The Water Cycle

EDUC 539 - Expressive Arts Thematic Unit

Taylor Whitney
Introduction
● Grade Level - Kindergarten
● Cross-curricular Thematic Unit integrating:
○ Science
○ ELA
○ Expressive Arts (Dance, Theatre, Visual Art and
Creative Writing)
● This thematic unit will explore the stages of the water
cycle, distinguish between types of precipitation, and
explain how the water cycle affects daily life.
Kindergarten Standards
Science
● 3.3 K.A.4 - Identify sources of water for human consumption and use.
● 3.3 K.A.5 - Identify seasonal changes in the environment. Distinguish between types of precipitation.
● 4.2 K.A - Identify components of a water cycle.
Reading
● 1.1 K.E - Read emergent reader text with purpose and understanding.
● 1.2 K.I - Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding.
● 1.3 K.C - With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
Writing
● 1.4 K.A - Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts.
● 1.4 K.B - Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to focus on one specific topic.
● 1.4 K.C - With prompting and support, generate ideas and details to convey information that relates to the chosen topic.
● 1.4 K.V - Participate in individual or shared research projects on a topic of interest.
Speaking & Listening
● 1. 5 K.A - Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small or larger groups.
● 1.5 K.E - Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Music & Movement
● 9.1.M K.A - Know and use basic elements and principles of music and movement.
● 9.1.M K.B - Respond to different types of music and dance through participation and discussion
Dramatic Play
● 9.1.D K.E - Use imagination and creativity to express self through dramatic play.
● 9.1.D K.B - Recreate a dramatic play experience for an audience.
Essential Questions
● What is the water cycle?
● Why is the water cycle important?
● How does the water cycle affect my life?
● What are the stages of the water cycle?

Instruction Objectives:

● Students will be able to write and describe the stages of the

water cycle.
● Students will be able to define each stage of the water cycle.
● Distinguish between types of precipitation.
● Sequence pictures depicting the stages of the water cycle.
● Identify sun as the source responsible for the water cycle.
 Introductory 1. Working in small groups,
teacher and class will

Activity conduct Rain Cloud in a Jar

experiment.
2. Once the experiment is
Water Cycle in a Jar Science complete, students will fill
Experiment out the Rain Cloud in a Jar
worksheet.
3. Teacher will introduce the
concept of the water cycle
and (hopefully) with the
experiment pique students’
interest and motivation.
Expressive Arts Activity #1- Dance/Music
1. As a whole class, the teacher will read The
Great Big Water Cycle Adventure book.

2. The students will learn the Water Cycle Song

and Dance via GoNoodle! In addition, the Water
Cycle Song & Dance will be integrated into each
lesson daily!

3. Following the Water Cycle dance, the class will

define each stage of the water cycle using the
Smartboard to correctly match each stage with
the corresponding action.

Water Cycle Song/Dance (to the right) -

https://app.gonoodle.com/activities/water-cycle?s=Se
arch&t=rain
Expressive Arts Activity #2- Creative Writing
1. Working in partners students will define and
describe the stages of the water cycle. Together
they will complete the writing template and draw
corresponding pictures to fit each stage.

2. As students finish, they will begin to compose their

very own water cycle poem. There will be examples
posted around the room for students to access.

3. Once students complete their poems, they will

present them to the class to share their knowledge
and perspective of the water cycle!
● Students may present in pairs to help calm any anxiety and
reduce any concerns.
Expressive Arts 1. Students will paint their own
unique version of the water

Activity #3 - cycle.
2. Once the paint has dried,

Visual Art students will glue and place the

arrows and definitions on their
painting.
3. The students’ artwork will be
placed in their portfolio to be
showcased!
Expressive Arts Activity #4- Theatre
1. The teacher will assign Reader’s Theatre
character parts.

2. The students will rehearse with the teacher as a

whole class. (This activity will be continuous
over three days.)

3. Students will “dress” for the part; they will be

encouraged to bring in or make costumes that
match their character.

4. After rehearsing for several days, students will

perform for faculty members, family members
(that are able to attend), and their peers.
Instructional Strategies
● Each activity features a variety of materials for students to explore and investigation through their
learning of the water cycle.
● Additionally, students will be placed in different collaborative groups - whole class instruction,
partners, small groups, or individuals to provide new learning experiences and discovery.
● Classroom expectations require students to work collaboratively, follow instructions, and maintain
respect for any instructional materials.
● Each activity can be easily implement to assist students with learning disabilities or those that struggle
to understand important concepts.
○ Intro Activity - for students needing additional support, materials will be pre-set and students will be instructed to watch an
instructional video with detailed directions beforehand.
○ In Activity #1, if students are unable to dance or move freely, they are still welcome and encouraged to sing the song aloud!
○ Activity #2 can be modified by elementing concepts of the template. A modified template may be given to students still working on
letter-sound correspondence or those receiving occupational therapy for writing.
○ Activity #3 can be modified to include supportive partners to those struggling with the fine motor movement required to paint a specific
area.
○ Activity #4 will be differentiated for those that struggle to read. Adaptations of the script can be made to boost the confidence of any
struggle student!
 Intro Activity - Science Experiment
● Food coloring

Materials ●
●
●
Water
A Clear Jar
Shaving Cream
● Plastic Pipettes
Activity #1 - Dance/Music
● The Great Big Water Cycle Adventure book
● Smartboard with Water Cycle Worksheet
● GoNoodle Water Cycle Dance Video
Activity # 2 - Creative Writing
● How-To Writing Template & Pencil
● Blank Poem Template
● Crayons
Activity #3 - Visual Art
● Visual Art Water Cycle Template
● Labels and Arrows
● Glue
● Paint & Paint Brushes
Activity #4
● Reader’s Theater Script
● Costumes
● Costume Materials
Assessment
Formative Assessment - Students will be monitored throughout each activity to
ensure understanding of content and measure their ability to follow instructions.

Formative Assessment - Students will be graded and scored on individual tasks

within the activity. For instance, the How-To Writing Template will be measured
against a rubric. Students may also be scored using checklists.

Summative Assessment - Students will be assessed through their personalized

portfolio at the end of the unit that showcases many of the activities completed
during the thematic unit.
Assessment Samples
Teacher Reflection
● It was both informative and exciting to creating my own Expressive Arts
Thematic Unit. I must admit, I was a little daunted by the size of the
assignment, but it was easy to integrate my ideas and thoughts was I started
investigated my topic and activities!
● I was surprised at how easy it was to integrate different subjects and content
material across the board. My goal is to integrate the arts throughout various
assignments and concepts in my own classroom.
● I do believe that students would have a better constructed understanding of the
water cycle concepts through their exploration of different activities. I enjoyed
this assignment very much - thanks for the opportunity to share instructional
ideas!