DIY Water Cycle Model

Replicate the water cycle with this science activity!

All living things need water, so it’s important to keep natural water sources like rivers, lakes, and oceans clean of pollution. Some forms of pollution are easy to see, such as trash or oil. Even dirt can be considered pollution if too much gets into the water supply and turns the water muddy. Other forms of pollution, like chemicals, might require scientific tests to find.

Nature has different ways of helping keep the planet’s water clean from pollutants. The water cycle uses heat from the sun to take water from the surface of the Earth up into the air in the form of tiny droplets (evaporation). These droplets are so small that many visible forms of pollution are left behind. When the droplets cool, they condense into clouds, fall back to Earth as precipitation, and recollect in lakes, rivers, oceans, an other bodies of water to start the process again. This activity will allow you to see this process in action!

Materials:
A large bowl
A small cup (shorter than the edge of the bowl)
Some dirt
A Cup of water
Plastic wrap
Some rocks