Tag: water

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5 Reasons to Teach Rivers and Streams in Your Classroom

students with clipboards kneeling next to a shallow stream
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Rivers and streams provide endless opportunities for scientific exploration and discovery – and chances are you can find one right in your community! From their chemistry and physics to their role in ecosystems and human communities, rivers and streams offer excellent opportunities to teach critical concepts in science and math in an applied way. Across many grade levels, incorporating rivers and streams into your curriculum is a fantastic way to spark curiosity and make learning meaningful. Here are five compelling reasons to study rivers and streams in your classroom this year.

Before we dive in: If you’re an educator planning to teach rivers and streams, great learning resources are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my complete Science on the River Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

1. Rivers and Streams Are an Interdisciplinary Subject

One of the most exciting aspects of studying rivers and streams is their interdisciplinary nature. Studying natural waterways relates to many fields of science, allowing students to apply knowledge across disciplines:

  • Chemistry: Investigate water quality by measuring pH levels, electrical conductivity, or analyzing dissolved oxygen.
  • Physics: Study fluid mechanics, such as how a stream’s velocity varies with depth, width, and around river bends.
  • Ecology: Explore river ecosystems, food webs, and macroinvertebrate populations that indicate water quality and river health.
  • Geology: Discuss rivers’ role in shaping landscapes and carving out canyons over time.
  • Environmental Science: discuss the challenges facing rivers today, including water conservation, changes in flow due to climate change, pollution from urban and agricultural runoff, and flooding.

By approaching rivers and streams as an interdisciplinary subject, you can help students see how different scientific fields work together to solve real-world problems.

2. Opportunities for Hands-On Learning Activities

Rivers and streams offer a wealth of hands-on learning opportunities that engage students in scientific investigation. Measuring stream flow is a simple yet effective activity that brings science concepts to life. By timing how long it takes for an object to travel a set distance downstream, students can calculate the velocity of a stream.

Other hands-on activities include collecting water samples, catching and identifying aquatic insect larvae, and identifying floodplains and high-water lines. Many of these activities can be conducted with minimal equipment, making them accessible even for classrooms with limited resources. Hands-on learning not only reinforces concepts but also encourages students to ask questions, explore their surroundings, and develop critical thinking skills.

painting showing three people taking measurements in a stream

3. A Perfect Example of Applied Math

Studying rivers and streams is an excellent way to integrate applied math into your science curriculum. Hydrologists and engineers rely on mathematics to analyze water flow, predict floods, and manage water resources. By engaging in similar calculations, students can see how math is used to solve real-world problems. Here are a few ways to apply math when studying rivers:

  • Geometry: students can estimate the cross-sectional area of a river using width and depth data.
  • Arithmetic: students can calculate river discharge using the formula Q=A×V, where Q is discharge, A is the cross-sectional area of the stream, and V is the velocity of the flowing water.
  • Probability: students can determine the likelihood of floods based on historical data.
  • Calculus: For more advanced learners, you can introduce calculus concepts like rating curves. Hydrologists use rating curves to estimate stream discharge based on water height.

These activities reinforce math skills and show students how math is a valuable tool for understanding the natural world.

A river cross section divided into multiple rectangles for approximating area

4. A Great Excuse to Take Learning Outside

Studying rivers and streams provides an opportunity to step outside the classroom and into nature. Field trips to local rivers, streams, or creeks allow students to apply textbook knowledge and observe concepts they’ve studied first-hand. They can look for signs of ecosystem health, observe different river features like goosenecks or riffles, and identify types of river channels.

Outdoor activities not only make lessons more memorable but also help students connect with their local environment. A river field trip can foster an appreciation for rivers and nature in general. Connecting with their local rivers on a field trip may even inspire your students to become involved in local conservation and habitat restoration efforts. If you visit a river with your class, spend 15 minutes picking up trash to leave it nicer than you found it.

Woman in waiters stands in a stream while using a hammer and level to adjust stream monitoring station equipment in a mountain valley. Grey smoke can be seen in the background, rising off of the mountainside.
Taking stream measurements.

5. Rivers and Streams Are Vital to Our Communities

Rivers and streams play a critical role in human communities, providing drinking water, supporting agriculture, and offering recreational opportunities. By studying these waterways, students can gain a deeper understanding of how rivers impact their daily lives.

Lessons can focus on the challenges of managing rivers sustainably or the impact of pollution and climate change on streams. For example, you can discuss how urban development affects stormwater runoff or how conservation efforts have improved water quality in a local river. Understanding the role of rivers and streams in our communities helps students see the relevance of their studies and fosters a sense of responsibility for protecting these vital resources.

Study this topic with Wild Earth Lab!

There’s no need to scramble to put together the perfect rivers lesson  – I’ve already created it for you! This set includes all the worksheets, project guides, and printable materials you need for studying rivers and streams.

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Freshwater Visualization: Learning Activity With Kitchen Measurements

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It’s hard to imagine just how little freshwater exists on Earth compared to saltwater. If you’re teaching the water cycle, your students might be amazed to learn that less than 3% of the Earth’s water is freshwater—the rest is saltwater. In this post, I’ll show you a hands-on freshwater learning activity that uses simple kitchen measurements to help your students visualize these proportions. This activity is a powerful way to help students truly understand how rare freshwater is!

Before we dive in: If you’re an educator planning to teach the water cycle, great learning resources are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my complete Water Cycle Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Background Information

Most of the water on earth is saltwater (~97.5%), like the water in our oceans. Also, a significant amount of earth’s water is frozen such as in glaciers and ice sheets (~1.7%). Fresh groundwater makes up ~0.75% of the water on Earth, and fresh surface water such as the water in streams and lakes is about ~0.01% of the water on Earth. Additionally, about ~0.001% of earth’s water is in its gas form as water vapor in our atmosphere. Having trouble visualizing this?  This activity can help you visualize the relative amounts of freshwater on Earth!

Materials

Gather the following materials. You can complete this entire lab with common kitchen measuring cups.

  • ~1 gallon of water
  • Large 1+ gallon bucket or container
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Tablespoon
  • 8 ice cubes
  • Teaspoon
  • Eye dropper
  • Extra containers to hold water

Step-by-Step Directions

Work through the following steps with your students. Explain what each measurement represents as you work through the activity.

  1. Measure 1 gallon (16 cups) of water into the bucket. This represents all the water on earth.
  2. From the water in the bucket, remove ¼ cup of water and set aside. Replace it with 8 ice cubes. These represent the earth’s frozen water such as glaciers and ice sheets.
  3. From the water in the bucket, measure 2 tablespoons into an extra container.  This represents the Earth’s fresh groundwater.
  4. From the water in the bucket, use an eyedropper to measure 8 drops of water into an extra container. This represents all the surface water on earth, such as streams and lakes.
  5. From the water in the bucket, use an eyedropper to measure 1 drop of water into an extra container. The amount of water vapor in our atmosphere at any time is represented by slightly less than this amount!
  6. Look at the water remaining in the bucket. This represents the saltwater on earth, mostly water in our oceans but also including salty groundwater near coasts and saltwater lakes, ponds, and marshes.

Free Printable Directions for This Activity

A printable version of these directions can be found on my free resources page. As my email subscriber, you’ll gain access to the free resources page and get updates about new activity ideas, project guides, new freebies and units, and cool science topics to teach in your classroom! Subscribe now to access the freebies page and more!

Water cycle diagram, measuring cups, free printable science activity guide for homeschooling, at-home-learning, or elementary school age children.

What’s Next?

If you’re teaching the water cycle, I think you’ll love some of my other blog posts too. Read my posts about explaining the water cycle in 10 stages and human impacts on the water cycle. You can also learn how to measure different water cycle processes including evaporation, precipitation, infiltration, and stream flow!

Explore more lessons from Wild Earth Lab:

If you enjoyed this freshwater learning activity, I know you will love trying my printable science and nature units in your classroom too!

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Explaining The Water Cycle in 10 Stages

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The water cycle is the process that keeps our planet’s water in constant motion. From evaporation to groundwater flow, each step plays a vital role in shaping our environment and life on our planet. In this post, we’ll explore 10 key processes in the water cycle, breaking down how each one works.

For teachers: If you’re an educator planning to teach the water cycle, great learning resources are key to deepening understanding! I think you and your students will love my complete Water Cycle Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Evaporation

The sun is like the engine driving the water cycle. That’s because the sun provides energy for water to evaporate. Evaporation is the process of water changing from a liquid to a gas, called water vapor. Evaporation may happen anywhere that there is water; water evaporates from oceans, lakes, streams, soils, and even from raindrops as they fall.

You can observe and measure evaporation in your classroom. It’s an easy, hands-on science experiment. To try it, find the directions in my blog post about measuring evaporation.

Vapor Transportation

When you think of water moving, you may think of rivers and streams. But water also moves around in our atmosphere. Even though we cannot see it, air currents move huge amounts of water in the form of vapor across continents. This is why water that evaporates over an ocean can fall as rain over land.

Condensation

Condensation is the opposite of evaporation. It is the process of water vapor becoming liquid water. Condensation happens in our atmosphere all the time. It happens because as vapor rises in the atmosphere, it cools, making it difficult to stay in the vapor form. This causes little liquid water droplets to form.

If you look up at the sky and see a cloud, you are seeing condensation in action! That’s right: when water condenses in our atmosphere, it creates clouds. Once the water condenses into droplets, they start to fall towards the Earth. If the droplets make it all the way to the ground without re-evaporation, we get rain (or snow or hail if they freeze!).

You can learn more about condensation and the role it plays in forming deserts in my post about the rain shadow effect!

Precipitation

Precipitation happens when water falls to the Earth’s surface in liquid or solid form. This includes water in the form of snowflakes, hail, sleet, or liquid droplets (rain). Precipitation falls onto land or into bodies of water. A lot of precipitation falls directly into the oceans.

When precipitation falls on land, freshwater is formed! When water evaporates from the ocean, the salts are left behind. If the water falls on land, we get freshwater. That freshwater will start slowly making its way back to the ocean in streams and seeping into groundwater, or get stored in lakes and glacial ice.

You can make your own precipitation gauge and measure precipitation with a plastic bottle and a few other household items. Try it out in my blog post on how to measure precipitation with a DIY rain gauge!

Runoff

Runoff is when water flows downhill. This includes rivers, streams, and any water flowing over the Earth’s surface. Runoff happens thanks to gravity – surface water always flows from high to low elevation. You won’t see a stream flowing uphill. Little streams start high up in the mountains. They flow downhill and across the plains, joining together to make big rivers. Rivers make their way to the coasts, where the freshwater is returned to the ocean and mixed with saltwater.

You can learn how to measure the water flowing through a stream in my blog post about stream measurements. It’s a simple activity that can be completed with a few household items and some math skills!

Ice Storage

Not all the water in the water cycle is on the move! Some water becomes trapped for long periods as snow and ice. In cold places like tall mountains and around the poles, frozen water doesn’t thaw, even in summer. In these places, water is stored as ice for centuries or longer! Examples include ice caps, ice sheets, valley glaciers, snowfields, and sea ice.

If you’re interested in learning more about snow and ice, read my blog posts about snow water equivalent and snow hydrology.

Infiltration

Infiltration is when water seeps from the land’s surface down into the soil. This happens when rain falls onto the soil and seeps in. Water also infiltrates downwards through the bottoms of some lakes and streams. Conversely, groundwater may also flow upwards sometimes – into gaining streams and springs.

If you’re interested in learning more about soil infiltration, try measuring it yourself! You can find directions in my blog post on measuring soil infiltration rates.

Plant Water Uptake

Did you know that plants play a role in the water cycle? All plants take up water from the soil through their roots. A single tree may seep up hundreds of gallons of water each year. Now imagine all the trees in a forest doing this – that’s a lot of water!

Transpiration

The water taken up by plant roots doesn’t just disappear. Some of the water is used in a chemical reaction called photosynthesis, in which it is combined with carbon dioxide gas to form oxygen and sugar.

The rest of the water evaporates out of the plant’s leaves in a process called transpiration. Plants have tiny pores in their leaves called stomata that open to release water vapor – similar to how you have pores on your skin that release sweat. The water vapor from the stomata is released into the atmosphere.

Groundwater Flow

Some of the water in the soil gets taken up by plant roots near the ground’s surface. But plenty of water continues to seep down into deeper sediments and rocks. The water fills the tiny gaps in the sediments and rocks known as pore spaces. Water in pore spaces is moving and flowing, just like water on the surface. But groundwater typically moves much, much more slowly than rivers and streams. Some groundwater eventually makes its way back to the surface, for example, into springs.

Teaching the Water Cycle

There’s no need to scramble to put together the perfect materials for a Water Cycle lesson  – I’ve already created them for you! This set includes all the printable materials you need for studying the Water Cycle.

What’s Next?

Continue reading about human impacts on the water cycle. Or, find classroom activities for water cycle processes in my posts outlining classroom activities for evaporation, precipitation, infiltration, and stream flow!

I also created a few water cycle-related free printables and activities, which are available to my email subscribers on my free resources page. These free materials include my original hand-drawn water cycle diagram, water bingo, and printable directions for a freshwater visualization activity.

Find your next science topic from Wild Earth Lab:

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love trying my other science and nature units in your classroom or homeschool too!

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Measuring Soil Infiltration Rates: A Science Classroom Activity

students observe a white cylinder inserted into the soil
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Are you teaching the water cycle or studying soil in your classroom or homeschool? Measuring infiltration rates in different types of soils is a hands-on activity that helps students explore how water interacts with the ground. This soil infiltration activity also ties in perfectly with studies of porosity and permeability. This engaging experiment works as a stand-alone lesson or as part of a broader unit on soil science or the water cycle.

Before we dive in: The activity from this post comes from my complete Water Cycle Unit. If you’re an educator planning to teach infiltration and the water cycle, you’ll find printable directions, worksheets, and much more in the Water Cycle Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Materials

Gather the following materials to complete this activity:

  • Short tube or pipe with openings on both ends, something sturdy works best:
    • A short PVC pipe
    • Or potentially a sturdy can opened on both ends (file down any sharp edges before use)
  • Ruler
  • Permanent marker
  • Hammer or rubber mallet
  • Water
  • Stopwatch
  • Student worksheets & printable directions (available in my Water Cycle Unit!)
A photo showing classroom handouts for studying infiltration of water into soil

Measuring Soil Infiltration: Step-by-Step Directions

The basic idea of this soil infiltration activity is that you will hammer a tube shallowly into the soil, then pour water in, and observe the water level drop as the water seeps into the ground. Assist your students as they work through the following steps.

Pre-Lab

In this lab, students will compare the infiltration rate in at least three different locations with different types of soil. For example, they could compare a sandy soil, a clay soil, and a soil rich in organic matter.

Before starting the lab activity, ask your students to observe and handle the three different soils. Students should write a description of each soil’s observable properties (color, texture, moisture, particle size). Then, students should predict which soils will have the highest and lowest infiltration rates. Students should explain their reasoning for their predictions.

Part 1: Set Up Your Infiltrometer

First, you and your students will need to set up your “infiltrometer” (tube for measuring infiltration rates).

  1. Use a ruler and permanent marker to make measurement markings up the inside of the tube, starting from one end.
  2. Hammer the infiltrometer (tube) into the soil – the goal is to create a seal with the soil so that water won’t leak out under the tube’s rim. (An adult should complete this step for younger students.)
sketches showing a tube being hammered into the soil then filled with water.

Part 2: Measure Infiltration

Once you’ve set up the infiltrometer, you are ready to continue with the soil infiltration activity and collect your measurements.

  1. Pour water into the infiltrometer.
  2. Note the starting height of the water and start the stopwatch.
  3. Watch the water level in the infiltrometer lower as the water seeps into the soil.
  4. Repeatedly record the water level over time on the student worksheet.
  5. Repeat in different soils – compare a sandy soil, flowerbeds, mulch, gravel, sand, compost, etc.

Post-Lab

For an extra math challenge: Calculate the infiltration rate for each of the soils:

You may also wish to ask your students to reflect on their predictions. Were their predictions correct? Which soil had the highest infiltration rate? The lowest? What might cause this?

What’s Next?

Once you’ve measured infiltration, why not measure other water cycle processes? Be sure to check out my blog post explaining how to measure evaporation and my post on making a DIY rain gauge to measure precipitation with your students!

Materials for Teaching Infiltration and the Water Cycle

Save time preparing for this activity! My Water Cycle Unit includes printable directions and worksheets for this activity and two other water cycle activities. Plus flashcards, diagrams, and more. Check it out:

photo of at home science lab activity handouts and worksheets

Explore more lessons from Wild Earth Lab:

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DIY Rain Gauge Activity for Teaching the Water Cycle

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Teaching your students about the water cycle? Building a DIY rain gauge from a plastic bottle is a fun, hands-on activity to explore a key water cycle process: precipitation. This simple project is perfect for your classroom or homeschool and can be a stand-alone lesson or part of a larger study of water cycle processes.

Before we dive in: The activity from this post comes from my complete Water Cycle Unit. If you’re an educator planning to teach precipitation and the water cycle, you’ll find printable directions, worksheets, and much more in the Water Cycle Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Materials

Gather the following materials to complete this activity:

  • 2 empty plastic soda bottles of the same size
  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Permanent marker
  • Student worksheets & printable directions (available in my Water Cycle Unit!)
A photo showing classroom handouts for teaching students how to build a precipitation gauge

Measuring Precipitation: Step-by-Step Directions

The basic idea of this lab is that you will build your own rain gauges out of plastic soda bottles and then use them to collect and measure precipitation in two places. Assist your students as they work through the following steps.

Pre-Lab

In this lab, students will compare the precipitation measured in at least two different locations. For example, they could compare an area with trees and an area out in the open. Or they could give one rain gauge to a friend on the opposite side of town.

Before starting the lab activity, ask your students to make some predictions and explain their reasoning. Which location will receive more precipitation? Or will both locations receive the same amount? Explain your reasoning.

Part 1: Make Your Precipitation Gauge

You will need to build your precipitation gauges and then wait several days to collect your results. First, here’s how to make your own precipitation gauges from plastic bottles:

  1. Cut the plastic soda bottles in half below the tapered necks (an adult should do this step for younger children).
  2. Turn the bottlenecks upside down to make funnels.
  3. Use a ruler and permanent marker to make measurement markings (e.g., centimeters or inches) up the side of the bottle, starting from the bottom.
images depicting cutting a bottle in half then using the top half to make a funnel into the bottom half

Part 2: Measure Precipitation

Several days later, complete the experiment:

  1. Place each precipitation gauge outside. You may wish to stack rocks around the gauges to keep them from tipping over.
  2. Compare the precipitation in two locations. Try placing one precipitation gauge somewhere with trees and one out in the open. Or give one gauge to a friend or family member who lives nearby.
  3. In winter, if you have snow, remove the funnel from the top of each gauge bottle to allow snow to fall directly into the base of the bottle. Bring the gauge inside to allow the collected snow to melt to measure snow water equivalent.

Post-Lab

For an extra math challenge: Measure the diameter (D) of the precipitation gauge and then calculate the volume of water that you collected in each rain gauge using the volume of a cylinder equation:

volume of a cylinder equations

You may also wish to ask your students to reflect on their predictions. Were their predictions correct? Which location received more precipitation? What mechanism might have caused this?

What’s Next?

Once you’ve measured precipitation, why not measure other water cycle processes? Be sure to check out my blog post explaining how to measure stream flow with your students and how to measure evaporation!

Materials for Teaching Precipitation and the Water Cycle

Save time preparing for this activity! My Water Cycle Unit includes printable directions and worksheets for this activity and two other water cycle activities. Plus flashcards, diagrams, and more. Check it out:

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Hands-On Water Cycle Activity: Measure Evaporation

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Looking for a simple, hands-on way to teach the water cycle? Measuring evaporation is an easy activity that brings the process to life for your students. Perfect for classrooms or homeschools, this experiment makes learning about the water cycle engaging and interactive! You can measure evaporation as a stand-alone activity or as part of a larger exploration of water cycle processes.

Before we dive in: The activity from this post comes from my complete Water Cycle Unit. If you’re an educator planning to teach evaporation and the water cycle, you’ll find printable directions, worksheets, and much more in the Water Cycle Unit (plus you’ll support my blog with your purchase! ❤️)

Materials

Gather the following materials to complete this activity:

  • Two small see-through jars or cups
  • Liquid measuring cup (or graduated cylinder)
  • Water
  • Food coloring
  • Permanent marker
  • Student worksheets & printable directions (available in my Water Cycle Unit!)
A photo showing classroom handouts for teaching evaporation lab activities

Measuring Evaporation: Step-by-Step Directions

The basic idea of this lab is that you will have two jars, one with a lid and one without. You will observe the change in the water level in the two jars over several days due to evaporation. Assist your students as they work through the following steps.

Pre-Lab

Before starting the lab activity, ask your students to make some predictions and explain their reasoning.

Will the jar with the lid:

  • Loose water?
  • Gain water?
  • Remain the same?

Will the jar without a lid:

  • Loose water?
  • Gain water?
  • Remain the same?

Part 1: Set Up

You will need to set up the experiment and then wait several days to collect your results. On the first day, take the following steps:

  1. Use a liquid measuring cup to measure equal amounts of water into two small glass jars.
  2. Put a drop of food coloring in each jar.
  3. Use the marker to mark the water level in each jar.
  4. Leave one jar open. Put a lid on the other jar – this will be your control. Discuss with your classmates and/or instructor the purpose of a control in a science experiment.
  5. Place the jars under a covered area so rain can’t fall into them. Wait several days or weeks. Evaporation may occur very slowly in humid climates.

Part 2: Measure Evaporation

Several days later, complete the experiment:

  1. Once the water level is visibly lower in the open jar, use the graduated cylinder or liquid measuring cup to measure the amount of water in each jar. Record the volume on the student worksheet.
  2. The difference between the two jars is the amount of water that evaporated.
  3. Discuss whether water evaporated from each jar – why or why not?

Post-Lab

Ask your students to reflect on their predictions. Were their predictions correct? Why or why not? Which jar lost water? What caused it to lose water?

What’s Next?

Are your students up for a bigger challenge? Now that you’ve observed evaporation, why not measure some other water cycle processes? Be sure to check out my blog post explaining how to measure stream flow with your students and how to measure snow!

Materials for Teaching Evaporation and the Water Cycle

Save time preparing for this activity! My Water Cycle Unit includes printable directions and worksheets for this activity and two other water cycle activities. Plus flashcards, diagrams, and more. Check it out:

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Explore more lessons from Wild Earth Lab:

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Journey of a Snowflake: learn how snow forms

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Are you ready to learn how snowflakes form? Whether you’re teaching at home or in the classroom, studying the formation of snowflakes with your students is a fun winter learning activity. In this post, we’ll follow the journey of a snowflake as it forms high in the atmosphere and then falls to Earth! Snow is frozen precipitation; snowflakes are made of ice crystals – water in the solid phase.

Since every snowflake takes a slightly different path to the ground, each snowflake runs into unique conditions along the way (temperatures, wind currents). These different experiences impact the way each snowflake forms. Because of this, every snowflake looks different! However, each snowflake has six sides because of the properties of water molecules.

I made this printable diagram of a snowflake forming! You can download and print this poster from my shop, or find the poster within my Snowflake Mini Study or my Geometry in the Snow Unit.

If you live in a place that receives snow in the winter, studying snow and snowflakes can be a fun activity to do with your class or homeschool. If you’re an educator planning a lesson, be sure to check out my snowflake lesson materials that go along with this blog post. You can also read my post about how to measure snow as a hands-on classroom activity for learning about snow and the water cycle!

Now, let’s see how a snowflake forms, in six steps…

One

The formation of a snowflake begins with a dust particle high in the earth’s atmosphere with temperatures below freezing.

Two

Water vapor from the air is attracted to the dust particle.

Three

As water from the air freezes around the dust particle, it begins forming a six-sided prism.

Four

As more water from the air freezes on the snowflake’s surfaces, branches may form on each of the six sides.

Five

As the snowflake becomes larger, additional branching may develop off each main branch.

Six

If temperatures at ground level are below freezing, the frozen snowflake will reach the ground.

Learn about snow with Wild Earth Lab:

Are you putting together a snow lesson plan for your science classroom or homeschool? Be sure to check out my snow learning materials! I have options for various grade levels, and best of all you’ll save time planning your lesson while supporting my blog with your purchase!

Check out my Snowflake Mini Study!

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Phases of Water: phase changes and classroom activity!

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There are three phases of water. Water can transition between these phases via six different phase changes. In this post, learn about each one, then try out the phases of water classroom activity at the end!

A note for teachers: you’ll find lessons on the phases of water, phase changes, water molecule properties, snow-water equivalent calculations, and much more in my Science in the Snow Unit. It’s an applied STEM unit with a wintery theme and packed with hands-on activities. Plus, every purchase helps support this blog!

Ice (solid)

Water molecules are packed closely together and bonded in a rigid pattern, such that they cannot move past one another. Like other solids, ice:

  • Does not take the shape of its container
  • Does not expand/compress to fill its container

Liquid Water

Water molecules are packed very closely together but are still moving and slide freely past one another. Like other liquids, liquid water:

  • Takes the shape of its container
  • Does not expand/compress to fill its container

Water Vapor

Water molecules are far apart from one another and move very rapidly and freely. Like other gases, water vapor:

  • Takes the shape of its container
  • Expands/compresses to fill its container

Phase Changes

This phase change diagram is included in my science in the snow unit

Solid → Liquid

Melting – the process of changing from a solid to a liquid, due to an addition of energy (heat).

Solid → Gas

Sublimation – the process of changing from a solid to a gas, without passing through the liquid phase, due to an addition of energy (heat).

Liquid→ Solid

Freezing – the process of changing from a liquid to a solid, due to a loss of energy (heat).

Liquid→ Gas

Evaporation – the process of changing from a liquid to a gas, due to an addition of energy (heat).

Gas→ Liquid

Condensation – the process of changing from a gas to a liquid, due to a loss of energy (heat).

Gas→ Solid

Deposition – the process of changing from a gas to a solid without passing through the liquid phase, due to a loss of energy (heat).

Get this phase change diagram plus a blank copy in my science in the snow unit.

Phases of Water Venn Diagram Activity

For this activity, students will use a Venn Diagram with three circles to compare ice, water, and vapor.

  1. Label the three sides of the diagram: ice, liquid water, and vapor.
  2. Students should read the descriptions below, then decide where each description belongs on the Venn diagram:
    • Takes the shape of its container
    • Does not take the shape of its container
    • Its volume expands to fill up its container
    • Does not expand to fill its container
    • Compressible
    • Nearly incompressible
    • Flows
    • Does not flow
    • Forces between molecules keep them in an organized pattern
    • Molecules can move past each other
    • Molecules sliding very closely past one another
    • Molecules are very far apart
    • Made of hydrogen and oxygen
    • The densest of the 3 phases (Hint 1: when are the molecules closest together? Hint 2: think about what sinks vs. floats.)
    • Think of a few of your own to add!
  3. You can find the worksheets for this activity, an answer key, phase change diagrams and more in my Phases of Water Mini Study:
This phases of water Venn diagram activity is found in my science in the snow applied STEM unit!

Study Water and Ice with Wild Earth Lab:

The information and activities in this post come from my complete Science in the Snow Unit. Grab the full unit from my shop:

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Measuring Snow: hands-on classroom activity to learn about snow hydrology and the water cycle!

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If you live somewhere that gets snow in winter, you’ve likely measured the depth of snow before! But with a few extra steps, you can turn this simple task into an awesome, hands-on snow measurements lab activity for your classroom.

Find these worksheets and handouts in my snow hydrology lab mini study!

By measuring snow and performing calculations, we can determine snow water equivalent, stored water, and snow-to-liquid ratios! These are all important measurements for snow hydrologists and tell us a lot about water resources and the water cycle.

In this post, you will learn how to set up your own snow measurements lab to try out in your classroom! You can also get printable versions of these directions plus worksheets, handouts, and classroom posters to go along with this lab in my Bird Beak Adaptations Lab Mini Study!

Find these worksheets and handouts in my snow hydrology lab mini study!

Gather Your Materials

Gather the following materials for the snow measurements lab:

Part 1: Water in Snow

  • Printed copies of the “Water in Snow” worksheets (1 set per student)
  • 3 identical jars with lids
  • Water
  • Freshly fallen snow (not “slush” or partially melted snow)
  • Ice cubes

Part 2: Snow Water Equivalent

Set Up and Directions

Part 1: Water in Snow

  1. Fill one jar with liquid water, one jar with snow, and one jar with ice cubes. Fill all jars to the same level.
  2. Place a lid on each jar to prevent evaporative water loss.
  3. Put the jars somewhere indoors to melt.
  4. Ask students to make predictions about the water levels in each jar. Which jar will hold the most water at the end of the experiment? Which will hold the least?
  5. Encourage students to discuss their reasoning. They may notice that the jar with the ice cubes visibly contains a lot of air. For this reason, some students may expect that the ice cube jar will have the lowest water level at the end of the experiment.
  6. You may also ask students to draw a line on each jar to show where they think the water level will be.
  7. Once everything melts, ask students to check if their predictions were correct. Which jar holds the most water now? Which jar holds the least water now?
  8. Discuss how different types of snow (e.g., a fluffy, dry snow and a heavier, wet snow) will have different proportions of water and air in them. Share with students that snow hydrologists are often interested in the “Snow Water Equivalent”, or in other words, the amount of water in snow.

Part 2: Snow Water Equivalent

  1. Start by sharing with students that precipitation (e.g., snow, rain) is measured as a depth.
  2. We can measure this depth by setting an open container outside to collect precipitation as it falls.
  3. Help students use the rulers to draw and label measurement markings up the side of the container, starting at the bottom.
  4. Ask students to set these containers outside before it snows. If it is windy, students may need to place rocks or other heavy items around the containers to hold them in place. When the snow stops, students should record the depth, bring the container indoors, then wait for the snow to melt in the container.
  5. Once students determine the Snow Water Equivalent (i.e., the depth of meltwater in the container), help them calculate a snow-to-liquid ratio (SLR). You may wish to work through the example on the student handout as a class.

Other Suggestions

  • The snow and ice cubes may melt slowly. If you don’t have a long class period, set up this activity at the end of class one day, then finish the activity at the start of class the next day.
  • Don’t pack down the snow in the jar, since this may impact the snow’s density.

Reflection Questions

  1. Water only makes up a small part of snow’s volume. What could make up the rest of the snow? (What else is in the jar?).
  2. Imagine you have one jar with a fluffy, fresh snow, and one jar with a heavy, dense snow that was on the ground for a few days. After melting, which jar would have more liquid water? Why?
  3. Which would be more water: an inch of rain or an inch of snowfall? Why?
  4. If 21 inches of snow falls, and the snow-to-liquid ratio is 7 : 1, what is the snow water equivalent?
  5. Could snow water equivalent ever be a larger number than snow depth? Why or why not?

This activity comes from my Science in the Snow Unit!

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What are aquatic macroinvertebrates? Their role in food webs and use as bioindicators!

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What is an aquatic macroinvertebrate? Perhaps you are studying aquatic ecology or bioindicators and came across this term. In this case, the name provides us with a few hints… Let’s break it down:

Aquatic – lives in or on water.

Macro – large enough to be seen by the naked eye.

Invertebrate – animal with no backbone.

So… an aquatic macroinvertebrate is an animal with no backbone that lives in or on water and is big enough that you can see it with your naked eye. This includes animals like aquatic insects, other aquatic arthropods (e.g., crayfish, water mites), aquatic mollusks (e.g., mussels), aquatic worms, and more.

What do these ten animals have in common? They are all aquatic macroinvertebrates! 1. stonefly, 2. caddisfly, 3. mayfly, 4. aquatic beetle, 5. water strider, 6. freshwater snail, 7. freshwater mussel, 8. aquatic worm, 9. water mite, 10. crayfish.

Why do aquatic macroinvertebrates matter?

Aquatic food webs

Now that you know what aquatic macroinvertebrates are, your next question is likely… “Why should I care about them?” True, these tiny critters may seem unremarkable, or even “icky”. However, these creatures have important roles in aquatic ecosystems. Aquatic macroinvertebrates are key members of aquatic food webs. Many macroinvertebrates help recycle nutrients back into the food web by consuming detritus (decaying matter) that settles to the bottom of the water. All those nutrients would be lost if the aquatic macroinvertebrates were not around to use them!

Macroinvertebrates are a key food source for other aquatic animals. Many fish, birds, and amphibians eat macroinvertebrates. If the macroinvertebrate community is not thriving, all the animals that rely on macroinvertebrates as food will feel the impact. Problems for the macroinvertebrate community are problems for the whole ecosystem!

An example of an aquatic food chain

Use as bioindicators

Also, certain macroinvertebrates are very sensitive to poor water quality and other human impacts. For this reason, scientists consider some macroinvertebrate species to be excellent bioindicators. A bioindicator is a type of organism whose wellbeing relates closely to ecological conditions and is studied by scientists

Scientists sometimes struggle to find ways to quantitatively measure overall ecosystem health. Ecosystem health depends on many factors (e.g., temperature, nutrient cycling, water chemistry). How do we know if an ecosystem is healthy? How can we tell if our actions are improving or harming an ecosystem?

To help answer these questions, scientists created indexes of biological integrity. Indexes basically allow us to give an ecosystem a score for its overall health, based on its community. Indexes use things like species richness to represent ecosystem health. A popular index for aquatic ecosystem health looks at EPT richness – that is the number of different types of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies).

Indexes of biological integrity use the relationships between number of taxa and the level of human impact on an ecosystem

Study macroinvertebrates in your classroom!

If you enjoyed this post, I know you will love my Aquatic Ecology: Macroinvertebrates Unit. It includes posters, lab activities, readings, worksheets – everything you need for an awesome aquatic macroinvertebrates unit with your class! Find it in my shop!

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References and Further Reading

  1. Merritt, R. W., Cummins, K. W., & Berg, M. B. (2008). Aquatic insects of North America (4th edition). Kendall Hunt, Dubuque.
  2. Pyron, M. (2010) Characterizing Communities. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):39. Available: https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/characterizing-communities-13241173/
  3. Stumpf, S., Valentine-Darby, P., & Gwilliam, E. (2015). Aquatic Macroinvertebrates – Habitat and Life History. NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program, 2009. Available: https://www.nps.gov/articles/aquatic-macroinvertebrates-habitat.htm
  4. UNH Center for Freshwater Biology (2013). An image-based key to stream insects. Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 USA. Available: http://cfb.unh.edu/StreamKey/html/index.html
  5. Ward, J. V., Kondratieff, B. C., & Zuellig, R. E. (2002). Mountain stream insects of Colorado (2nd edition). University Press of Colorado.

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