1. An Introduction to the WATER CYCLE
Mrs. Hanson
4th Grade Science
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2. The 3 Phases of the Water Cycle:
Precipitation
Evaporation
Condensation

3. Precipitation
Precipitation is when water comes to the Earth from the clouds.
Precipitation can come in several different forms:
Rain
Snow
Sleet
Hail

4. Evaporation
Evaporation takes place when the sun’s heat warms up surface water (puddles, streams, rivers, lakes) enough to turn it from liquid form into gas.
Once the water has turned into gas, or water vapor, then it rises up into the air.

5. Condensation
Condensation takes place after water has evaporated into the atmosphere.
Here, the water vapor cools back down and returns to its liquid form.
As the water condenses, clouds are formed in the sky.
When the clouds get full of water, the cycle continues to the Precipitation phase once again.

6. A Song to Help You Remember…

7. Water Cycle Vocabulary
Atmosphere
Cloud
Condensation
Ground water
Evaporation
Precipitation
Run-off
Surface water
Water cycle
Water vapor
All terms, definitions, and pictures can be found at:

8. Fun Facts About WATER…
Dinosaurs swam in and drank the same water we do today!
75% of the Earth is covered with water!
Only 3% of the Earth’s water is drinkable!
For more interesting facts, go to:
NJAWWA Fun Water Facts