Lesson Plan | Teachy Methodology | Water Cycle

Objectives

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to clearly outline the fundamental objectives that students should achieve by the end of the lesson, guiding both the teacher and the students towards a deep and contextualized understanding of the water cycle. These objectives guide the preparation and execution of practical and digital activities during the lesson, ensuring active and engaging learning.

Main Objectives

1. Understand the hydrological cycle, recognizing the main states of water (solid, liquid, and gas) and their processes: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

2. Identify and explain the importance of the water cycle in the environment and for life on Earth.

3. Use digital tools to simulate and observe the water cycle.

Side Objectives

1. Develop research and critical analysis skills using digital resources.
2. Promote cooperation and teamwork through practical and digital activities.

Introduction

Duration: (15 - 20 minutes)

 Purpose: This initial stage aims to warm up students to the topic, encouraging curiosity and active research. By searching for and sharing facts about the water cycle, students begin to engage with the topic in a practical and relevant way, preparing for deeper activities to come. Additionally, the key questions help guide the discussion and solidify the prior knowledge acquired.

Warming Up

 Introduction: The water cycle is one of the most fascinating and essential processes in nature, ensuring the distribution of water across the planet. Start the lesson by briefly introducing the topic and highlighting the importance of the hydrological cycle for life on Earth. Ask students to use their phones to search for and share an interesting fact about the water cycle. This may include curiosities about the states of water, climatic facts, or the importance of water for environmental sustainability.

Initial Reflections

1.  What is the water cycle and what are its main stages?

2. ️ How do evaporation, condensation, and precipitation occur in the water cycle?

3.  Why is the water cycle essential for life on Earth?

4.  How can climate change affect the water cycle?

5.  Did you find any interesting fact about the water cycle during your research with your phones? Share with the class!

Development

Duration: (60 - 70 minutes)

The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to provide students with a practical and engaging experience that solidifies their understanding of the water cycle through the use of digital technologies. The proposed activities encourage creativity, collaboration, and the application of knowledge in a playful and interactive way.

Activity Suggestions

It is recommended that only one of the suggested activities be carried out

Activity 1 - Water Cycle Influencers ️

> Duration: 60-70 minutes

- Objective: Use digital content creation to reinforce understanding of the stages of the water cycle, encouraging clear and creative communication among students.

- Description: Students will become digital influencers to create explanatory content about the water cycle. Each group will be responsible for a specific stage of the cycle (evaporation, condensation, or precipitation) and must create short and dynamic videos that will be published on a fictitious social media platform created in Google Classroom.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group should choose (or be assigned) a stage of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, or precipitation.

• Using their phones, students should research more details about their specific stage of the water cycle.

• Groups should plan and script a short video (1-2 minutes) explaining their stage of the cycle, using accessible language and visually appealing elements to engage the audience.

• Use video editing apps available on their phones to create the content, which may include animations, drawings, and special effects to make the video more dynamic.

• The finished videos should be shared on the fictitious social media platform in Google Classroom, where all students can watch and comment.

• Finally, each group should present their video to the class and answer questions about the content.

Activity 2 - The Water Cycle Game 

> Duration: 60-70 minutes

- Objective: Develop programming and game design skills while reinforcing understanding of the water cycle in an interactive and playful manner.

- Description: Students will be challenged to create an interactive digital game about the water cycle using platforms like Scratch or Tynker. In this game, players will need to complete missions that represent the different phases of the water cycle, learning concepts while playing.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group should choose a digital platform (Scratch or Tynker) to develop their game.

• Groups should plan the game mechanics, defining missions that explain the stages of the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).

• Using the resources of the chosen platform, students should program the game, creating characters, scenarios, and challenges that illustrate the water cycle.

• Groups should test the game and make necessary adjustments to ensure it is educational and fun.

• Once completed, the games should be shared with the class so everyone can play and learn.

• Each group should give a brief presentation explaining the logic of the game and how it teaches about the water cycle.

Activity 3 - Water Stories: An Interactive Journey 

> Duration: 60-70 minutes

- Objective: Use digital storytelling to create an interactive narrative that teaches about the water cycle, encouraging creativity, collaboration, and the use of digital tools.

- Description: Students will be challenged to create an interactive narrative about the water cycle using tools like Google Slides or Prezi. The narrative should tell the journey of a water molecule, going through the stages of the hydrological cycle, with interactive choices that lead the reader through different paths.

- Instructions:

• Divide the class into groups of up to 5 students.

• Each group should plan a story where a water molecule goes through different stages of the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

• Using Google Slides or Prezi, students should create an interactive presentation where the reader can make choices that influence the path of the water molecule.

• Groups should add explanatory texts, images, and animations to make the story engaging and educational.

• The narrative should allow readers to learn about the water cycle interactively, being able to go back and explore different paths.

• After completion, each group should share their interactive narrative with the class and allow other groups to experience their story.

• To conclude, the groups should present their story and discuss how different choices affect the water cycle.

Feedback

Duration: (20 - 30 minutes)

 Purpose: The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to provide a moment for reflection and knowledge exchange, allowing students to consolidate the learning acquired during the activities. The group discussion and 360° feedback promote self-assessment, appreciation of teamwork, and identification of strengths and areas for improvement, thus strengthening the collective learning process.

Group Discussion

 Group Discussion: Promote a group discussion with all students, where groups share what they learned while carrying out the activities and their conclusions. Use the following script to introduce the discussion:

1. Introduction: Ask students how they felt while carrying out the activities and what was the most remarkable experience. 2. Learning Sharing: Ask each group to briefly present what they learned about the stage of the water cycle they worked on and how they applied that knowledge in the digital activity. 3. Collective Reflection: Encourage students to reflect on how these activities helped them better understand the water cycle and its importance for the environment.

Reflections

1. 易 Question 1: What did you find most challenging in the activities and how did you overcome those challenges? 2. 易 Question 2: How did digital tools help you better understand the processes of the water cycle? 3. 易 Question 3: How did teamwork contribute to the creation of the content and learning about the water cycle?

360° Feedback

 360° Feedback: Carry out a 360° feedback stage where each student should receive feedback from the colleagues in the group they worked with. Instruct the class to follow these guidelines to keep the feedback constructive and respectful:

1. Be Specific: Give clear examples of what was done well and what could be improved.
2. Be Respectful: Use respectful and positive language.
3. Be Constructive: Offer practical suggestions on how the peer can improve in future activities.

Conclusion

Duration: (10 - 15 minutes)

 Purpose: The purpose of this stage of the lesson plan is to consolidate the learning acquired during the lesson, providing an integrated view of how knowledge about the water cycle fits into the reality of students and the modern dynamics of the world. The conclusion reflects on the importance of the topic, its practical applications, and connects the concepts learned with contemporary environmental issues, reinforcing the relevance of the subject in students' daily lives.

Summary

 Summary of the Theme - The Water Cycle: Imagine being a water molecule on an epic journey! You start evaporating from a blue ocean, rising into the sky as vapor, joining other molecules to form fluffy clouds (condensation), and suddenly plummeting back to Earth as rain (precipitation). And the adventure continues, circulating through rivers, soils, and living beings. This is the endless cycle of water, essential for all life on our planet! ✨

World Connection

 Connection with the Current World: The water cycle is a vital natural phenomenon that connects directly with our daily lives and modern challenges such as climate change. Understanding this cycle helps us comprehend episodes of droughts, floods, and even the distribution of water resources. Additionally, this understanding is crucial for developing sustainable actions and environmental policies that ensure the care of our precious resource: water. ️

Practical Application

 Applications in Daily Life: Knowing the water cycle allows us to recognize the importance of water conservation, understand climatic patterns, and how we can impact and be impacted by natural phenomena. This translates into more conscious daily practices, such as responsible water use and participating in actions for environmental preservation. 