Ziplock Baggie Water Cycle Activity*

Use a Sharpie marker to draw the water cycle on the side of a sandwich-sized ziplock baggie. The sky should be at the top by the locking edge.

Put a half of a trowel full of soil from the school playground, complete with some grass or weeds, in the baggie so that the soil is on the bottom and the plants are reaching up towards the zip top. Don't let the grounds crew see you do this.

Add a little water to moisten the soil.

Close the ziplock most of the way and blow into the baggie to inflate it just before you seal it completely.

Place the baggie on a sunny window sill and watch what happens.

Discuss the water cycle and be sure to include discussion of the role of the soil and plants.

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*This activity is adapted from numerous ones like it that can be found on the internet.

The GetWET Observatory is a collaborative effort between the CSU Department of Geosciences (College of Natural Resources), the Center for Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education (College of Natural Sciences), and the Poudre School District. The GetWET Observatory is funded by the National Science Foundation's Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement initiative.