OBJECTIVES:
·         Exploring what makes weather.
·         Comparing different types of weather.

VOCABULARY:
·         air pressure
·         moisture
·         temperature
·         wind

MATERIALS:

·         worksheet

·         construction paper

·         Drippy the Hippie by C. Fries

The Water Cycle Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWb4KlM2vts (optional)

BACKGROUND:

There are four key elements of weather including temperature, moisture, pressure and wind.  Temperature refers to how the Sun rays warm up our atmosphere.  In the winter the angle of the Earth is tilted away from the Sun.  During the summer the Earth is titled toward the Sun, making the rays of Sun more powerful to heat the atmosphere. Moisture would include rain, snow, hail, and dew.  Air pressure can either be low pressure or high pressure.  Low or light pressure usually signals rainy weather while high or heavy air signals sunny weather.  Wind is created when different air pressures are near each other.  This creates a movement of low pressure moves to high pressure.  

Each of the weather elements gives us different weather conditions. A change in one element usually causes a change in the weather.

The hydrologic or water cycle is a major driving force on Earth.  Water is important to our everyday lives.  First graders see water all around them, but many do not realize its importance.  Ask students if we can survive without food or water longer.  They are usually amazed that humans can  survive without food much longer than water.  Humans can only last about 3 days without water.  After that time the kidneys will no longer function, and we will not be able to get rid of the wastes that accumulate in our bodies.  Our bodies require fresh, clean water to survive. Polluted or salty water will not help our bodies.  

Water circulates in the atmosphere through the water cycle. The water on Earth evaporates (or becomes gas) into a cloud.  When conditions are right, the cloud releases water or precipitation.

 PROCEDURE:

1.    Review with students that the water, oceans, atmosphere, and weather are all related. Each one helps explain the others. The key ingredient to much of the subject lies in the understanding of water. Weather is part of our everyday life, but yet it is controlled by many factors.  

2.    Temperature can be measured by a thermometer. Ask students why temperature is important to them.

The Sun heats up our atmosphere unevenly depending on the angle the rays strike our Earth.  The winter is when the appropriate hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun.  Summer is when that hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun.  The Sun heats areas up and helps move the "wind" around. 

3.    Ask students what kind of weather is under "moisture." They should answer rain, hail, snow, and dew (or morning or night wetness).  Moisture is caused by water content in the air.  

4.    Ask students if the air ever feels heavier than other times? The answer is yes, but students may not have noticed this.

Air pressure is caused by the unevenness of cool and warm air.  Low pressure usually signals moisture while high pressure usually signals fair weather.  Students will learn more about this is later grades, just to say the word is enough for kindergarten.
  

5.    The power of the wind also defines the weather. Sometimes it feels cooler outside because of the wind.   Wind is caused when cool, dry air sinks and replaces warm, moist air which moves upward.  This creates movement we call wind. 

PROCEDURE:  

1. Discuss the different components of the water cycle by having the students sing-a-long to Drippy the Hippie. 

   Drippy the Hippie

   I have a very busy life And I’m always on the go I’m part of the water cycle It’s really cool to know The gases hydrogen and oxygen Are what I am made of I am clean and I’m fresh And peace is what I love I am a groovy raindrop My name is Hippie Drippy Colorless and tasteless I’m not your average Hippie I live up in the sky Til the clouds turn dark gray Preparing for my trip I wait for rain each day I put on my favorite shirt It’s colorful and tie-dye I wave to the clouds To say to them good bye I am a groovy raindrop My name is Hippie Drippy Colorless and tasteless I’m not your average Hippie  I fall from the clouds And land in a lake With many other drops I really precipitate

   I vacation here for a while Relax and get some sun There are many drops Who come to the lake for fun I am a groovy raindrop My name is Hippie Drippy Colorless and tasteless I’m not your average Hippie I swim in the lake And party with the fish I wait to evaporate It’s the clouds I really miss As a gas I will rise And travel really high Back to the clouds Up into the sky Condensation will happen I’ll go back to the state Of being a raindrop Waiting to precipitate I am a groovy raindrop My name is Hippie Drippy Colorless and tasteless I’m not your average Hippie

   

   Water Cycle Song lyrics

   Lyrics

   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth
   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth
   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth
   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth

   
   Evaporation comes
   When the heat from the Sun
   Warms up all the groundwater
   Then it turns to water vapor
   Condensation takes over
   It goes up to the clouds
   Water vapor cools down
   And it changes to a liquid, now
   Precipitation happens
   When the drops get big
   It falls like rain, snow, sleet, and hail upon my head
   I know it's the water cycle happening again
   Evaporation, condensation, precipitation

   
   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth
   The water cycle
   Takes the water and moves it
   Up and down and all around the Earth

2. Make copies of the worksheet for students. Instruct students to color worksheet and cut out the pieces. You can enlarge the worksheet and cut out the necessary components if you want to make a display for yourself.
     
3. Instruct  students to create a  water cycle with the pieces that they cut out. Go over the components of the water cycle with the students slowly. Evaporation from the water forms clouds and then precipitates. The cycle is repeated over and over again. Repeat the words over and over so they become familiar with the terms.  When they are finished,students can glue their paper to a piece of construction paper to make a frame.