Materials Needed

• Large clear bowl
• Small clear bowl
• One cup hot water
• Oven mitts
• Salt
• Plastic wrap
• Ice

Steps

1. Pour the hot water into the large bowl. Use oven mitts to protect your hands.
2. Add a few shakes of salt to the water and stir gently.
3. Place the small bowl inside the large bowl. It should sit in the water. Do not let water spill into it.
4. Explain that the salt water is the ocean and the small bowl is land.
5. Have Scouts look at the steam. Talk about evaporation.
6. Cover the large bowl tightly with plastic wrap. This represents clouds.
7. Place ice on top of the plastic wrap over the small bowl.
8. Watch as droplets form on the plastic wrap. Talk about condensation.
9. After about 10 minutes, remove the plastic wrap.
10. Point out the water that dripped into the small bowl. Talk about precipitation.
11. Have Scouts draw the water cycle and label the three steps.

Notes And Safety Tips

• An adult should handle the hot water.
• Let Scouts observe, not touch, the hot bowl.
• Try food coloring in the water to make changes easier to see.
• You can repeat the activity if time allows.
• Keep paper towels nearby for small spills.

For more information, see https://scoutermom.com/122/water-cycle-demonstration/