water cycle worksheet answer key

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Water is essential for all life on this planet. Just fewer than three-quarters of the Earth is covered in water. We commonly think of water as being a liquid that we find in our rivers, streams, and oceans. Water is actually in many places at once. Right now those bodies of water are evaporating into a gas phase as a form of vapor. Plants are giving off lots of water as they undergo the process of photosynthesis and it is evaporating as well. That fluid is being cooled and slowly forming clouds. Once the clouds become heavily filled with water they give off liquid H 2 O in the form of rain, sleet, or snow. All living things require this compound in order to live. This persistent global progression changes the form that this compound takes on. It transfers between the gaseous and liquid phases through precipitation, condensation, transpiration, and evaporation. Freezing and melting allows the compound to transfer between the solid and liquid phases. Most of these processes occur within oceans and the shore that they come up upon. Extreme weather and wind can also help stir this up. This process also happens in fresh water sources such as lakes and rivers. In fact, evaporation is one of the most influential processes that controls the loss of fresh water on the planet. Only about one-third of our freshwater supply is found below the ground.

The worksheets include atmospheric currents and the movement of water through its various forms. We follow the H 2 O as the sun heats it and leaves the ground through the process of evaporation and at the same time plants are transpiring as a result of photosynthesis and giving off their own vapor. The H 2 O rises up and condenses into clouds. The clouds rise and get colder and then rain or snow (precipitation) forms and the water returns to the Earth.

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Print water cycle worksheets, click the buttons to print each worksheet and associated answer key., atmospheric currents.

Using the three terms and three descriptions in the table below, name and describe each of the atmospheric or air currents shown in the pictures.

The movement of water is the continuous circulation from the earth to the oceans, to the air, and back to the land. Indicate which part of the diagram depicts the three major methods by which H 2 O is transferred (condensation, evaporation, and precipitation) and then describe the entire process in your own words in the space provided.

Cycle Diagrams (Word Bank)

Label the steps of the complete cycle.

Diagraming the Cycle

Label the steps, in fact, label everything that you can use to explain more about the process.

Process Diagrams (Label)

You are asked to describe each part of the process in full detail.

Water Cycle Draw Me

Label each aspect of the movement of H 2 O.

Make a Picture

Create and illustration that put it all into perspective.

Water Venn Diagrams (Ocean vs. Fresh)

Compare those forms of water. What is the differences and similarities?

Venn Diagrams (Hard/Soft)

I know that one has minerals.

Mother Nature Venn Diagrams

Have you ever tried to compare a Tornado to a Hurricane?

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The water cycle

Where does all the water go.

The four steps in the water cycle are precipitation (rain, snow), collection of fluids into bodies of water, evaporation of water into the sky and condensation of water vapour into clouds. Then it rains again!

Definitions:

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The Water Cycle (Fill-in-the-blank, 8.5x11-inch PDF)

Zoomable Diagram

Want to explore the diagram up close?  Zoom in and out of the diagram in English and Spanish on our zoomable website.

Pools and Fluxes Data Viz

This interactive data visualization shows the size of global pools and fluxes of water, and includes examples of specific pools and fluxes for context.

Download Options

• Image as PNG (English)
• Image as PNG (Spanish)
• Poster, 26x38-inch PDF (English)
• Poster, 26x38-inch PDF (Spanish)
• Handout, 8.5x11-inch PDF (English)
• Handout, 8.5x11-inch PDF (Spanish)
• Fill-in-the-blank Worksheet, 8.5x11-inch PDF (Spanish)

Detailed Description

This 8.5x11-inch fill-in-the-blank worksheet, released in 2022, depicts the global water cycle. It shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish . For each language, the diagram is available as an image (PNG) , as a 26x38-inch poster (PDF) , as a 8.5x11-inch handout (PDF) , and as a 8.5x11-inch fill-in-the-blank worksheet (PDF).  A comprehensive text description of the diagram is also available.

Visit the  USGS Water Science School  for definitions and more information about the water cycle. 

The diagram was created by the  USGS VizLab , in collaboration with the USGS Water Resources Mission Area Web Communications Branch, for the USGS Water Science School. 

Diagram text:

The water cycle describes where water is found on Earth and how it moves. Water can be stored in the atmosphere, on Earth’s surface, or below the ground. It can be in a liquid, solid, or gaseous state. Water moves between the places it is stored at large scales and at very small scales. Water moves naturally and because of human interaction, both of which affect where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is.   

Liquid water can be fresh, saline (salty), or a mix (brackish). Ninety-six percent of all water is saline and stored in oceans. Places like the ocean, where water is stored, are called pools. On land, saline water is stored in saline lakes, whereas fresh water is stored in liquid form in freshwater lakes, artificial reservoirs, rivers, wetlands, and in soil as soil moisture. Deeper underground, liquid water is stored as groundwater in aquifers, within the cracks and pores of rock. The solid, frozen form of water is stored in ice sheets, glaciers, and snowpack at high elevations or near the Earth’s poles. Frozen water is also found in the soil as permafrost. Water vapor, the gaseous form of water, is stored as atmospheric moisture over the ocean and land.   

As it moves, water can transform into a liquid, a solid, or a gas. The different ways in which water moves between pools are known as fluxes. Circulation mixes water in the oceans and transports water vapor in the atmosphere. Water moves between the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface through evaporation, evapotranspiration, and precipitation. Water moves across the land surface through snowmelt, runoff, and streamflow. Through infiltration and groundwater recharge, water moves into the ground. When underground, groundwater flows within aquifers and can return to the surface through springs or from natural groundwater discharge into rivers and oceans.  

Humans alter the water cycle. We redirect rivers, build dams to store water, and drain water from wetlands for development. We use water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater aquifers. We use that water (1) to supply our homes and communities; (2) for agricultural irrigation and grazing livestock; and (3) in industrial activities like thermoelectric power generation, mining, and aquaculture. The amount of available water depends on how much water is in each pool (water quantity). Water availability also depends on when and how fast water moves (water timing), how much water is used (water use), and how clean the water is (water quality).   

Human activities affect water quality. In agricultural and urban areas, irrigation and precipitation wash fertilizers and pesticides into rivers and groundwater. Power plants and factories return heated and contaminated water to rivers. Runoff carries chemicals, sediment, and sewage into rivers and lakes. Downstream from these types of sources, contaminated water can cause harmful algal blooms, spread diseases, and harm habitats. Climate change is also affecting the water cycle. It affects water quality, quantity, timing, and use. Climate change is also causing ocean acidification, sea level rise, and extreme weather. Understanding these impacts can allow progress toward sustainable water use.  

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Water Cycle Worksheets

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If the child is inquisitive about water, our free, printable water cycle worksheets have all the information they need. Explore a prime aspect of Earth's systems starting with the water cycle and its stages, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. While the process and its stages might sound like a lot at the beginning, thanks to our wide-ranging activities, children will soon take to the water cycle like a duck to water. Kids will find themselves labeling, matching, doing cut-and-glue activities, and more as they answer our water cycle worksheets pdf with answers.

We recommend our worksheets on water cycle for kids in grade 3 through grade 8.

Water Cycle Diagram

Water accounts for over two-thirds of our planet’s surface, so it's only fair that we know how many stages it goes through before we finally collect it. It won't take long for this diagram to be grade 3 and grade 4 kids' favorite.

Matching the Water Cycle Stages and Names

Children in 4th grade and 5th grade will match the picture that shows raindrops falling from clouds to "precipitation" in a jiffy, as they match each stage of the water cycle to its name in this pdf.

Labeling the Stages in the Water Cycle

The continuous circulation of water in the Earth's atmosphere from one state to another is called the water cycle or hydrological cycle. Let 3rd grade and 4th grade children recall the stages and label the diagram.

Sequencing Water Cycle Stages

A process is a series of actions that occur one after another to achieve a result. Instruct grade 5 and grade 6 kids to cut the pictures and descriptions and glue them in this printable water cycle worksheet.

Identifying Stages in the Water Cycle

Evaporation and condensation are some of the processes that make up the water cycle. Get 5th grade and 6th grade learners to read each description and write which stage in the water cycle it's referring to.

Water Cycle | Reading Comprehension

Designed for grade 7 and grade 8 children to understand the inner workings of the water cycle, this exercise tasks them with reading a passage and answering a set of questions.

Numbering Stages in the Water Cycle

In this water cycle stages worksheet pdf, kids must take a good look at the diagram and connect each stage with its name, before shading the numbers based on the correct sequence.

Filling in Blanks in Water Cycle Statements

The processes that drive the hydrologic cycle are the focus of this printable worksheet on the water cycle, where children complete statements choosing appropriate terms from the box.

Completing a Passage on the Water Cycle

A treat for the promising scientists in 7th grade and 8th grade, this water cycle worksheet pdf encourages them to complete a passage, leaning on their excellent grasp of the concept.

Writing Names of Water Cycle Stages

Observe the diagram carefully and recollect the stages of the water cycle in this printable exercise. Pay attention to the numbered arrows and name the processes accordingly.

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Water Cycle

About this worksheet:.

Week 25 Reading Comprehension (E-25). A reading passage about water’s three different forms or states: solid, liquid, gas. Cross-Curricular Focus: Earth Science. This worksheet is in line with Common Core Standards for 5th – 7th grade Key Ideas and Details, but may also be used for other grades. The passage’s Lexile Level is 970.

The water cycle

This worksheet originally published in Learn Science! for grades 5-6 by © Dorling Kindersley Limited .

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The water cycle is the movement of water throughout the earth due to the processes of evaportation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff. The worksheets below help reinforce this vocabulary.

Worksheet 1: Water Cycle Diagram (Without Explanation)

A diagram that demonstrates the processes of the water cycle such as precipitation and condensation.

Worksheet 2: Water Cycle Diagram (With Explanation)

A diagram that demonstrates the processes of the water cycle such as precipitation and evaportation.

Worksheet 3: Water Cycle Crossword

A crossword with clues covering the basic concepts of the water cycle.

Worksheet 4: Water Cycle Word Search

A word search that covers the key concepts of the water cycle.

Worksheet 5: Water Cycle Cloze Activity

An intermediate cloze activity to review vocabulary and concepts of the water cycle.

Related Unit: Bodies of Water

A collection of worksheets on the theme of bodies of water such as oceans and lakes.

Related Unit: Rivers

A collection of worksheets on the theme of rivers.

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Water Cycle Worksheets

Have you ever wondered how rain is formed or where the rainwater disappears? Find answers to your queries with these pdf water cycle worksheets for grade 3 through grade 6. Included here are ample water-cycle-process-diagram charts with clearly marked stages and water cycle printable worksheets to identify and label the steps involved in the water cycle. Learn the hydrologic cycle vocabulary, match the terms with their definitions and much more. Make headway with our free water cycle worksheets and charts!

Water Cycle Chart | Four Step Process

This visually appealing water-cycle-process-diagram chart depicts the four vital steps. 3rd grade and 4th grade kids learn terms like evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection with vivid illustrations.

Water Cycle Vocabulary Chart

Assist kids in identifying a few more steps like runoff, percolation, infiltration and transpiration. Explain the terms and processes involved in each stage with this printable water-cycle-chart for grade 4 and grade 5.

Water Cycle Definition Chart

This chart comprises the water-cycle-diagram and the definition of the basic terms in the water cycle vocabulary such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff to mention a few.

Label the water cycle diagram

Once 5th grade kids are familiar with the processes and terms related to the water cycle, let them label the key processes in the water-cycle-diagram using the vocabulary given in the word bank.

Label the steps in the water cycle

The stages in the water cycle are marked and kids are expected to decipher the processes and write the correct terms in the spaces to complete this label-the-steps-in-the-water-cycle printable worksheet.

Match terms, definitions and processes

The key processes of the water cycle are indicated with alphabets and children are expected to decipher the process and match it with the correct term and definition in this water-cycle-matching pdf worksheet.

Water Cycle | Cut and paste activity

Test the knowledge of kids with this fun water-cycle-cut-and-paste-activity worksheet. Snip the given images and glue them in the captioned boxes to complete the worksheet.

Water Cycle | Terms and Definitions

This reconstruction activity has images presented in a tabulated format. The 5th grade and 6th grade children are expected to identify the process, write the correct term and definition in the given columns.

Water Cycle | Fill in the blanks

Reinforce the terms and definitions and test comprehension with this water cycle fill in the blanks pdf worksheet. Children in grade 5 and grade 6 are expected to read the sentences and plug in the missing words or phrases.

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Water cycle

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Water Cycle Logic Puzzle

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Challenge Activity/Review with Answer Key - Students use visual clues and a word bank to complete logic puzzles following energy and water through the water cycle.

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