Sunview students in Mrs. Zelinka’s second grade classroom recently explored the water cycle through an exciting hands-on learning activity using everyday household materials. Mrs. Zelinka prepared the experiment by filling a large bowl with some hot water and sprinkling salt over it to simulate the ocean. A smaller cup representing a land mass was placed inside the large bowl while cling wrap representing clouds was placed over the top. Ice cubes were then placed on top of the cling wrap to create a cool atmosphere above the clouds. After a few minutes, students gathered around to watch the “precipitation” form around the top of the bowl and fall into the smaller cup (land mass) as hot water in the large bowl evaporated before cooling and condensing after contacting the cooler “atmosphere” of the cling wrap. Students had a blast watching the water cycle of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection occur in the classroom!