Fifth Grade · Science · week 23

Water cycle with energy labels

Describe the water cycle stages, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection, and identify where energy from the sun drives each stage.

The water cycle describes how water moves continuously between the ocean, the atmosphere, and the land, and it runs on energy from the sun. Sunlight heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, giving water particles enough energy to escape into the air as an invisible gas; this is evaporation. Plants also release water vapor into the air, a process called transpiration.

As water vapor rises, it cools, and the particles slow down and clump together into tiny droplets that form clouds; this is condensation. When enough droplets combine, they become heavy enough to fall as precipitation, rain, snow, sleet, or hail. That water collects in oceans, lakes, rivers, and underground, ready for the sun to start the whole cycle again.

📋 For the teacher
Teach it (10–15 min):
  • Draw the water cycle together as a labeled loop, and for each arrow ask where does the energy come from or go here.
  • Use a simple kitchen demonstration if possible: watch condensation form on the outside of a cold glass on a warm day, or steam rising from a hot pot.
  • Keep circling back to the sun as the starting energy source; many students learn the stages without ever connecting them to energy.
  • Introduce transpiration briefly, plants releasing water vapor, without overloading the main cycle.
Talk about it:
  • Where does the energy for the water cycle come from?
  • What happens to water particles during evaporation versus condensation?
  • Can you trace the whole water cycle in your own words, stage by stage?

Mastery looks like: They can name and order all four water cycle stages and explain where solar energy drives each transition.

Common stumbles: Listing the stages out of order; describing the cycle without connecting any stage to energy from the sun.

Homework for this lessonType it, write it with a stylus, or print it for pencil & paper.open →
Records attendance + 15 min of Science for this learner.
← Back to todayAll coursesYear planner