Author: rbortz

The Water Cycle

Grade: 2nd grade

Content Area: Science

TEKS:
(8) Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among objects in the sky. The student is expected to:
(C) Explore the processes in the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, as connected to weather conditions

Video: Scholastic Teachers, The Water Cycle
Link: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/studyjams/water_cycle/

Summary:
This video provides students a great introduction to the water cycle. It gives students a real life situation, provides reasoning and explanation, and introduces water cycle vocabulary.

Instructional Strategy:
This video can be further used within the classroom with an assignment for students. After watching the video, students can create their own water cycle. Students will draw and create their own representation of the water cycle. Students will be instructed to use water cycle vocabulary, such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, in their representations. After students create their own water cycle, students will have the opportunity to share their water cycle to the class and describe how it connects to weather conditions.

Author Presentation: J. Patrick Lewis

J. Patrick Lewis is an American poet. He is the author of more than 80 children’s books. Lewis’ books relate to history, geography, mathematics, and science. Through his acrostic poetry, Lewis invokes connotations with the use of hyperboles and as he plays with the shape of the text. J. Patrick Lewis’ poetry is witty and simply beautiful.

Snippet: So You Want to Be An Inventor?

So You Want to Be An Inventor?

Author: Judith St. George

Illustrator: David Small

So You Want to Be An Inventor? is a witty book full of inventions and inventors. It is a historical book that can introduce both inventions, as well as the inventors. This book is great to present a variety of occupations to students. The book begins by inviting the student to be an inventor too. Share this book with students to let their imagination and creativity grow!

Here is a little snippet:

“Are you a kid who likes to tinker with machines that click and clank, levers that pull, bells that ring, cogs that grind, switches that turn on and off, wires that vibrate, dials that spin? You watch TV, ride a bike, phone your friends, pop popcorn in a microwave, go to the movies. Inventions! And you want to be an inventor, too?

You don’t have to have white hair and wrinkles to be an inventor.

At twelve, Benjamin Franklin invented swim paddles for his hands and kick paddles for his feet. When he grew up, Ben Franklin invented the lightning rod, Franklin stove, fireplace damper, library stepstool and odometer to measure the distance that a vehicle travels. At seventy-seven, he invented bifocal glasses.”