Teaching notes Water Cycle Game This activity requires a dice, a set of water cycle cards and a copy of the journey record sheet per child. This can be played individually or as a group. The children begin as a droplet of water in a cloud waiting to start their journey! To begin, roll a dice then look at the cloud card to see where to go next. The children need to record not only the place, but also how they get there. An example is set out below with actions shown in orange - these would not be recorded: Instructions. Your journey is about to begin Roll the dice: Are you in the river, ocean, stream or groundwater? (6 rolled) Roll again, where to next? (6 rolled) Keep rolling! Remember to record your journey and how you got there. (4 rolled) Record your journey here. I am a tiny droplet of water in a cloud. (cloud card) I fall as rain in a river. (river card) I am piped into a home for human use. (human use card) I am used in the washing machine and after being cleansed am released to the lake. Final roll of the dice! Where did you eventually end up? Children continue the journey until the final roll of the dice. They are then asked to complete the journey review. As an extension activity the children can write out their journey as a narrative using descriptive language e.g. I was drifting in the clouds when I started to feel a bit chilly. I fell as a beautiful snowflake, tumbling slowly down onto a mountainside, but it was a warm day and before I knew it I melted and rushed down the mountain in to a fast flowing stream. www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 1 of 6
Cloud Ocean 1. You fall as rain on the 2. You fall as rain on the 1. You evaporate and form 2. You remain in the 3. You fall as rain in a STREAM. 4. You fall rain on the ground (GROUND WATER) 3. You are treated for 4. You evaporate and form 5. You fall as snow onto a mountain and melt into a STREAM. 6. You fall as rain in a 5. You evaporate and form 6. You remain in the www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 2 of 6
River Stream 1. You evaporate and form 2. You evaporate and form 1. You flow into a 2. You flow into a LAKE. 3. You soak into the ground and become GROUND WATER. 4. You flow into a LAKE. 3. You evaporate and form 4. You are sucked up by PLANTS. 5. You flow into the 6. You are piped into a home for 5. You evaporate to form 6. You flow into a www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 3 of 6
Groundwater Plants 1. You are sucked up by PLANTS. 2. You flow into the 1. You are used by the 2. You are used by the 3. You flow into a LAKE. 4. You are sucked up by PLANTS. 3. You are used by the 4. You are used by the 5. You are removed for 6. You are removed for 5. You are used by the 6. You are used by the www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 4 of 6
Human use Lakes 1. You are used to wash a car and return to GROUND WATER. 2. You are used to water the garden and are sucked up by PLANTS. 1. You evaporate to form 2. You flow into a 3. You are drunk and passed through a person and flushed down the toilet into the 4. You are used to in the washing machine and after being cleaned you are released into the RIVER 3. You are removed for 4. You evaporate to form 5. You are used to in the shower and after being cleaned you are released into the 6. You are used to in the washing machine and after being cleaned you are released into the LAKE. 5. You flow into a 6. You flow into a www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 5 of 6
Name:... Date:... The journey of a water droplet. Your journey begins as a tiny droplet of water in a cloud. Roll the dice to find out where your journey will take you next! Instructions. Your journey is about to begin Roll the dice: Are you in the river, ocean, stream or groundwater? Roll again, where to next? Record your journey here. You are a tiny droplet of water in a cloud. Keep rolling! Remember to record your journey and how you got there. Final roll of the dice! Where did you eventually end up? Look back at your journey. Did you make it back to the clouds?... How many places did you visit?... Did you get used by humans?... How many times were you evaporated?... www.teachitprimary.co.uk 2011 15027 Page 6 of 6