KSU MSP Partnership

Science Capstone Project

Water Cycle
Chinita Allen
Vertical
Alignment
1st

Standards
Physical Science
S2P1. Students will investigate the properties of matter and changes that occur in
objects.
Earth Science
S1E2
Students will observe and record changes in water as it relates to weather.
a. Recognize changes in water when it freezes (ice) and when it melts (water).
b. Identify forms of precipitation such as rain, snow, sleet, and hailstones as either solid (ice) or
liquid (water).
c. Determine that the weight of water before freezing, after freezing, and after melting stays the
same.
D .Determine that water in an open container disappears into the air over time, but water in a
closed container does not.

2nd

Physical Science
S2P1. Students will investigate the properties of matter and changes that occur in
objects.
a. Identify the three common states of matter as solid, liquid, or gas.
b. Investigate changes in objects by tearing, dissolving, melting, squeezing, etc.

4th

Earth Science
S4E3. Students will differentiate between the states of water and how they relate to
the water cycle and weather.
a. Demonstrate how water changes states from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water
vapor/steam) and changes from gas to liquid to solid.
b. Identify the temperatures at which water becomes a solid and at which water becomes a gas.
c. Investigate how clouds are formed.
d. Explain the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).
e. Investigate different forms of precipitation and sky conditions. (rain, snow, sleet, hail, clouds,
and fog).

5th

Physical
S5P2. Students will explain the difference between a physical change and a chemical
change.
b. Recognize that the changes in state of water (water vapor/steam, liquid, ice) are due to
temperature differences and are examples of physical change.

6th

S6E3. Students will recognize the significant role of water in earth processes
a. Explain that a large portion of the Earths surface is water, consisting of oceans, rivers, lakes,
underground water, and ice.
b. Relate various atmospheric conditions to stages of the water cycle.
c. Describe the composition, location, and subsurface topography of the worlds oceans.
d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides.
S6E4. Students will understand how the distribution of land and oceans affects
climate and weather
c. Relate how moisture evaporating from the oceans affects the weather patterns and weather

events such as hurricanes

9-12

Earth Systems
Students will investigate the composition and formation of Earth systems, including
the Earths relationship to the solar system.
e. Identify the transformations and major reservoirs that make up the rock cycle, hydrologic
cycle, carbon cycle, and other important geochemical cycles.
SES3.Students will explore the actions of water, wind, ice, and gravity that create
landforms and systems of landforms (landscapes).
a. Describe how surface water and groundwater act as the major agents of physical and
chemical weathering.
SES5. Students will investigate the interaction of insolation and Earth systems to
produce weather and climate.
d. Describe how temperature and precipitation produce the pattern of climate regions classes)
on Earth.
Students will explain how life on Earth responds to and shapes Earth systems.
a. Relate the nature and distribution of life on Earth, including humans, to the chemistry and
availability of water.
SPS5.
Students will compare and contrast the phases of matter as they relate to atomic and
molecular motion.

Oceanography:
SO2. Students will relate how the oceans are integral to all life on earth and how
biogeochemical processes in the oceans influence the entire planet.
a. Explain how the hydrologic cycle integrates the oceans and the land.
b. Identify the role of the oceans in global biogeochemical cycles

Benchmarks
K-2

The Earth
There are many ways to acquaint children with earth-related phenomena that they will only
come to understand later as being cyclic. For instance, students can start to keep daily records
of temperature (hot, cold, pleasant) and precipitation (none, some, lots), and plot them by week,
month, and years. It is enough for students to spot the pattern of ups and downs, without getting
deeply into the nature of climate. They should become familiar with the freezing of water and
melting of ice (with no change in weight), the disappearance of wetness into the air, and the
appearance of water on cold surfaces. Evaporation and condensation will mean nothing different
from disappearance and appearance, perhaps for several years, until students begin to
understand that the evaporated water is still present in the form of invisibly small molecules.
Teaching geological facts about how the face of the earth changes serves little purpose
in these early years. Students should start becoming familiar with all aspects of their immediate
surroundings,
including what things change and what seems to cause change. Perhaps "changing things" can
be a category in a class portfolio of things students observe and read about. At some point,
students can start thinking up and trying out
safe and helpful ways to change parts of their environment

3-5

Water offers another important set of experiences for students at this level. Students can
conduct investigations that go beyond the observations made in the earlier grades to learn the
connection between liquid and solid forms, but recognizing that water can also be a gas, while

much more difficult, is still probably accessible. Perhaps the main thrust there is to try to figure
out where water in an open container goes. This is neither self-evident nor easy to detect. But
the water cycle is of such profound importance to life on earth that students should certainly
have experiences that will in time contribute to their understanding of evaporation,
condensation, and the conservation of matter. In these years, students should accumulate more
information about the physical environment, becoming familiar with the details of geological
features, observing and mapping locations of hills, valleys, rivers, etc., but without elaborate
classification. Students should also become adept at using magnifiers to inspect a variety of
rocks and soils. The point is not to classify rigorously but to notice the variety of components.
6-8

9-12
Misconceptions

Misconceptions:
The water cycle can be very hard for some students to understand. For example, if they have
never seen a large body of water or noticed different shapes of clouds due to the weather, the
students will not have any existing knowledge to build the new knowledge to. If teachers are
aware of each students misconceptions than it will be easier to teach the water cycle and make
sure everyone understands. Dove and Everett (1999), found misconceptions in nine to eleven
year old children regarding to the water cycle, such as evaporation and precipitation, why clouds
are formed, and how water is returned to the ocean. In this study, part of the interview process
was to see if children understood what a river basin was. Results showed that most children did
not have knowledge of a river basin, and they believe if they did than the water cycle would
have been learned more easily.
When learning about the water cycle, expect to hear many various misconceptions
about the water cycle that must be corrected. Some examples are:
- Clouds are made of smoke, pillows, cotton or wool.

-Clouds are supernatural events (God, or Angels)

-Water is absorbed into surfaces, rather than evaporated into air
-When water evaporates it disappears or ceases to exist.
-The Sun and Clouds combine to make it rain.
-Water comes from a tap then you drink it or it disappears down the drain.
-The same water cycles in the same part of the Earth over and over.
Middle School:
The water cycle involves freezing and melting of water.
The water cycle involves evaporation of liquid water, condensation of water vapor, and
precipitation (rain, sleet, hail, or snow).
Water only gets evaporated from the ocean or lakes.
Water can evaporate from plants, animals, puddles, and the ground in addition to bodies of
water.
The water cycle only includes rain and snow.
Ice in all its forms (sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, icebergs, permafrost) is part of the global water
cycle.

Misconceptions are formed from children observing whats happening around them. Seeing
things like a tap and watching the water go down the drain, a child may start thinking that the
tap creates water, as they may not know about plumbing. Also, children may think that clouds
are like people, in that they sweat, and the rain is clouds sweating from moving around so much,
or being shaken like a sponge.
The best way to change their ideas on the water cycle is not to tell them theyre wrong while
telling them the correct answer, but to show it to them and see what they make of it, using
activity II. Allow the students to investigate the water cycle for themselves, and link it with their
lives and interests. The teacher must also explain the science idea, the language and resources
used and how it can be applied in the students lives (Sharp, K. 1998).

One way of reinforcing the water cycle would be to have the stages of the water cycled
displayed in the classroom. The teacher could go through them with the children, showing them
what each one is and putting them in order on a wall for them to see.
Unlearning Misconceptions Resources:
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9780873552554
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9780873552738
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781933531243
Lesson # 1

Water purification by evaporation and condensation

http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/upload/2005_03_10_kids_activity_grades_48_waterpurification.pdf
BACKGROUND:
The following demonstration illustrates how the water cycle helps to purify water.
The key terms are evaporation and condensation. Evaporation is defined as the process through
which a
liquid becomes a vapor. Condensation is the process through which a vapor becomes a liquid,
and is the
opposite of evaporation. In the case of water, the main mechanisms for evaporation and
condensation are
heating and cooling, respectively.

Lesson # 2
Technology:
Webpage
developers
IMovie
Photo Story
Information
Brochure
PowerPoint

STEM Challenge- Is it Safe To Drink- Water Filtration

https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/csm_/activities/csm_amazon/csm_lesson5_activity1_tg.xml

Misconceptions:
The water cycle can be very hard for some students to understand. For example, if they have
never seen a large body of water or noticed different shapes of clouds due to the weather, the
students will not have any existing knowledge to build the new knowledge to. If teachers are

Community
Involvement:
Cobb County
Water
UNA- Atlanta
Advocacy:
Present to
community
audience
Contact decision
makers at local
and state level

aware of each students misconceptions than it will be easier to teach the water cycle and make
sure everyone understands. Dove and Everett (1999), found misconceptions in nine to eleven
year old children regarding to the water cycle, such as evaporation and precipitation, why clouds
are formed, and how water is returned to the ocean. In this study, part of the interview process
was to see if children understood what a river basin was. Results showed that most children did
not have knowledge of a river basin, and they believe if they did than the water cycle would
have been learned more easily.
When learning about the water cycle, expect to hear many various misconceptions
about the water cycle that must be corrected. Some examples are:
- Clouds are made of smoke, pillows, cotton or wool.
-Clouds are supernatural events (God, or Angels)
-Water is absorbed into surfaces, rather than evaporated into air
-When water evaporates it disappears or ceases to exist.
-The Sun and Clouds combine to make it rain.
-Water comes from a tap then you drink it or it disappears down the drain.
-The same water cycles in the same part of the Earth over and over.
Middle School:
The water cycle involves freezing and melting of water.
The water cycle involves evaporation of liquid water, condensation of water vapor, and
precipitation (rain, sleet, hail, or snow).
Water only gets evaporated from the ocean or lakes.
Water can evaporate from plants, animals, puddles, and the ground in addition to bodies of
water.
The water cycle only includes rain and snow.
Ice in all its forms (sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, icebergs, permafrost) is part of the global water
cycle.

Misconceptions are formed from children observing whats happening around them. Seeing
things like a tap and watching the water go down the drain, a child may start thinking that the
tap creates water, as they may not know about plumbing. Also, children may think that clouds
are like people, in that they sweat, and the rain is clouds sweating from moving around so much,
or being shaken like a sponge.
The best way to change their ideas on the water cycle is not to tell them theyre wrong while
telling them the correct answer, but to show it to them and see what they make of it, using
activity II. Allow the students to investigate the water cycle for themselves, and link it with their
lives and interests. The teacher must also explain the science idea, the language and resources
used and how it can be applied in the students lives (Sharp, K. 1998).
One way of reinforcing the water cycle would be to have the stages of the water cycled
displayed in the classroom. The teacher could go through them with the children, showing them
what each one is and putting them in order on a wall for them to see.
Unlearning Misconceptions Resources:
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9780873552554
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9780873552738
http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781933531243

Benchmark Goals:
Water offers another important set of experiences for students at this level. Students can conduct
investigations that go beyond the observations made in the earlier grades to learn the connection
between liquid and solid forms, but recognizing that water can also be a gas, while much more difficult, is
still probably accessible. Perhaps the main thrust there is to try to figure out where water in an open
container goes. This is neither self-evident nor easy to detect. But the water cycle is of such profound
importance to life on earth that students should certainly have experiences that will in time contribute to
their understanding of evaporation, condensation, and the conservation of matter. In these years, students
should accumulate more information about the physical environment, becoming familiar with the details of
geological features, observing and mapping locations of hills, valleys, rivers, etc., but without elaborate
classification. Students should also become adept at using magnifiers to inspect a variety of rocks and
soils. The point is not to classify rigorously but to notice the variety of components.

Standards:
Science:
S4E3. Students will differentiate between the states of water and how they relate to the water cycle and
weather.
a. Demonstrate how water changes states from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water vapor/steam) and
changes from gas to liquid to solid.
b. Identify the temperatures at which water becomes a solid and at which water becomes a gas.
c. Investigate how clouds are formed.
d. Explain the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).
e. Investigate different forms of precipitation and sky conditions. (rain, snow, sleet, hail, clouds, and fog).
Social Studies:
SS4CG4.b
Explain the necessity of obeying reasonable laws/rules voluntarily, and explain why it is important for
citizens in a democratic society to participate in public (civic) life (staying informed, voting, volunteering,
communicating with public officials).- Especially to help make changes in their local and national
environment.
Health:
H41a (Nutrition/Personal Health)
The learner will identify the six major nutrients, their sources, and their function in the body.
H41i (Disease Prevention)
The learner wil distinguish diseases caused by viruses and bacteria.
Technology:
4T1a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
With Assistance:
4T1a1. Students will identify local or global problems that require creative solutions.
4T1a2. Students will use existing knowledge to brainstorm solutions to local or global
problems using digital tools (e.g. graphs, wikis, multimedia presentations) to capture and
share information with whole group.
4T1a3. Students will analyze and evaluate information to create original works expressing
ideas using digital tools
4T1b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

With Assistance:
4T1b1. Students will create a digital work (e.g., movie, podcast/vodcast, digital storytelling,
web publishing, etc.), individually or collaboratively about a specific topic using primary
resources and secondary resources.
4T1b2. Students will use online collaborative tools (e.g., online discussion forums, blogs,
and wikis) to gather and share information with other students.
4T1c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
With Assistance:
4T1c1. Students will describe and illustrate a concept or process using models,
simulations, or concept-mapping software.
4T1c2. Students will compare and contrast two systems using digital graphic organizers,
models, and simulations
4T1d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities.
With Assistance
4T1d1. Students will collect, record, organize, and display data using graphing software.
4T1d2. Students will use graphs to identify patterns and trends.
4T1d3. Students will interpret data from graphs to predict future outcomes.

4T2. Communication and Collaboration

Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a
distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students:
4T2a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital
environments and media.
With Assistance:
4T2a1. The students will collaborate with peers or subject-matter experts using online
communication tools (e.g. email, video-conferencing, blogging, wikis, etc.) to create and
publish technology-based presentations or products.
4T2a2. The students will show awareness of intended audience in a digital environment by
using appropriate communication and etiquette (e.g. LOL would not be appropriate when
responding to a blog in an academic setting).
4T2b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and
formats.
In small and large group settings:
4T2b1. Students will create products using digital text, images, audio, etc. to

communicate individual and group curriculum activities, ideas, or results to multiple

audiences.
4T2b2. Students will describe different types of media and formats for specific
audiences.
4T2c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
In small and large group settings:
4T2c1. Students will use technology communication tools (e.g., online forums, blogs,
e-mail, video-conferencing, etc) to interact with students or experts from different cultures or
geographic locations on a content-specific activity or project.
4T2d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
With Assistance:
4T2d1.The students will use digital reference tools (e.g., search engines, encyclopedias) to
investigate a local or global issue in pairs or small groups and recommend solutions to
problem.
4T2d2. The students will produce an original work using appropriate tools (e.g. animation and
drawing software, multimedia software, visual data tools, video cameras) on subject specific
concepts or content.

4T3. Research and Information Fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
4T3a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry.
In small and large group settings:
4T3a1 Students will define and narrow topic for research.
4T3a2. Students will use digital planning tools (e.g., concept mapping, KWHL charting tools)
to outline steps in investigation.
4T3a3. Students will practice using key words and phrases to conduct Internet searches
to widen or limit the results.
4T3a4. Students will list types of digital reference tools (search engines, maps,
encyclopedias, dictionaries).
4T3b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of
sources and media.
In small and large group settings::
4T3b1. Students will use appropriate digital reference tools to locate information.

 4T3b2. Students will distinguish between primary resources and secondary resources as
well as evaluate the authority of sources.
4T3b3. Students will evaluate content to determine fact/opinion, bias and accuracy.
4T3b4 Students will organize information using a digital planning tool (e.g. concept
mapping, KWHL charting tools.
4T3b5. Students will cite three or more sources, including the title, author, and website.
4T3c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific
tasks.
With Assistance:
4T3c1. The students will compare and contrast two or more digital tools and digital reference
tools to accomplish task.
4T3c2. The students will select a digital tool appropriate to a task.
4T3d. Process data and report results.
With Assistance:
4T3d1. The students will select a digital tool (e.g. spreadsheets, graphs, visualizations) to
organize data to show trends and patterns.
4T3d2. The students will report information using multimedia presentation software.

4T4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and
make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
4T4a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
With assistance:
4T4a1. Students will use print and online resources to identify significant issues for their
school, community, or beyond (e.g., making their school more energy efficient, cyberbullying,
reducing school trash and litter, hunger and poverty issues in their community).
4T4a2. Students will use technology to record the results of their investigations along with
relevant questions and analyze results (e.g., using ranking and sorting tools, visualization
tools) to clarify and focus the issue or problem.
4T4b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
In small and large group settings:
4T4b1. Students will conceptualize, guide, and manage individual or group activities
using digital planning tools for completing a project or solving a problem (e.g., wikis, project

management software, learning management systems, social bookmarking tools).

4T4c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
With assistance:
4T4c1. Students will select and apply digital tools to collect, organize, and analyze data for
evaluating theories and testing hypotheses (e.g., cause and effect tools, spreadsheets,
graphs, modeling and simulation tools).
4T4d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
In small and large group settings:
4T4d1. Students will apply digital tools and resources (e.g., online surveys, video interviews,
blogs, forums, wikis, webinars) to explore a topic from the perspective of multiple
stakeholders and propose more than one possible solution.

4T5. Digital Citizenship

Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and
ethical behavior. Students:
4T5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
With assistance:
4T5a1. Students will research, discuss, and apply safe, responsible, and legal use of
technology (e.g., privacy, security, copyright, file sharing, accessibility, plagiarism).
4T5a2. Students will use technology resources to convey the relevance of these issues to
other students and the public at large.
4T5b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity.
Independently
4T5b1. Students will select and apply technology resources and describe how these tools
improve their ability to communicate, collaborate, be productive, and achieve goals.
4T5c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
With assistance:
4T5c1. Students will describe how they select and use technology resources to pursue their
personal and academic learning projects outside of the classroom.
4T5d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
With assistance:
4T5d1. Students will identify and discuss the effects of existing and emerging technology on individuals,
society, and the global community (e.g., access of haves and have nots; screentime on health and

fitness, multitasking on attention and deeper comprehension; energy used by digital tools and effects on
the environment).
4T5d2. Students will model positive digital behaviors.
4T6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
4T6a. Understand and use technology systems.
With assistance:
4T6a1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the basic features of computer and
network interfaces and use them efficiently without assistance.
4T6a2. Students will explore and apply a variety of technology systems and resources (e.g.,
graphing calculators, smartphones, Internet-connected digital devices, digital cameras,
probes, eBooks, student response systems, electronic white boards) to complete learning
tasks.
4T6a3. Students will apply basic technology-based thinking strategies (e.g., automated
search methods, storage and retrieval techniques, algorithmic thinking) to a variety of
problems.
4T6b. Select and use applications effectively and productively.
With assistance:
4T6b1. Students will apply criteria for selecting an appropriate technology application for use
with a learning activity.
4T6b2. Students will use the selected application proficiently to complete the task and
discuss its efficiency and effectiveness.
4T6c. Troubleshoot systems and applications.
In small and large group settings:
4T6c1. Students will determine the source of common operational and network problems
(e.g., loss of connectivity, frozen screen, printing problems, reloading) and propose changes
in hardware, software, or network settings to solve them.
4T6d. Transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies
In small and large group settings:
4T6d1. Students will apply basic concepts and functions (e.g., multiple windows, editing
functions, navigational tools, help assistance) from previous learning to new technologies and
situations.
Summary
In this activity, students conduct an investigation to purify water. They engineer a method for cleaning

water, discover the most effective way to filter water, and practice conducting a scientific experiment.
Through this activity and its associated lesson, student teams follow the steps of the engineering design
process related to water treatment, as done by practicing engineers, including constructing and testing
their designs.

Engineering Connection
One of the greatest problems facing society is the availability of clean drinking water. Engineers work in
teams to create and test solutions to problems, following the steps of the engineering design process. To
provide communities with safe drinking water, engineers design wastewater treatment plants and
distribution systems, which include sediment filters and chemical treatments to protect public health

Lesson #3

STEM Challenge: Gravity Fed Water Systems:

https://www.teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?
url=collection/cub_/activities/cub_gravityfed/cub_gravityfed_activity1.xml
Background Information: The Water Project: http://thewaterproject.org/resources/the_water_cycle

Summary
Students learn about water poverty and how water engineers can develop appropriate solutions to a
problem that is plaguing nearly a sixth of the world's population. Students follow the engineering design
process to design a gravity-fed water system. They choose between different system parameters such as
pipe sizes, elevation differentials between entry and exit pipes, pipe lengths and tube locations to find a
design that provides the maximum flow and minimum water turbidity (cloudiness) at the point of use. In
this activity, students play the role of water engineers by designing and building model gravity-fed water
systems, learning the key elements necessary for viable projects that help improve the lives people in
developing communities.

Engineering Connection
Water and hydrological engineers play a large role in addressing water poverty through the creation of

appropriate technologies to provide water to developing communities. One common solution, given
available topographic relief, is the implementation of gravity-fed water systems that pipe water without
pumping or requiring costly energy. Typical gravity-fed system designs include a dam or spring catchment
to collect the water, and the water is piped via gravity through a number of treatment processes
(sedimentation, filtration, chlorination). When the water reaches the community, it is clean and in ample
supply. To correctly design gravity-fed water systems requires engineers to have a good understanding of
civil engineering, physics and fluid mechanics.