Learn with Hanford Mills

Understanding the Water Cycle & Watershed: Pre-visit

Grades:

7-12

Objective:

Learn about the role of land use and the water cycle in keeping watersheds active.

Method:

Students will read about watersheds and draw on their knowledge of the water cycle to analyze and interpret a map of the watershed that supplies the power at the Hanford Mills Museum.

Materials:

Time:

  • Preparation Time: 15 minutes
  • Class Time: 30 minutes

Procedure:

  • Review the water cycle with your class using the water cycle diagram.
    • Using the websites provided, define and discuss watersheds with the class. You may choose to use this as an on-line research opportunity, or you may choose to have a discussion about it in the class.

    • Information about the water cycle and its various stages and their explanations from the USGS website What is the water cycle?: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercyclesummary.html
    • Science in Your Watershed: Student can try to find Hanford Mills Museum’s watershed using this website or you may use the map included with this activity.
    • Questions to ask:

    • What is a watershed?
    • From where does the water in a watershed come?
    • How does the water cycle contribute to watersheds?
    • What watershed is your community part of?

Assessment:

  • Participation in class discussion (listening and speaking)

NYS Learning Standards:

  • ELA Standard 1
  • Math, Science and Tech. Standard 4
  • Social Studies Standard 3

Vocabulary & Spelling Words:

Water cycle – n. a continuous cycle where water evaporates, travels into the air and becomes part of a cloud, falls to earth as precipitation, and then evaporates again.

Watershed – n. the region or area drained by a river, stream, etc.; drainage area.