Wonderful Water World

Year Level

Year 2

Duration

40 minutes

Learning Area

Science

Australian Curriculum Links

Science Understanding (Biological Sciences):

• ACSSU032 – Earth’s resources, including water, are used in a variety of ways.

Science Inquiry Skills:

• ACSIS037 – Pose and respond to questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events.
• ACSIS038 – Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions.

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Lesson Focus

Students will explore the water cycle in a hands-on and engaging way, learning how water changes form and moves through the environment. The lesson will promote curiosity and understanding of environmental systems, connecting science with their everyday experiences like rain, puddles, and drying clothes.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Describe the basic stages of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
• Identify examples of the water cycle in their daily lives.
• Predict how water behaves when exposed to heat and cold.

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Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate their learning by:

• Participating in a class discussion on the water cycle.
• Correctly sequencing the water cycle stages using a visual activity.
• Contributing to a class experiment and explaining what they observed.

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Materials Required

• Clear zip-lock bags (1 per pair)
• Permanent markers
• Water (in a jug)
• Blue food colouring
• Tape
• Printed “Water Cycle Window Sheet” (with sun, clouds, arrows, raindrops)
• Large poster of water cycle stages
• Felt board or magnetic board with labels: “Evaporation,” “Condensation,” “Precipitation”
• Paper towels

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Engagement Phase (10 minutes) – Hook Their Curiosity

1. Class Talk “Where Did the Puddle Go?”

• Begin the lesson by asking:
  “Have you ever seen a puddle after it rains? What happens to it the next day when it’s sunny?”
• Facilitate a quick think-pair-share, allowing students to share their thinking with a partner, then open discussion for 2–3 students to share with the class.

2. The Magic of Water

• Show a clear plastic container with warm water and a mirror held above it. Ask students to observe the steam rising and water droplets forming on the mirror (simulating condensation).
• Tell students they’re going to explore this “invisible adventure” as we follow water on its never-ending journey.

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Exploration Phase (15 minutes) – Hands-On Discovery

3. Mini Water Cycle in a Bag – Window Experiments

• In pairs, students will:
  • Draw the sun, clouds and ocean/river on their zip-lock bag using permanent markers (provide a model example).
  • Fill each bag with 100 ml of water coloured with blue food dye to represent ocean/lake.
  • Seal the bag and tape it to the classroom window where it can get sunlight.
  • Teacher explains: “We are creating a mini-world. The sun will help the water evaporate, change into a gas, condense, and fall again like rain!”
• Students predict what might happen to the water inside the bag over the next few days.

Note: This experiment will continue beyond today’s session, with class follow-ups throughout the week. Assign “Water Watchers” to report on the bags each day.

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Explanation Phase (10 minutes) – Visual Learning and Vocabulary

4. StoryTime Science – ‘The Journey of Droppy’

• Read/display a short oral story:
  “Droppy is a tiny drop of water. One day, the sun warmed Droppy and—poof!—he turned into vapour… up into the sky!...”
• As the story progresses, place felt or magnet labels on a board for each stage: Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation.
• Class acts out each stage using whole-body actions:
  • Evaporation: Wiggle and float up like steam
  • Condensation: Curl up like little clouds
  • Precipitation: Fall gently like raindrops

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Elaboration Phase (3 minutes) – Making Connections

5. Every Day Water Detectives

• Ask students to name places they’ve seen water evaporate or fall as rain.
  • Ideas: drying clothes outside, steaming showers, rainy days, foggy windows.
• Quick brainstorm recorded on the board:
  “Where do we see the water cycle in real life?”

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Evaluation Phase (2 minutes) – Reflect & Celebrate

6. Exit Ticket – Cycle Match-Up

• As students line up to leave, each is given a card with a water cycle stage or description.
  • Teacher asks:
    “Can you match this word with its movement or picture?”
    (e.g., Word: Evaporation → “When sun warms the water and it goes up”)
• Students hand in their card once they’ve correctly identified it, showing individual understanding.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual learners: Support visuals and modelling with large icons and arrows throughout the lesson.
• EAL/D students: Use gestures and dual-language labels if possible.
• Hands-on learners: Engage deeply through the zip-lock bag experiment and movement task.
• Advanced learners: Challenge them to explain connections between the stages or relate the water cycle to caring for natural resources.

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Follow-Up Opportunity

• Integration with Literacy: Students can write a short imaginative story or comic titled “A Day in the Life of a Water Drop” during a writing session.
• Science Journals: Keep a 5-day observation log of the zip-lock bag experiment.

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Teacher Reflection Prompt (Post-Lesson)

• Did students grasp the concept of water moving through stages?
• Were students engaged and responsive during the story and movement parts?
• How could I build on this for environmental responsibility discussions?

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Extension Ideas

• Link with Geography: Design a Water-Friendly Garden
• Invite a local water service expert for a talk
• Create a whole-school mini water museum with models and student explanations

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Closing Note

This lesson blends curiosity, movement, storytelling and inquiry – a beautiful introduction to systems thinking for Year 2 minds. With Australia’s unique climate and environment, understanding the water cycle early helps instil respect for one of our most precious resources.