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Grade 2 · Air and Water in the Environment · Air, Water, and the Water Cycle

Follow a Drop of Water

Earth's water moves through a repeating cycle. It changes state and location, but the same water can travel through the cycle many times.

Visual model

See how the ideas connect

Look · connect · explain
Start at the centre. Follow each line and explain how that idea belongs to Air, Water, and the Water Cycle.

For students

Notice, predict, explain

Choose one part of the model. Predict how it connects to another part, then use the lesson evidence to explain your thinking.

For teachers

Pause for science talk

Show the model before the explanation. Ask “What do you notice?” and “What might change?” Then revisit student ideas after the worked example.

The big idea

Water cycles through the environment

Energy from the Sun drives evaporation. Cooling water vapour condenses into droplets, precipitation returns water to Earth, and water collects before cycling again.

Work it through

A puddle joins the water cycle

  1. Step 1 Sunlight warms a puddle, and some liquid water evaporates into invisible water vapour.
  2. Step 2 Higher in the air, cooling vapour condenses into tiny droplets that form clouds.
  3. Step 3 When droplets grow heavy enough, water falls as rain or another form of precipitation.
  4. Step 4 Water collects in soil, streams, lakes, oceans, and built systems, ready to move through the cycle again.