Weather, climate and rain

Floods and droughts are water problems linked to climate. A flood happens when a lot of rain falls in a short time. The ground cannot soak up all the water, rivers overflow and low land near them fills with water. Flood water can move fast, so it is dangerous, and it can make drinking water dirty. A drought is the opposite: a very long time without enough rain. Rivers and lakes can dry up, plants die, farms grow less food, and clean drinking water is harder to find. Both are linked to the water cycle, because precipitation is the part that brings water to the land. Where is each most likely? A flood is most likely in a wetland or beside a river, because the land is low and next to water. A drought is most likely in a desert, because rain is rare. This is a claim, and we support a claim with evidence. For a class climate display, each group takes one habitat and prepares five parts: a short description of its climate, its place in the world, a sketch showing how water moves there, two living things that depend on it, and a map. One child leads each part, and the group uses a checklist to make sure nothing is missing.