Plants need more than good soil to make them grow. They will wither and die unless they have plenty of rain to keep the earth soft and moist. There are many places in the world where no trees, nor grass, nor plants of any kind can grow. This is because there is no water to wet the earth.

We all know that clouds bring the rain; but how do the clouds get the water? Whenever there is water on the earth, as in the rivers, the air is continually drawing up the moisture in tiny invisible drops. This moisture rises in the air and forms clouds. When the clouds get very heavy, down comes the water which we call rain. In cold weather, it changes into snow.

Where there is no moisture there can be no rain, for the air cannot draw up moisture to form clouds. Where there are many rivers there has been much rain, and the soil is kept fertile. Plants will grow in it. Do you see how our food, our clothing and our shelter are dependent upon rainfall? Do you see how we are kept alive by rivers?

Notebook Work: Label the top of your notebook page with "LESSON 3." Sketch the water cycle as shown in the lesson picture. Include clouds, rain falling down, bodies of water such as oceans, lakes, or rivers, and water vapor rising back up from the oceans, lakes, and/or rivers to make more clouds. Draw green things growing over the land from all of the rain. Label your drawing, "THE WATER CYCLE."