Help students explore how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact. Students begin with a mystery bio-dome discussion, then use a hands-on sphere relay to model how events such as storms, wildfires, and mudslides cause changes across Earth’s systems. Recording sheets, an exit ticket, and a Beaver Detective task give students opportunities to explain those connections using evidence.
The packet then moves into Earth’s water distribution. A 1-liter demonstration helps students visualize the amounts of saltwater and freshwater on Earth, followed by a student lab sheet and a unit assessment. Teacher resources include scenario scripts, answer keys, a rubric, differentiation strategies, extension activities, and cross-curricular ideas. Aligned with NGSS 5-ESS2-1 and 5-ESS2-2.
At a glance
NGSS Grade 5 alignment: 5-ESS2-1 and 5-ESS2-2
Files: 10 PDFs, 22 pages total (4-, 9-, 2-page, and seven 1-page files)
