Lesson Summary There are two parts to this lesson. In the first part, students observe cups pf ice water and room temperature water and observe the process of condensation. This part includes an optional investigation to determine where the water on the outside of the cup came from. The second part has students discuss where they have seen condensation before and then they set up condensation chambers that will be observed the next day. Teacher Background When warm, humid air cools, some of the water vapor may turn into liquid. This process is what the students will discover in this investigation: condensation. After completing all 4 parts of the Water Vapor Investigation, students will be able to compare the evaporation and condensation in their experiments to what happens all over the earth in the water cycle.  The processes of evaporation and condensation continue endlessly in the water cycle! Set-up/Management Tips This part will take two sessions of 30 – 40 minutes. Prepare a pitcher of blue ice water and a pitcher of green room-temperature water. If you plan to do the optional inquiry in the first part, be sure to look over the suggested materials to have available in the teacher’s guide: page 22. If your condensation chambers do not have a lot of condensation on the inside or you do not have a sunny window, you can use the microwave to “jump start” the chambers. Put them in for 15-25 seconds. Use Water cycle poster in Kit to give students a visual to make connections with (USDA also has a color water cycle poster available: call 1-888-land-care) Literacy Support Books Available Through VAST Mediagraphies (see Literacy Links) These two books help further illustrate the water cycle for students. Ask students to identify which part of the cycle is happening in each part of the book. The Snowflake : a water cycle story (174662) P 2003 Call#: 551.48 WAL- a beautifully illustrated book about the journey of a snowflake through the water cycle during each month of the year. Water in Oceans (174661) I 2003 24p. Call#: 551.46 NAD- explains the water cycle with photographs and text. Science Stories “The Water Cycle” Scientific Vocabulary The following words are key vocabulary words that will be introduced in this lesson and reinforced throughout the unit: condensation water cycle precipitation