Earth's Systems & the Water Cycle
Aligned to MS-ESS2 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Energy from the sun drives the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. This cycle shapes weather and connects Earth's systems.
Worked example
The sun evaporates ocean water into vapor; it cools and condenses into clouds; precipitation falls as rain; rivers collect it back to the ocean — a continuous cycle.
Practice questions
- List the four main steps of the water cycle.
- What energy source drives the cycle?
- How does the water cycle influence weather?
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Los sistemas de la Tierra y el ciclo del agua
La energía del sol impulsa el ciclo del agua: evaporación, condensación, precipitación y recolección. Este ciclo da forma al clima y conecta los sistemas de la Tierra.
Ejemplo: El sol evapora el agua del océano convirtiéndola en vapor; este se enfría y se condensa formando nubes; la precipitación cae en forma de lluvia; los ríos la recolectan y la devuelven al océano — un ciclo continuo.
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