Primary Type: Lesson Plan
Status: Published
This is a resource from CPALMS (www.cpalms.org) where all educators go for bright ideas!
Resource ID#: 130000
Interactions Among the Spheres!
The lesson uses several activities to teach students about Earth's spheres. Some of the activities are:
A Four Corners (5 spheres) game that gives students the opportunity to move in class.
Making vocabulary cards with illustrations.
Visual tools to help students comprehend the differences between Earth's spheres.
A PowerPoint to challenges students to make every day life connections to the each sphere.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 6
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter,
Internet Connection, LCD Projector
Instructional Time: 2 Hour(s)
Keywords: Hydrosphere, Cryosphere, Atmosphere, Geosphere, Biosphere
Resource Collection: FCR-STEMLearn Earth Systems
ATTACHMENTS
FourCornersActivitySigns.docx
SpheresVennDiagramandKey.pdf
EarthsAmazingSpheres.pptx
MakingConnectionsAssessmentandKey.doc
FourCornerActivityCards.docx
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: General Lesson Plan
Learning Objectives: What should students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
Students will be able to describe and give examples of the interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should know:
Parts of the water cycle
Precipitation includes rain, sleet, snow, and hail.
Clouds are made of water vapor.
States of water are solid, liquid, and gas
Standards
SC.3.P.9.1: Describe changes water undergoes when it changes state through heating and cooling using familiar scientific terms such as melting, freezing, boiling,
evaporation, and condensation.
page 1 of 4 SC.5.E.7.1: Create a model to explain the parts of the water cycle. Water can be a gas, a liquid, or a solid and can go back and forth from one state to another.
SC.5.E.7.4: Distinguish among the various forms of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and hail), making connections to the weather in a particular place and time.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. How does the Earth function as a system?
Possible answer: "Earth is a complex system made up of many smaller systems. Earth's system is made of nonliving things, such as rocks, air, and water. It also
contains living things, such as trees, animals, and people. Matter and energy continuously cycle through the smaller systems that make up the Earth system. The
Earth system can be divided into five main parts-the geosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the atmosphere and the biosphere."
2. What are some similarities and differences between Earth's spheres?
Possible answer: "hydrosphere and cryosphere: they are both made of water; one is a frozen solid the other liquid"
3. How do Earth's spheres interact?
Possible answer:" In the water cycle, the atmosphere and hydrosphere interact during condensation. Water vapor moves closer together the higher it rises into the
colder atmosphere. Clouds are formed as a result."
Teaching Phase: How will the teacher present the concept or skill to students?
A Bell Ringer will be used to assess Prior Knowledge
"What are the different states of water and what has to happen to change from a solid to a liquid?" Possible response: Solid, liquid and gas. In order to change
from a solid to a liquid, the solid, ice, will need to be heated to form liquid water.
"What are examples of solid water, liquid water and gaseous water?" Possible responses:
Solid: ice, snow, sleet
Liquid: rain, lakes, ocean, rivers
Gas: water vapor, clouds
Tell students, "Now, close your eyes and say the word 'apple.'" Ask the students, "What did you see when you said the word apple?" Wait for responses. Desired
response is that they visualize an apple. "According to research, when the word is pronounced, we see images, not the spelling of the words."
Spheres Prefixes: In this section students will create index cards using Sphere Prefixes. This activity can be done as warm-up for the remaining part of the lesson.
Display the following prefixes and their meanings either on a word wall or on the board. Instruct students to write the prefix and draw a picture that represents the
prefix on the front of an index card, then write the meaning on the back.
Bio – Life
Hydro – Water
Geo – Earth; land or ground
Cryo – Ice
Atmo – Air
Tell students, "When paired to the root 'sphere,' the new word refers to that part of the Earth. For example, the geosphere is the part of the Earth that that includes
the land or ground."
Earth's Amazing Spheres PowerPoint (see attachments)
Have students take out a sheet of paper as well as their spheres prefixes index cards to use as a reference.
Open and present the PowerPoint
Instruct students to write the answers to the questions listed on each slide on their sheet of paper.
Review the answers (in the notes section of each slide) before proceeding to the next slide.
Explain to the students:
The spheres interact with each other.
Remind them that the Earth's system is made up of non-living things such as rocks, mountains, and water, and also contains living things such as humans, animals,
and plants.
The different spheres work together to maintain a balance of the Earth's ecosystems.
Guided Practice: What activities or exercises will the students complete with teacher guidance?
4 Corners + 1 Activity
Print out the 4 + 1 Corner signs (see attachments).
Attach four of these signs to each of the room's four corners. Place the fifth one on a table in the center of the room.
Tell students, "We are going to do an activity so that I can see how well you understand the different spheres up to this point."
Show students where the different sphere signs are.
Tell students that each of them will receive a card from the four corner activity cards. Students are not to look at the card until the teacher instructs them to do so.
When the teacher tells the students to look at their cards, students will determine in which sphere their card belongs. At this time, teacher should instruct the
students to walk towards and stay under the sign where their sphere is.
Ask a student to repeat what will happen if someone runs.
Have the class to signal, by raising a hand or thumbs up, if they understand the consequences for running.
When all students have taken their corners, students should be instructed to show their card.
Notice which spheres the students go to and assess their understanding of the spheres.
Hydrosphere – rain, ocean, lake, puddle, pond, stream
Cryosphere – snow, ice, glacier, ice cube, hail, icicles
Atmosphere – wind, cloud, floating balloon, fog, hurricane, air
page 2 of 4 Geosphere – rock, mountain, volcano, magma, minerals, crystals
Biosphere – person, butterfly, tree, animals, flowers, grass, forest
At this point, teacher could clarify any misconceptions. For example, a student could be skeptical whether a bird is part of the biosphere or atmosphere because it
flies in the air. A bird is part of the biosphere, however, when it flies the biosphere interacts with the atmosphere. As another example, a student may say that a
fish is part of the hydrosphere and biosphere. This is correct.
Venn Diagram
Divide students into pairs. Suggestion: Pair ESOL students with someone who can interpret if needed. Pair ESE students with another student who is willing to
provide support to the student if needed.
Display the Venn diagram (see attachments) on the board using an LCD projector or a document camera.
Instruct students to draw the Venn diagram on a sheet of paper or in their notebooks.
Show students where the parts of the Venn Diagram overlap. These areas are where you place interactions between those two spheres. For example, where
hydrosphere and geosphere overlap, you could write, "Rainfall causes dirt to wash away."
Instruct students to complete the Venn diagram as a team.
Use the Venn diagram key on the second page to assess student understanding.
Independent Practice: What activities or exercises will students complete to reinforce the concepts and skills developed in the
lesson?
Making Connections Assessment:
Divide students in pairs. Suggestions for pairing students:
Do this by pairing ESOL students with a student who can communicate with this student if needed.
Pair a student who understands the spheres with one who is struggling.
Provide students will a copy of the Making Connections assessment (see attached).
Review the example that is given on the the document. Instruct students to complete the three other examples.
A key is provided to assist in grading (see third page of document), however, students' answers may vary.
During the activity, the teacher will walk the room and address any misconceptions students may have. For example, the teacher may say, "How does the
hydrosphere interact with the biosphere?" (Evaporation for cooling or transpiration in plants.) Then, the teacher will say, "Yes we remember from last year that the
water cycle involves evaporating water."
Closure: How will the teacher assist students in organizing the knowledge gained in the lesson?
Exit ticket: 5 minutes before the class ends, students will take out a sheet of paper and write as much as they can about what they have learned about Earth's spheres
in the time allotted. Students will hand these to the teacher as they exit the room.
Summative Assessment
Students pairs will receive and complete a copy of the Making Connections assessment chart. The chart includes 3 pictures/illustrations and the students use to
determine how each of the spheres (hydrophere, geosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, and biosphere) interactions are represented. A key follows starting on page 3
with possible answers.
Formative Assessment
A bell ringer will be used to assess prior knowledge; see Teaching Phase.
Additional formative assessment:
4 Corners + 1 Activity will assess student knowledge of examples of spheres. Signs with the five spheres written on them will be posted around the room. The
teacher will name a structure and the students will move and stand by the sphere that represents the structure.
Use the Venn diagram exercise to determine students' understanding of the spheres.
During the pair work, the teacher will walk around from pair to pair to check how the students are grouping the examples in each sphere. The teacher will ensure
that the examples are being put in the right sections.
Index card pictures will reflect understanding of the meaning of the prefixes.
Answers and responses from the class discussion over the illustrations in the PowerPoint. Answers are provided in the notes section and on the final slide.
Feedback to Students
1. While the students are working on the Venn diagram, the teacher will walk around the room providing positive comments and words of encouragement. (Ex: "I like
your connection between the hydrosphere and geosphere. The geosphere stores water in aquifers.")
2. As the teacher monitors the Four Corner + 1 game, she/he will direct or redirect students by informally assessing their response readiness as necessary.
Redirection may come by allowing them to refer to their prefix index cards.
3. During PowerPoint, the teacher will give specific feedback for correct answers. "Yes, the picture shows the an interaction where salmon, biosphere, migrate up the
river, hydrosphere, to spawn."
4. As students play the Four Corners + 1 game, the teacher will tell students that they are incorrect, then allow them to correct their choice.
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Accommodations:
Allow extra time for ELL or ESE students to complete activities.
Printed graphic organizers and charts are provided, as well as index cards. (5 spheres Venn diagram and Earth's Spheres: Making Connections chart)
The teacher will be paring the higher-level students with the lower level students.
Use illustrations and pictures to support learning.
Provide one-on-one assistance if needed.
Repeat directions as needed for better understanding.
Extensions:
Pose what if questions to the students and have students work together in groups to answer the questions.
page 3 of 4 How would Earth be affected if there was no hydrophere?
How would Earth be affected if there was no cryosphere?
How would Earth be affected if there was no biosphere?
How would Earth be affected if there was no geosphere?
How would Earth be affected if there was no atmosphere?
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Internet Connection, LCD Projector
Special Materials Needed:
Index cards - 5 index cards per student
Colored pencils
Science journals (if applicable)
Further Recommendations:
Make certain there are enough worksheets for each activity.
Have extra index cards available.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Contributed by: Veronika Niyazova
Name of Author/Source: Veronika Niyazova
District/Organization of Contributor(s): Broward
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.6.E.7.4:
Description
Differentiate and show interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere.
page 4 of 4