This site provides information about precipitation, evaporation, condensation, surface runoff, infiltration and transpiration, which are all part of the water cycle, a complex process that not only gives us water to drink and fish to eat, but also weather patterns that help grow our crops. The site has four sections. The introduction presents the overall concept while the second section covers each ... Full description.

This explanation of the hydrologic cycle discusses evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, percolation, groundwater, and the water table. There is a diagram and a description of each as well as a discussion of the dynamics of the cycle, which powered by the Sun. In addition there are links that lead to all parts of the Properties of Water menu. Full description.

This lesson is designed to give students an enhanced understanding of the water cycle and rain as a resource, increase their measurement and data collection skills, and develop graphing and data interpretation skills. It expects that students will demonstrate the ability to measure and record rates of rainfall, evaporation, and infiltration and to graph and interpret data. The lesson provides detailed ... Full description.

This site describes the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which stretches across six states including New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia and also the District of Columbia. Also included in the Bay watershed are several subwatersheds, smaller systems that drain into the streams and rivers that flow into the Chesapeake. More than 64,000 square miles of land drain into the ... Full description.

This interactive diagram of the water cycle invites students to click on a part of the cycle to get information about streamflow, surface runoff, freshwater storage, ground-water discharge, ground-water storage, infiltration, precipitation, snowmelt, runoff to streams, springs, condensation, evaporation, transpiration, water in the atmosphere, ice and snow, and oceans. A summary of the water cycle ... Full description.

In this activity students use a map of the Mississippi Watershed to label and count rivers and the states associated with them in a particular watershed. Students "build" the watershed in a pan using modeling clay or soil. They use small objects to represent things such as pollutants, litter, fertilizers, sediments, etc., that could be transported by water flowing in the drainage system. Students ... Full description.

In this case study activity, students will investigate arctic geology and hydrology as well as tundra ecology and consider options for sewage treatment. Public safety, environmental impact, and issues of construction and engineering will be explored. This Starting Point example page builds on the Lifelines Online case study and includes learning goals, context for use, teaching notes and tips, teaching ... Full description.

In this exercise from SERC's Starting Point, students measure a topographic and geologic cross-section across a floodplain by simple surveying and auguring techniques. This example demonstrates how basic GIS elements can enhance learning by adding spatial context and introducing mapping techniques. GIS elements encourage students to consider the spatial context of field observations, introduce GPS ... Full description.

This resource allows students to make use of data generated by environmental sensors that are distributed throughout Black Rock Forest. It includes interactive activities to acquaint the student with remote sensing and with the data-gathering tools. The data are used in various activities that strengthen the students' understanding of the earth system. Full description.

In this activity, students will build a model to simulate parts of the water cycle. They will be able to recognize and explain the essential elements of the water cycle. From this information, they will appreciate that scale models can be an important tool to use in understanding global processes. The student guide provides an overall description of the activity, a list of materials, the procedure, ... Full description.