Science - 4th Grade
Lesson Plans

Standard 1

Students will understand that water changes state as it moves through the water cycle.

Objective 1

Describe the relationship between heat energy, evaporation and condensation of water on Earth

• A Drop in the Bucket - USU Water Cycle
  Through a visual presentation, the students will learn the different sources of freshwater, and the relative ratios of these water sources on the earth.
• A Water Cycle Chamber
  Classroom activity helps students understand the water cycle.
• How Do You Dew?
  The purpose of this activity is to provide students with a hands-on experience of seeing how the processes of condensation and evaporation occur.
• NHMU: Boy, Is That Buoyant!
  Students will learn that salt increases the density of water and creates a condition wherein objects are more buoyant than would be expected under normal conditions.
• Soakin' Up the Sun
  Simple experiments with puddles show evaporation happens as water molecules escape from the earth's surface. When they escape, they change from liquid to gas, or water vapor in a process called evaporation. The sun is the source of energy that causes this to occur.
• TRB 4:1 - Investigation 1 - Where is Water Found?
  This activity helps students understand the distribution of water on Earth.
• TRB 4:1 - Investigation 2 - Why Does a Puddle Shrink?
  Classroom activity helps students understand evaporation.
• TRB 4:1 - Investigation 3 - Condensation Chambers
  These activities will help students understand the concept of water condensation.
• TRB 4:1 - Investigation 4 - Heat Energy and Water
  This activity will help students differentiate between heat and temperature.
• The Wonderful World of Water
  These activities will help students understand the properties of water.
• Water Cycle
  The teacher demonstrates how much usable fresh water there is available to plants and animals on earth and then demonstrates how the water cycle maintains itself with a water cycle demonstration. Students evaporate water with a hair dryer; observe condensation that forms on a mirror; observe a cloud in a bottle; and cause rain to occur in the lab.
• Water Cycle Celebration
  This mini-science fair project summarizes the unit on the water cycle.
• Water Cycle Drama - USU Water Cycle
  Students will learn the different parts of the water cycle by acting them out. They will play a game similar to charades.
• Water Cycle Relay Race - USU Water Cycle
  Students will review the water cycle through a relay race vocabulary game.

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http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Jennifer Throndsen and see the Science - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer Throndsen.

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