Let it rain! Water Cycle

8-10 yrs old

11-13 yrs old

Climate & Environment

Science

Technology

The main objective of this project is to have student recreate and represent the different stages of the water cycle in a 3D manner.

Submitted By: Andreia Salgueiro

May 14, 2019

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Skills

Collaboration
Communication
Project Based Learning

External References

SDGoals

Sustainable Development Goals

Water world

An example of a classe's work.

Supporting Files

Project planning & Objectives checklist

Document given to students to organize project phases and check the objectives for the content.

Learning Objectives

Identify the stages of the water cycle: evaporation & transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff and infiltration;
Represent the stages of the water cycle;
Collaborate within a group to create a common final product;

Guiding Ideas

Students start developing their project by following their Objectives Checklist for the topic; they undergo research in a curated iTunes U Science course that works as their textbook, as well as some specific and given websites.

Student then work in groups as they develop their final product, which should be a representation of the different stages of the water cycle.

The base world was created by the teacher (a simple Ocean's biome) and divided into 4 areas for each group to work on. Students in each group work collaboratively and all groups work in their specific area at the same time; to help and orient them, the teacher should use the Classroom Mode.

Student Activities

In groups, students work in the same base world but in different areas, previously defined by the teacher. The teacher should guide and orient student's work by following it with Classroom Mode.

Since the base world chosen is an Ocean's biome, students might feel the need to create more land area or trees to recreate transpiration. To recreate precipitation, students can simply use glass blocks or use water blocks with barriers (which the teacher has to give them through command /give).

Performance Expectations

Students were not required to animate or code any parts of their water cycle; it is expected that each group creates a static 3D representation that includes the different phases of the water cycle (evaporation & transpiration / condensation / precipitation / runoff / infiltration). This representation can be more literal or conceptual (for e.g. they can use transparent glass blocks to represent evaporation).

A good extension would be to align their 3D models with the SDGoals, for e.g. Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) and having the students brainstorm some possible solutions on how to accomplish this goal.