Waters Elementary
4540 N. Campbell Ave. Chicago, IL 60625  (773)534-5090 
School Hours 8:15 - 3:15
​Office Hours- 8:00am to 3:45pm
​
  • About Waters
    • News >
      • This Week at Waters - Principal's Newsletter
      • Calendar
      • Cafeteria Menus
    • Admission / Enrollment
    • Medical & Dental Requirements
    • Policies and Procedures
    • Contact
  • Student Learning
    • Before & After School
    • Social-Emotional
    • Core Subjects
    • Fine & Performing Arts
    • Gardening & Environmental Science
    • Extracurriculars >
      • Academic Teams & Clubs
      • Sports
    • Additional Resources
  • Waters Community
    • Local School Council
    • WatersToday
    • Get Involved
  • COVID Guidance

Water Cycle activity: to the stations!

12/12/2019

 
​Dear Friends, 
This Friday we will perform the Water Cycle necklace activity with Rooms 204 (11:30) and 203 (2:15). This is a kinetic demonstration of the random  flight of a water molecule through nine possible places where water is found on earth: ocean, clouds, glaciers, lakes, rivers, soil, groundwater, plants and animals. So we create nine stations, each one equipped with its own unique die (singular of dice) and bowl of beads. The students start at one of these stations carrying a cord, knotted at one end. They take a bead from the bowl and thread it onto the cord. Then they roll the die. The die tells them where their water molecule will go next. For example, from ocean to cloud. The student goes to the cloud station and threads a cloud bead, then rolls the cloud die. It might land in such a way that it instructs the student to go to cloud. That means the student stays at cloud station, threads another bead and rolls again. The student rolls 20 times, creating a unique trail, a unique story about the motion and experience of one water molecule in this world. After twenty rolls, we attached barrel clasps on each end of the cord to create a necklace, suitable for gifting or keeping. The students also write about their molecules' journey. Part of the profound meaning of the water cycle is its endless dynamism, a masterpiece of recycling. We can tell the students with a good degree of certainty that some of the water molecules currently in their bodies were once in clouds, glaciers, dinosaurs and spiders. Truly we are all part of everything in this living world. Another wonderful realization is that the water cycle is powered by two fundamental forces: the Sun to raise the water to the skies, and gravity to return it to Earth. Also, the great flow of waters from the Mississippi into the Gulf carries with it the taint of our civilization: eroded soils, fertilizers and chemical pollutants of every sort. The Water Cycle, Mother Nature, bails us out by evaporating that spoiled water, thereby distilling it, and returns it to us as pure, drinkable water. How lucky can we be? 
One can imagine 30 students cycling through nine stations, rolling (throwing) 9 large dice, threading beads and accidentally letting their beads slip from their cord. It is very kinetic! Volunteers are greatly appreciated. If you can help, you will witness a very fun an important lesson.
I teach the kids a song about water and us. I borrowed it from Yoko Ono and added my own verses.

We're all Water
(Ono / Leki)
We're 90% water
We're like the plants and algae,
We're mostly water
We're 90% water
Like the surface of our planet
Our Mother Earth.

(Chorus)
We're all water from different rivers
That's why it's so easy to meet
We're all water in this vast, vast ocean
Someday we'll evaporate together.

We're cousins to the glaciers
The raindrops are our aunties
Because we're water
We're like the streams and rivers,
The lakes and ponds and oceans
Because we're water

Chorus

Hope you can join us!
Mr. Leki

Comments are closed.
    Ecology Program & Calendar
    PictureMr. Pete Leki, Waters Ecology Program Founder and Director
    Visit the Waters Ecology Program Website for current/historical writings, films, photos, and interviews.

     Email: 
    petelekisan@gmail.com

    Links
    Water Ecology Program Website
    Riverbank Neighbors
    Friends of the Chicago River
    Forest Preserves of Cook County
    Openlands
    North Park Village Nature Center

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    June 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Picture

CPS’ Non-Discrimination Statement: cps.edu/nondiscrimination

Copyright © 2020