Science·Weather & Climate·conceptual
The Water Cycle
Understand the water cycle: the Sun heats water in oceans and lakes causing it to evaporate into water vapour, the vapour rises and cools to form clouds (condensation), and water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail (precipitation) — then the cycle repeats
Suggested ages 7–9
Learning journey
Your child is learning about weather science — how meteorologists forecast weather, what causes different weather patterns like wind and storms, and understanding the water cycle that brings us rain and snow.
Evidence of understanding
- Name the three main stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation
- Explain the Sun's role in driving the water cycle
- Describe the water cycle as a continuous loop with no beginning or end
Assessment prompt
Can The Water Cycle trace the journey of a raindrop — from the ocean being heated by the Sun, rising as invisible vapour, forming a cloud, and falling back down as rain — and explain it keeps going round and round?
Standards alignment
No external standards are linked to this topic.