Faucet Facts: 

The True Story of Where Water Comes From

 

water flowing from kitchen faucet

By Judith Schoonover and Sally Norton-Darr

Poem by Helen Moore

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girl at sink

When I was young, I used to think

 that water came from the kitchen sink. 

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But now I'm older, and I know,

that water comes from rain and snow. 

It stays there waiting in the sky,

in clouds above our world so high.

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brook in woods

And when it falls, it flows along,

and splashes out a watery song,

as each raindrop is joined by more

and rushes to the ocean shore,

or to a lake, a brook, a stream,

from which it rises, just like steam.

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Water going down the drain
Water running down the drain

But while it's down here what do you think?

Some does go to the kitchen sink!

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cat at faucet

All living things need water. 

Water is always on the move.

This movement is called

the "Water Cycle".

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USGS Water Cycle Placemat
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sun over water

Heat starts the water cycle.   

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waves of water and water vapor
The sun heats up water and makes water vapor.  This is called evaporation.
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condensation clouds
Next comes condensation when the water cools off and forms clouds.
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raining at bus stop
Precipitation happens when the clouds get heavy and water falls back to the earth.
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ocean and snow
Accumulation happens when the water that falls from the sky in the form of percipitation collects in rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans.  Living things need and use the water that has accumulated through the water cycle.  Some of that water may end up in your kitchen sink!
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Learn more about The Water Cycle by visiting: 

Thirstin's Water Cycle

US Environmental Protection Agency

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html 

Water Science for Schools

U.S. Geological Survey

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html 

The Earth’s Water CycleWindows to the Universe

http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/Water/water_cycle.html&edu=elem 

Water Cycle Animated DiagramEarthguide Diagrams

http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/index.html

Discovery Education

http://www.discoveryeducation.com/

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References:

Photo Credits-Book:

Page 1, 2, 5, 12 author created

Page 3:   Rain Cloud:  DeSandies, ManYee. tsankawi68.jpg. 08/01/2003. Pics4Learning. 30 Apr 2009 http://pics.tech4learning.com

Page 4:  Brook:  Image from Microsoft Clip Art

Page 6:  Cat at faucet: by Cobalt123 (Creative Commons License: Non-Commercial Use) http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/143494929/ 

Page 7:  A downloadable place mat from United States Geological Survey http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycleplacemat.html  

Page 8:  Sun over water:  Rota, Angelo. sunset12345.jpg. Spring 2005. Pics4Learning. 30 Apr 2009 http://pics.tech4learning.com

Page 9:  Evaporation:  Corel, Photography. "Evaporation." Windows to the Universe. 15December1997. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. . 10 Feb 2009 tour/link=/earth/Water/evaporation.html&edu=elem>.

Page 10:  Rain clouds:  Image from Microsoft Clip Art

Page 11:  Rain at bus stop:  Image from Microsoft Clip Art

Page 13:  Water-cycle_ANIMATED.gif http: //www.tampagov.net/dept_Water/information_resources/Kids/Hydrologic_cycle.asp

Photo Credits-Glossary:

Accumulation: author created

Brook:  Stream through pasture. Paul Fuqua. 2003.
Discovery Education. 10 February 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

Clouds:  Clouds, cumulus (1). Paul Fuqua. 2005.
Discovery Education. 10 February 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/ 

Condensation:  Condensation: by Muffet (Creative Commons License: Non-Commercial Use) http://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/542497582

Evaporation:  Evaporation and condensation of water from earth's surface. Paul Fuqua. 2004.
Discovery Education. 5 February 2009

Precipitation:  Rain Cloud. Discovery Education. 2009.
Discovery Education. 6 February 2009
Photo credit  Winter storm over mountain. Discovery Communications, Inc.. 2009.
Discovery Education. 6 February 2009
http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

Steam and sun:  author created

Water Cycle: "Earth's Water Cycle." Windows to the Universe. 6January2009. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. . 10 Feb 2009 .       

Sound Effects:

Author created and

Find Sounds

http://www.findsounds.com/

 

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