Preschool Lesson Plans About Water for the Classroom

Basic Understanding of the Water Cycle

Your preschool lesson plans on water should use Drop Goes Plop: A First Look At The Water Cycle by Sam Godwin to introduce the

water cycle to the children and give them a basic understanding. As you read this book together, allow the children to study the illustrations and talk about each stage of the cycle in turn. Ask the children if they remember seeing the rain fall and watch the puddles dry up afterwards.

Water Cycle Song

Sing to the children, and encourage them to join in with the hand motions. Sing to the tune of ‘She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain’.

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does (use finger to draw a big circle)

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does (repeat action)

It goes up as evaporation (move hands up into the sky)

Forms clouds as condensation (make a cloud with your arms over your head)

Then comes down as precipitation, yes it does! (Mimic rain fall with your fingers)

Evaporation Project

Put children into small groups and give them a jar. If it is raining, the children could collect the rain in their jars. If not, allow them to fill their jars, and mark the level of the water with a pen. Place the jar somewhere sunny, and encourage the children to check the water level every day, and mark the new water level. Explain that the water is evaporating when the Sun heats it up.

Water Cycle Dress Up

Fill the dressing up area with raincoats, umbrellas and rain boots. Encourage the children to play weatherman, explaining the water cycle to each other. Laminate a picture of a world map, and attach Velcro. Cut out clouds, rain and sunshine, and attach Velcro to the back. Allow the children to use this in their weather report, and attach the weather symbols themselves.

Record the Rainfall

Help the children to set up a rain gauge outside and visit it every day. Record the amount of rain that has fallen, and talk to the children about why the level of rain in the gauge may vary due to evaporation and precipitation. At the end of the month, decide which days had the most rain.

Display Posters

Print ‘Water Cycle’ coloring pages and allow the children to color the images. Display these as posters, arranged in the correct order. The links to these pages are in the media section below.

Posters From Kidzone

https://www.kidzone.ws/water/bactivity2.htm - Evaporation Poster

https://www.kidzone.ws/water/bactivity3.htm - Condensation Poster

https://www.kidzone.ws/water/bactivity4.htm - Precipitation Poster

https://www.kidzone.ws/water/bactivity5.htm - Collection Poster

Be A Cloud

Make or buy a cloud outfit and a sunshine outfit. Find a flower in a pot and a watering can.

Use the props to show the water cycle by wearing the outfits and stating each step as it occurs. Allow each child a turn of being the Sun and the Cloud, and telling you how the cycle happens. Grade the children on their understanding and participation.

Additional Reading

A Drop Of Water, by Gordon Morrison

Down Comes The Rain by Franklyn M Branley

Use these preschool lesson plans on water to ensure that the children learn the concepts and facts about the rain cycle.