like rain, hail, sleet and snow.

And because you’ve read about all different sorts of weather, you can group similar ones together that occur in the same conditions and figure out the climate of a particular geographic area!

Being a meteorologist can be fun because you can predict weather before it occurs and surprise all your friends and family. Unless you predict wrong… no one likes an inaccurate weatherman! ;)

 

Thank you for embarking on this web quest. Be sure to turn in your packet in once it is fully completed!