Evaporation and Condensation

Active learning works for evaporation and condensation because young students learn best when they see physical changes over time. These experiments let them observe water’s invisible transformations firsthand, which builds lasting understanding better than abstract explanations alone.

• third-class
• Exploring Our World: Landscapes and Livelihoods
• 4 activities
• 20 min–40 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain how heat energy causes water to change from a liquid to a gas (water vapor).
2. Identify the conditions under which water vapor changes back into liquid water.
3. Compare the rate of evaporation from a wet surface in direct sunlight versus in shade.
4. Predict where water droplets will form on the outside of a cold container.

Stations Rotation

⏱ 40 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Evaporation Conditions

Prepare stations with water dishes in sun, shade, wind, and still air. Students measure starting water levels, check every 10 minutes for 30 minutes, and record changes on charts. Groups discuss which condition speeds evaporation most and why.

Prepare & details

Explain how water disappears from a puddle on a sunny day.

Facilitation Tip: During Station Rotation: Evaporation Conditions, place a timer in each station so students connect time and temperature directly to water loss.

Setup: Tables/desks arranged in 4-6 distinct stations around room

Materials: Station instruction cards, Different materials per station, Rotation timer

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Experiential Learning

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Pairs Demo: Cold Glass Condensation

Pairs hold ice-cold glasses over steaming hot water from kettles. They predict and mark where droplets form first, time the process, and test with warmer or drier air. Record observations and compare predictions to results.

Prepare & details

Analyze the conditions necessary for condensation to occur.

Facilitation Tip: For Pairs Demo: Cold Glass Condensation, have students predict where droplets will form first on the glass to focus their observations.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 35 min·Whole Class

Whole Class: Cloth Drying Challenge

Distribute wet cloths to students. Place some in sun, others inside or fanned. Class times drying periods together, votes on fastest method midway, and graphs results on shared chart paper.

Prepare & details

Predict where water droplets will form on a cold glass.

Facilitation Tip: During the Cloth Drying Challenge, ask students to compare drying times on different days to reinforce air movement’s role.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Experiential Learning

⏱ 20 min·Individual

Individual Log: Mirror Fog Hunt

Students breathe on mirrors to create fog, wipe clear, and log reformation time under desk lamp versus room air. Repeat three times, noting patterns, then share logs in plenary.

Prepare & details

Explain how water disappears from a puddle on a sunny day.

Facilitation Tip: For Mirror Fog Hunt, remind students to breathe gently on their mirrors to see fog form quickly, linking breath warmth to condensation.

Setup: Varies; may include outdoor space, lab, or community setting

Materials: Experience setup materials, Reflection journal with prompts, Observation worksheet, Connection-to-content framework

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Teach this topic by pairing demonstrations with hands-on tasks so students connect cause and effect. Avoid overemphasizing sunlight as the only cause of evaporation; instead, show how warmth from any source works. Research suggests third-class students grasp these concepts best when they manipulate materials themselves, so keep teacher talk brief and activity-focused.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students accurately describing how heat and air movement affect evaporation. They should also explain why water vapor reappears as droplets on cool surfaces, using terms like ‘water vapor’ and ‘condensation’ confidently.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During Pairs Demo: Cold Glass Condensation, watch for students assuming droplets form only if the glass is freezing. Correct this by using a room-temperature glass to show condensation forms even without ice.

What to Teach Instead

During Station Rotation: Evaporation Conditions, correct the idea that evaporation only happens in sunlight by placing one container in shade and comparing results. Ask students to note air temperature’s role in each station’s outcome.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

After Station Rotation: Evaporation Conditions, show two containers with water in sunlight and shade. Ask students to predict the water level changes after two hours and explain their reasoning in a drawing.

Exit Ticket

After Pairs Demo: Cold Glass Condensation, have students draw their sealed plastic bag with water, predict what they’ll see later, and explain their prediction using condensation vocabulary.

Discussion Prompt

During Cloth Drying Challenge, present the scenario about puddles in open fields versus under trees. Facilitate a discussion where students use evaporation and condensation terms to justify which puddle disappears first.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to design a ‘condensation collector’ using a jar, ice, and a paper towel to trap droplets.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: provide pre-labeled diagrams of wet cloths with arrows showing evaporation stages to help them sequence the process.
• Deeper exploration: after the Cloth Drying Challenge, have students graph drying times against temperature or airflow to analyze patterns.

Key Vocabulary

Evaporation	The process where a liquid, like water, turns into a gas or vapor. This happens when the liquid absorbs heat energy.
Condensation	The process where a gas or vapor, like water vapor, turns back into a liquid. This happens when the vapor cools down.
Water Vapor	Water in its gaseous state. It is invisible and mixes with the air.
Temperature	A measure of how hot or cold something is. Changes in temperature are key to evaporation and condensation.