Mississippi Science E.4.9A

E.4.9A is a cluster heading. These are the individual standards under it.

• E.4.9A.1

  Develop and use models to explain how the sun's energy drives the water cycle. (e.g., evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff, and groun...

01

What Students Need to Do

Students draw a model showing water moving between the ground, plants, and air. They explain how sunlight warms water and helps plants release water vapor. They show how cooling forms clouds and how gravity moves rain and runoff.

02

What Mastery Looks Like

A student labels evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, runoff, and groundwater on a diagram. Their arrows trace water through a plant or through soil. They explain where sunlight supplies energy and where gravity moves water.

03

Common Misconceptions

Students may think evaporated water disappears or that clouds are made of invisible water vapor. Some think sunlight directly makes rain fall. Others draw groundwater as a large underground lake instead of water held in soil and rock.

04

How to Assess It

On an exit ticket, draw a pond, tree, cloud, hill, and soil. Have students add arrows and label all six parts of the water cycle, plus where sunlight and gravity act.

1. 01

   Set warm water in a clear cup beneath a chilled plate, then watch drops form and explain what warms lakes outdoors.

2. 02

   Ask pairs to explain how less sunlight on a puddle could change cloud formation and rain, using a three-arrow sketch.

3. 03

   Give pairs six process cards and a pond, tree, hill, and cloud diagram; have them place each card and draw arrows.

4. 04

   Show a playground puddle photo and ask students to trace two routes for its water, evaporation in sunlight and runoff into a drain.

• E.7.9A

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of how complex changes in the movement and patterns of air and water molecules caused by the sun, winds, landforms, o...

• E.4.9B

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of weather and climate patterns.

• E.K.8B

  Students will demonstrate an understanding that the Sun provides the Earth with heat and light.

• L.5.3A

  Students will demonstrate an understanding of photosynthesis and the transfer of energy from the sun into chemical energy necessary for plant growth and surviva...