Welcome - all of my 2025/2026 curriculum and resources for 7th grade science will be posted here! (Work in Progress)
Essential Questions:
How does the water cycle impact the availability of freshwater on Earth?"
This question is important to seventh graders because it prompts them to think about the importance of freshwater resources and how they are replenished through natural processes. By understanding the water cycle, students can gain a better appreciation for the Earth's natural systems and the impact of human activities on them. Additionally, they can learn about the importance of conservation and sustainable use of water resources. This question can also lead to discussions about water scarcity, access to clean water, and the importance of preserving natural ecosystems that support freshwater sources.
UNLOCK THE BIG QUESTIONS! (SWBAT answer)
How does energy from the the sun drive the water cycle?
What are the main processes of the water cycle?
How does gravity affect the water cycle?
Unit Summary: Water Cycle - From Chat GPT
The water cycle describes how water circulates through the Earth's environment. It includes several processes that are driven by the Sun's energy and the force of gravity.
The cycle starts with the Sun's energy evaporating water from bodies of water like oceans, lakes, and rivers. This vapor rises into the atmosphere and cools, forming clouds through a process called condensation. The force of gravity causes the water droplets in the clouds to eventually fall back to Earth as precipitation in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
The precipitation can land on land or bodies of water and either soak into the ground or run off into streams and rivers. The force of gravity then causes the water to flow downhill, eventually reaching the ocean or other bodies of water, where the cycle begins again.
Overall, the water cycle is driven by the Sun's energy, which powers evaporation and the formation of clouds, and the force of gravity, which causes the water to move through the cycle. The cycle plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's water supply and regulating the planet's climate.
7.MS-ESS2-4. Develop a model to explain how the energy of the Sun and Earth’s gravity drive the cycling of water, including changes of state, as it moves through multiple pathways in Earth’s hydrosphere.