Students study the water cycle at Park Ave
Students at Park Avenue Elementary School have been studying all kinds of natural phenomena in their science units this year, and learning the ways in which physical forces shape our universe. Understanding the natural sciences helps us make sense of the natural processes we see taking place all around us as we go about our daily lives!
Last week, representatives from Orange County Water Conservation visited each third grade class, where they engaged in activities focusing on the water cycle. Students learned about the complex system and its many different processes, which keep the continuous movement of water on Earth and in the atmosphere going.
The activity had students pretend to be water molecules passing through the water cycle. As a reminder, the basics of the water cycle are as follows: liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow.
In each classroom, areas were labeled as a potential place a water droplet could be: glacier, groundwater, soil, river, ocean, lake, plant, animal, or cloud.
As students walked around the room they collected beads to represent their course of travel in the water cycle. Each bead represented their own individual journey through the water cycle. They used the beads to share their stories with a partner. This also deepened their understanding of the importance water conservation.
