Water Cycle to Precipitation
(rain, snow, sleet, hail)

Raindrops

Background Information

Objective

• Students will practice their addition problems by playing a game.

Materials

• copies of the "Raindrop board"
• 2 dice of different colors
• 36 small beans

Procedures

1. In center groups, students will play the game with partners. They will each be responsible for their "raindrop board" to play the game.
2. The partners will take turns rolling the two dice. At their turn, the student will add the numbers of the different dice and write the answer in the correct square. For example, if you roll a 2 on the blue die and a 3 on the red die, the student will write a 5 in the appropriate space. (Warn the students to be careful not to put the bean on the square that is the intersection of the red 2 and the blue 3 -- that is a different 5)
3. The partner will have to check their answer. If it is correct, the partner takes his/her turn. If it is incorrect, the student must cross out that square and it is now "dead" and will have to find another way to get 6 in a row. The partner continues with his/her turn.
4. A "raindrop" or bean can be placed in the appropriate square when it is rolled again. In other words, when the student has filled in a square with the correct answer to the addition of their rolled dice, the next time they come to that answer they may place a bean in the square.
5. The winner is the one who can fill 6 squares in a row, column, or diagonal first.
6. The students in the center group may switch partners and play the game repeatedly as time permits. All of the "raindrop board" papers should be put into their center folders to be checked by the teacher.

Evaluation of Student Learning

1. Review the raindrop board papers the students leave in their folders. Are all the answers to their addition problems correct? Do they have more than one attempt to play the game?

Extensions

• Review the evaporation/condensation drama activity (re-enacting the water cycle) from previous guest speaker, Kate Kuper (supported by the PTA), see who remembers the concepts and how much you need to re-teach; "perform" the drama again, as necessary.
• unit activity -- After reading about the water cycle, as a whole class, complete the paste and cut worksheet of the steps of the water cycle.
• unit activity -- To demonstrate precipitation, boil water in a hot pot (or hot plate with teakettle). Wait until steam begins to escape from the teakettle. Then, wearing oven mitts, hold a tray of ice cubes about five inches above the steam. Let students observe what happens and see if they can identify the steps of the water cycle.
• center -- Before introducing this center, read stories about children going into the rain and putting on special clothes. Let them come to an understanding of absorb and repel. At the center, put out cups of water, droppers and the following materials: sand, waxed paper, cotton fabric, leaf, construction paper, plastic cup, foil, and others if you wish. The students will predict the materials that they think will absorb or repel the water. Then they will test each material with drops of water. All this will be recorded in a chart. The student will create an advertisement for their clothing that will be good to wear in the rain.
• art activity -- On a rainy day, have students draw with chalk or paint with tempera on paper. Set the papers out in the rain for a few minutes and bring back inside. Let the papers dry. Discuss how their pictures changed from the rain.