This engaging module includes a book, a play, two activities, and two coloring pages designed to introduce the concept of Earth as a series of systems that are all connected.
Students will create terrariums, produce a play, and make outdoor observations to learn about the interconnections between water, air, soil, all living things, and the sun.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Teachers can mix and match parts of the module to fit individual classroom needs.
All materials are available in Arabic, French, German, Norwegian, and Spanish.
Teacher support is comprehensive, with guides and tips for each section.
Additional Prerequisites
The storybook section can be utilized as an eBook, downloaded as a PDF, or printed as an on-demand paperback.
Bright drawings of our planet are included in the storybook, so teachers may wish to have a large globe for classroom use.
For the activity "Earth System In A Bottle," several additional materials are needed and are listed on the activity page.
Props and costumes are encouraged for the play.
The eBook link does not work. However, you can open the .pdf with the books app on an iPad or other Apple device.
Differentiation
There is a Teacher Implementation Guide for use with the storybook unit. The guide is downloadable and is available in English, Dutch, Spanish, and French.
The Earth System module is part of a set of Earth science modules found here.
Class discussions about the importance of each Earth system will be a logical first step in the learning process, while a written reflection of concepts learned can serve as a summative assessment.
The games mentioned at the end of the "We're All Connected: Earth Systems Interaction" activity can serve as stations. They are excellent independent work to occupy students waiting for their turn to plant in the "Earth System in a Bottle" activity.
Scientist Notes
This resource is from the CLEAN collection. “The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.”
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS2: Earth's Systems
5-ESS2-1 Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
K-ESS3-1 Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live.
ETS1: Engineering Design
3-5-ETS1-3 Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
5-LS1-1 Support an argument that plants get the materials they need for growth chiefly from air and water.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
2-LS2-1 Plan and conduct an investigation to determine if plants need sunlight and water to grow.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Literature (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
Writing (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.3.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
