Earth Science Water Cycle Connecting Earth Systems WCAG

Authors: Michigan Water Stewardship Program, Eaton Conservation District
Lesson Overview: In this lesson, students will create a timeline showing the movement of water
through the four major Earth systems as it is driven by the internal and external energy sources that govern
the water cycle.
Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Correctly identify parts of the water cycle on a diagram or from a written description.
2. Give an example of how water interacts with each of the four major Earth systems.
3. Explain how Earth’s internal and external energy sources drive the water cycle.
4. Demonstrate understanding of the general time frame that water remains in one Earth system before
moving to another.
This lesson meets the following Michigan Department of Education standards:

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS):
✓ HS-LS2-3 Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and
flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
✓ HS-LS2-5 Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the
cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere
✓ HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth
materials and surface processes
Michigan High School Content Expectations (HSCEs):
✓ E2.1A - Explain why the Earth is essentially a closed system in terms of matter
✓ E2.1B - Analyze the interactions between the major systems [geosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere, biosphere)]
✓ E2.2A - Describe the Earth’s principal sources of internal and external energy [e.g. radioactive
decay, gravity, solar energy]
✓ E2.2f - Explain how elements exist in different compounds and states as they move from one
reservoir to another
✓ E2.4B - Explain how the impact of human activities on the environment (e.g. deforestation, air
pollution, coral reef destruction) can be understood through the analysis of interactions between
the four Earth systems
✓ E4.p1A - Describe that the water cycle includes evaporation, transpiration, condensation,
precipitation, infiltration, surface runoff, groundwater, and absorption
Recommended Grade(s): 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Recommended Subject(s): Earth Science Duration: Prep time: 10 min, Activity: 50-80 min
Materials Required: water cycle diagram, overhead projector, paper, markers, optional: art supplies
Suggested Vocabulary for Students: Aquifers, atmosphere, biosphere, clouds, condensation,

evaporation, external energy sources, geosphere, glaciers, gravity, groundwater, hail, hydrosphere,
interactions of earth systems, internal sources of energy, precipitation, recharge, rivers, solar energy,
streams, surface water, transforming matter and/or energy, water vapor
Background Information for Educator:

The Water Cycle
Water on Earth is contained in a closed system—what we generally call the water cycle. No new water is
being created, nor is water being lost; it simply moves from one place to another in various states of
matter. A basic water cycle can be described as water evaporating from the surface of the earth as a gas
(water vapor), condensing to form clouds, then precipitating to earth as a liquid (rain) or solid (snow, hail).
Fallen precipitation either infiltrates into the soil to recharge groundwater or runs off to join surface water
where the cycle can begin again. This movement from place to place and from state to state incorporates
all four of the major Earth Systems and is driven by Earth’s internal and external energy sources.
The Water Cycle Connects the Four Earth Systems

Water is present in each of the four major Earth systems (hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and
biosphere) and readily moves from one to another. For example, water in the hydrosphere can evaporate
to become part of the atmosphere. Through precipitation, water in the atmosphere can return to the
hydrosphere or percolate into the ground to become groundwater—part of the geosphere. Water in the
geosphere can be discharged into surface water, becoming part of the hydrosphere once again, or it could
be drawn up into the roots of a plant and become part of the biosphere. Water in the biosphere can be
released into the atmosphere through transpiration in plants, or respiration in animals. Animals may also
excrete water that may enter into the hydrosphere or geosphere. These are only a few examples—water
can move from one system to any of the others in a variety of ways.
Energy Sources that Drive the Water Cycle

The movement of water among the four Earth systems is driven by Earth’s internal and external sources
of energy. One of Earth’s internal sources of energy—gravity—provides the energy for precipitation to
occur. Gravity also enables fallen precipitation to either infiltrate the geosphere to become groundwater
or run off over the surface of the ground to join the surface water of the hydrosphere. Earth’s primary
source of external energy—the sun—provides the solar energy that warms the surface of the earth and
enables evaporation to occur. These two energy sources acting simultaneously on the Earth’s water
cause the water’s movement among the Earth’s systems to be cyclical.
Time Scales
All water on Earth is not constantly moving between systems and transforming to different states of matter.
A drop of water frozen in a glacier, for instance, may remain there for thousands of years before melting
and infiltrating into the geosphere or evaporating into the atmosphere. Likewise, a drop of water in a deep
groundwater aquifer may remain there unchanged for millennia. However, a rain drop soaking into
parched soil may quickly be absorbed by a thirsty plant and transpired, thus moving from atmosphere to
geosphere to biosphere and back to the atmosphere in rapid succession.
Lesson Procedure:
Introduction:
~ Review basic information about the water cycle, earth systems, and internal/external energy
sources with the class.
~ Project the water cycle diagram and have students help you label the Earth systems that are
depicted. Draw in a sun and a downward facing arrow for students to label the energy sources
that affect the water cycle.
~ Ask students to think about how long a single drop of water may remain in one of the Earth systems
before moving to another. Discuss several scenarios.
~ Transition from the warm-up review to the activity by explaining that although the movement and
transformation of water is cyclical (it happens over and over again), it is not a circle (it does not
follow a fixed order or pattern). Point out that the water cycle diagram you are using shows a
simplified lake-to-clouds-to-rain-to-lake circle, but the reality is much more complex
Activity:
Students may work individually or in small groups for this activity.
~ Ask students to think of a specific example of how they have used water or have seen water being
used today. Good examples for this activity would be something like steam rising from a cup of
coffee or a sprinkler watering a lawn.
~ Have students imagine that they are following a single drop of that water on its journey through the
water cycle. They will create a hypothetical timeline that documents the journey through 8 to 12
scenarios. This is the outline or “map” that will help them create their project in the next step. For
each scenario the student must include the following information:
 Location and Description of Movement (e.g. “soaking into my neighbor’s lawn” or “rising into the
sky over Lake Michigan”)
 State of Matter (solid, liquid, or gas)
 Earth system (hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, or atmosphere)
 Energy Source (which source of energy caused the movement or change?)
 Time (how long will it remain there?) – this is largely up to the student’s imagination, but they
should try to represent the general time scale; i.e. if their water droplet ends up in the ocean it
will usually remain there much longer than if it ends up in a mud puddle.
~ Once the student has completed the information for their timeline, they will choose one of the
following projects:
 Write a journal from the water drop’s perspective, including all the information from the timeline
in a story format.
 Create a poster to graphically represent the water drop’s journey (like the water cycle diagram
used in the warm-up review), with the required information written out beside each step of the
journey.
 Create a Prezi from the water drop’s perspective to represent its journey with all the information
either in a story format or written beside each step of the journey.
Wrap up:
Have students present their projects to the rest of the class. Afterward, ask the students to answer these
questions:
~ Whose water droplet moved the most? The least? Why?
~ Would these projects be different if you had created your timeline with a water droplet from 200
years ago? From 2 million years ago? From 1,000 years in the future?
~ What effect would it have if your water droplet had gotten polluted at one step in its journey? Which
Earth systems would be affected? How would this affect humans?
Assessment Options:
~ Under what circumstances might the effects of gravity and/or the sun cause water to be tied up in
a certain part of the water cycle, thus affecting our ability to access clean, drinkable water?
~ Describe human activities on the environment (e.g. deforestation or shoreline or stream bank
erosion) have on the way water moves through the water cycle. What can be done to minimize
these effects?
~ Describe an example in which water takes a very long time for water to travel through each Earth
system. What would happen if all water moved at this slow pace? Would all of our water needs be
met? Why or why not?
Adaptations/Extension/Enhancements:
~ Have students rewrite their timelines as if their water droplet was polluted. Have them add a line to
record what negative effects the polluted water droplet might have on the various Earth systems it
passes through and how this may ultimately affect humans.
~ Have students research an actual pollution event involving water and have them trace the effect
on various Earth systems.
Additional Resources:
~ MWSP website: www.miwaterstewardship.org
~ Map of Michigan watersheds: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/lwm-mi-
watersheds_202767_7.pdf
Our MWSP logo represents the two hands of Michigan - both the upper and lower peninsulas - and caring for our water
resources and water quality. The green hand symbolizes all vegetation and crops in our state and the tan hand symbolizes
soils. The lighter blue water signifies the vast surface water throughout the state and the darker blue water denotes
groundwater.
Last updated:
July 2018

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Authors: Michigan Water Stewardship Program, Eaton Conservation District

Objectives: Students will be able to:

This lesson meets the following Michigan Department of Education standards:

Suggested Vocabulary for Students: Aquifers, atmosphere, biosphere, clouds, condensation,

Background Information for Educator:

The Water Cycle Connects the Four Earth Systems

Energy Sources that Drive the Water Cycle

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