Fifth graders learn that Earth is one big system made of four interacting parts — the geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things) — that constantly affect one another.
Students will be able to…
Rain falls on rock, plants grow in soil, and air carries clouds — Earth’s land, water, air, and life are all connected. How do scientists organize our whole planet into interacting systems?
Project this and match each of Earth’s spheres to what it includes — tap a sphere, then tap its description.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Rain on rock, plants in soil, clouds in air — how is Earth all connected?
Students investigate.
Students explain.
Students elaborate.
Students conclude.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (Grade 5 / Elementary Science).
Develop a model to describe how Earth’s major systems interact.
Describe and graph the amounts of salt water and fresh water.
Describe ways communities protect Earth’s resources.
Developing and using models.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students trace a real event — like a volcanic eruption or a rainstorm — through all four spheres and explain how each is affected. A printable Earth-systems sheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.