The Water Cycle — Answer Key
Part A: Trace the Words
Trace each water cycle word by following the dotted lines.
1. snow
2. steam
3. river
4. pond
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word on the line.
1. Water vapor cools down and turns back into tiny water drops. This is called condensation.
Condensation is the process where water vapor cools and turns back into tiny water drops that form clouds.
2. Rain and snow are two kinds of precipitation.
Rain and snow are both types of precipitation, which is water falling from clouds to Earth.
3. After it rains, water flows into rivers and lakes.
After rain falls, water flows downhill into rivers and lakes during the collection stage of the water cycle.
4. When you boil water, you can see steam rising from the pot.
Steam is water vapor that you can see rising from boiling water, showing evaporation in action.
5. Water collects in oceans, lakes, and ponds before the cycle starts again.
Water collects in oceans, lakes, and ponds during the collection stage before the water cycle begins again.
Part C: True or False
Read each sentence. Circle True or False.
1. Snow is a type of precipitation.
True False
True — Snow is a type of precipitation that falls when the air is cold enough to freeze water drops.
2. Water disappears forever when it evaporates.
True False
False — Water does not disappear when it evaporates. It becomes vapor and returns as precipitation.
3. Rivers carry water back to the ocean.
True False
True — Rivers carry water downhill and back to the ocean, completing the collection stage of the water cycle.