Georgia S4E3

S4E3 is a Georgia science standard. These are the elements under it.

• S4E3.a

  Plan and carry out investigations to observe the flow of energy in water as it changes states from solid (ice) to liquid (water) to gas (water vapor) and change...

• S4E3.b

  Develop models to illustrate multiple pathways water may take during the water cycle (evaporation, condensation, and precipitation).

01

What Students Need to Do

Students gather information from observations, diagrams, and short texts to explain how water moves and changes state. They build or use a model showing evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection, including the Sun’s role.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

Students can trace more than one possible path a water droplet might take through the cycle. They accurately explain where water changes state and use evidence from a model or observation.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think evaporated water disappears or that clouds are made of smoke. They may also show the cycle as one fixed sequence instead of several possible paths.

04

How to Assess It

Give students a water cycle diagram with missing labels. Ask them to label three processes and explain how the Sun causes one of them.

1. 01

   Seal colored water in a clear zip bag, tape it to a sunny window, and label evaporation, condensation, and collection.

2. 02

   Ask students to explain in writing where a puddle goes after rain and how that water may return to the ground.

3. 03

   Give groups water cycle picture cards to sequence, then have them defend two possible paths a water droplet could take.

4. 04

   Compare yesterday’s rainfall with today’s puddles, clouds, and soil moisture to identify visible parts of the local water cycle.

• S6E4

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how the sun, land, and water affect climate and weather.

• S1E1

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate weather data to identify weather patterns.

• S6E5

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to show how Earth's surface is formed.

• S6E3

  Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes.