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Introduction

 
Welcome to the wonderful world of the water cycle!  Learn what happens to a drop of water as it goes through the stages of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

 
 
Water, water, everywhere!  

Water never stops moving.
Snow and rain fall to the earth from clouds. The rain and melted snow run downhill into rivers and lakes, sometimes crashing over waterfalls.
The water then flows into the ocean. 
Then, the water turns from liquid into gas, and moves from oceans and lakes into the atmosphere where it forms clouds. Then the cycle begins all over again.

 
Evaporation stage  

  Warmth from the sun causes water from lakes, streams, ice, and soils to turn into water vapor in the air. Almost all of the precipitated water goes right back into the air because of evaporation. The rest runs off the land or soaks into the ground to become ground water.

 
Condensation stage  

  Water vapor is water in a gas form that is held in the air until it changes back to water. The water can change into fine droplets by "condensing" in the air, and we get clouds.  When the droplets get big enough, they are pulled to the earth by gravity as precipitation, better known as rain, sleet, snow, hail, dew, or frost.

 
Precipitation stage  

  Precipitation is made up of any type of water that falls to the earth like snow, hail, mist, or rain.  Most of it evaporates through plants and never reaches lakes, streams, or ground water. The rest runs off the land into lakes, streams, wetlands or rivers or it soaks right into the ground.

 
Task

 
 
First, read the story about Drippy the raindrop and the water cycle.  Next, print out and answer questions about the story. Then, print out the storyboard and create your own story of Drippy going through the stages of the water cycle. 
Process

 
1. Print the questions. 

2. With a partner, read "Drippy the Raindrop" story. 

3. Answer the questions as you read the story.

4. Print a storyboard.

5. Draw a picture of Drippy in each of the stages of the water cycle: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation.  Write 3 sentences in each box telling what is happening.