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About the Earth as a System: Background Information
Provided by: My NASA Data |Published on: February 14, 2023
Articles/Websites
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Synopsis
This article introduces students to Earth's five major systems (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and biosphere) and how the systems are interconnected.
The 3-D satellite imagery of the systems helps students visualize the complex interactions in different parts of the world.
The video shows some systems at the same time, like soil moisture and precipitation, to help with student understanding.
The article is concise and uses simple, accessible language.
Additional Prerequisites
The video takes place over three months and starts with each system individually and then pairs them, showing each system multiple times in various locations.
You may need to pause the video periodically to discuss the content with students.
Differentiation
To better engage students with the video, have them write down what they noticed about their region of the world and one other region. Were there any similarities or differences?
Have older students research how climate change is affecting each of the Earth's systems.
To ensure younger students catch the subtle changes in the video, watch the video as a class on a large screen.
Watch this video to learn how humans influence the Earth's systems.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
About the Partner Provider
My NASA Data
NASA offers petabytes of global Earth science data collected from satellites, but accessing these data in a traditional (or virtual) science classroom can be tricky. Since 2004, My NASA Data has supported students and teachers of grades 3-12 in analyzing and interpreting NASA mission data.
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