Investigation 1, Water Observations: Students investigate water — a critical factor defining weather and climate. Students explore the phenomena of water’s observable properties, its interactions with other materials and substrates, and make connections to outdoor experiences with water. Students compare the ways water interacts with four different surfaces. They compare the rate of flow of water on different slopes. They explore how sponges interact with water to soak up spills. Students go outdoors to explore how water interacts with natural materials.
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Investigation 2, Hot Water, Cold Water: Students continue to investigate properties of water and observe the phenomenon of how temperature affects water’s state and density. Students use standard metric units to measure temperature and observe the properties of water as it is heated, cooled, and frozen. They construct a thermometer and find that water expands as it is heated. Students compare the density of water at different temperatures and find that warm water is less dense than cool water, and that ice is less dense than liquid water. They go outdoors to investigate melting of ice in different conditions.
Investigation 3, Weather and Water: Students compare local weather data that they observe and collect to meteorologists’ forecasts and historical weather data. Students explore the phenomena of evaporation and condensation, which account for the transformations of water between liquid to gas. Students find out how these transformations are the key drivers of the water cycle, the mechanism that redistributes water over the whole planet.
Investigation 4, Seasons and Climate: Students analyze weather data, the everyday observable phenomena in the local atmosphere— temperature, wind, and precipitation—and think about the long-term patterns of weather in a place or region, the phenomenon known as climate. They work in groups to organize and analyze local daily weather data for 4 months of the previous year (January, April, July, and October). This leads students to think about the difference between weather (condition of the atmosphere now) and climate (typical weather that can be expected to occur in a region). Through media, students are introduced to ways that people manage the problems associated with floods. They discuss engineering methods to mitigate these weather-related hazards.
Investigation 5, Waterworks: Students investigate how water, a renewal resource, percolates (drains) down through soils. This phenomenon prevents water from standing in pools everywhere and replenishes groundwater. Students compare what happens when water is poured through two different earth materials, soil and gravel. Students test soil in a number of locations on the schoolyard to compare the drainage rates. They construct a waterwheel and use it to lift objects, learning about the power of moving water. Students are introduced to renewable natural resources and ways to conserve them.
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