Exploring Our Fluid Earth

I started the Activity by reviewing some basic information about water atoms and molecules with my 5/6th graders. We divided the class of 12 into teams of Hydrogen (8) and Oxygen (4) atoms by wearing blue and red arm bands. Then we went outside to the playground and I had the Hydrogen (blue) line up on one side of the court and the Oxygen (red) line up on the other side of the court. I placed 4 hula-hoops on the ground around the play area inbetween the teams and let them use sidewalk chalk to write "molecule". When I blew the whistle, each team would run towards a hula-hoop, then find 2 student Hydrogen "atoms" and 1 student Oxygen "atom" to fit inside of each one-- and lock elbows. There were less hula-hoops than student teams, so it was sort of like musical chairs. Next 3 hula-hoops, then two, etc. Once they had each created a water molecule of 3 students inside the hula-hoop, we would start again by lining up on each side and blowing the whistle. This was done until the last hula-hoop and the "winning" molecule team was left! It's fun to have the Science class outside running around and playing while learning about H20 molecules! The next day we did the labs and talked more about cohesion, adhesion and capillary action. They loved it. Does anyone else have any ideas for our younger students?