Stars are like the sun, some being smaller and some larger, but so far away that they look like points of light. Like all planets and stars, the earth is approximately spherical in shape. To people on earth, this turning of the planet makes it seem as though the sun, moon, planets, and stars are orbiting the earth once a day. Clouds and fog are made of tiny droplets of water. Air is a substance that surrounds us, takes up space, and whose movement we feel as wind.
Students investigate the phenomena of evaporation and condensation.
They explore the factors that influence the rate at which liquid water forms vapor, particularly the temperature and surface area of the water exposed to the air. Students set up closed chambers containing water, put them in a window or under a lamp, and observe condensation. Through these experiences, students are introduced to ideas that will help them understand the water cycle. Rock is composed of different combinations of minerals. Smaller rocks come from the breakage and weathering of bedrock and larger rocks.