--- title: 5-ESS2-1 Lesson Plans | Earth Sphere Interactions description: "5-ESS2-1: Earth Sphere Interactions Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact." image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png --- [![Teacher Login](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b) [Teacher Login](https://app.knowatom.com/signin) [![KnowAtom Logo](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/KnowAtom%20Logo.svg "KnowAtom Logo")](https://www.knowatom.com/) # 5-ESS2-1: Earth Sphere Interactions Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. [![Download a Sample Unit](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/20eee377-e175-48fe-a039-ae723137a2a6) Science & Engineering Practices - [Asking questions and defining problems](https://www.knowatom.com/asking-questions-and-defining-problems) - [Developing and using models](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-and-using-models) - [Planning and carrying out investigations](https://www.knowatom.com/planning-and-carrying-out-investigations) - [Analyzing and interpreting data](https://www.knowatom.com/analyzing-and-interpreting-data) - [Using mathematics and computational thinking](https://www.knowatom.com/using-mathematics-and-computational-thinking) - [Constructing explanations and designing solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/constructing-explanations-and-designing-solutions) - [Engaging in argument from evidence](https://www.knowatom.com/engaging-in-argument-from-evidence) - [Obtaining evaluating and communicating information](https://www.knowatom.com/obtaining-evaluating-and-communicating-information) Disciplinary Core Ideas - [Weather and Climate](https://www.knowatom.com/weather-and-climate) - [Earth Materials and Systems](https://www.knowatom.com/earth-materials-and-systems) - [The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes](https://www.knowatom.com/the-roles-of-water-in-earth-surface-processes) Crosscutting Concepts - [Patterns](https://www.knowatom.com/patterns) - [Scale Proportion and Quantity](https://www.knowatom.com/scale-proportion-and-quantity) - [Systems and System Models](https://www.knowatom.com/systems-and-system-models) [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f) ## Browse 5-ESS2-1 Lesson Plans Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8 [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-07-2023-03-00-08-0564-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow) ## [Earth Materials and Water Flow In this unit, students focus on the science phenomena of Earth’s interacting systems, evaluating how the hydrosphere and geosphere are shaped by one another. In the first lesson of the unit, students conduct an experiment to determine how the particle size of an Earth material affects its permeability to water. This page highlights key excerpts from the components of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/earth-materials-and-water-flow) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-Oct-07-2023-03-08-23-2403-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/hydroelectric-dams-and-the-environment) ## [Hydroelectric Dams and the Environment In this unit, students focus on Earth’s interacting systems, evaluating how the hydrosphere and geosphere are shaped by one another. In this lesson, they analyze how people use dams to harness the energy in water, and how dams impact the environment. This page highlights each element of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/hydroelectric-dams-and-the-environment) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/4th-grade-science/hydroelectric-dams-and-the-environment) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-Oct-07-2023-11-51-41-5726-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation) ## [Heat and Evaporation In the last unit, students learned about matter as they explored Earth’s position in the solar system. In this unit, students discuss how the sun provides light and heat to Earth, powering the water cycle, which in turn influences weather and climate. Students analyze the science phenomena of weather patterns in specific regions during a particular season. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/heat-and-evaporation) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-07-2023-11-58-00-9482-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/flood-control-engineering) ## [Flood Control Engineering In this unit, students discover how the sun provides light and heat to Earth and how the water cycle influences weather and climate. Students analyze weather patterns in specific regions during a particular season. They then use that knowledge to study the effects of extreme weather on humans, evaluating solutions to protect against those effects. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/flood-control-engineering) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/flood-control-engineering) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image1-Oct-07-2023-12-00-33-1835-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/energy-from-the-sun) ## [Energy from the Sun In this unit, students are introduced to the interdependence of living things and their environment as they analyze how individual organisms are suited to their particular environment, but all organisms require energy and nutrients to survive.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/energy-from-the-sun) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/energy-from-the-sun) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-07-2023-12-08-22-2663-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/environmental-change) ## [Environmental Change In this lesson, students evaluate the science phenomena of how organisms are affected when the environment changes. Students carry out an experiment to analyze two possible solutions that could be used to help a population of harpy eagles recover from the impacts of deforestation over time. This is a high-level extract of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/environmental-change) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/environmental-change) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/earths-water.jpg) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) ## [Earth's Interacting Systems In this unit, students analyze the science phenomena of the important role that oceans play in regulating Earth’s climate. In this lesson, they focus on how oceans interact with other Earth systems to distribute water and heat around the planet, resulting in various weather patterns, including hurricanes. This page highlights key components of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-07-2023-11-55-14-8786-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate) ## [Weather and Climate In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of Earth’s weather system and analyze how heat from the sun warms Earth’s surface unevenly, powering the water cycle, which in turn drives weather and climate on the planet. Students create weather instruments to collect and analyze daily weather data. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/weather-and-climate) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-07-2023-12-13-28-9672-PM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/fossil-organisms-and-their-environment) ## [Fossil Organisms and their Environment In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of the interdependence of living things and their environment as they analyze how individual organisms are suited to their particular environment. In this lesson, students evaluate how Earth’s biomes have changed over geologic time, studying fossils for clues of the past. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/fossil-organisms-and-their-environment) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/3rd-grade-science/fossil-organisms-and-their-environment) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-08-2023-10-49-29-8108-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/Earths-surface-features) ## [Earth's Surface Features In this unit, students analyze the science phenomena of how elements make up minerals, which make up rocks. In this lesson, they explore geologic phenomena that cause Earth’s surface to change over time in predictable patterns. This page is an overview of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/Earths-surface-features) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/Earths-surface-features) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-Oct-08-2023-10-49-46-7511-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/weathering-rocks) ## [Weathering Rocks In this unit, students explore science phenomena including the processes that shape Earth’s surface. In this lesson, they figure out how weathering and erosion affect different categories of rocks. This page highlights key components of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/weathering-rocks) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/weathering-rocks) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image4-Oct-08-2023-11-09-12-9810-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water) ## [Earth's Water In this unit, students analyze the phenomena of Earth’s interacting systems, focusing on how the hydrosphere interacts with and is influenced by the other systems. In this lesson, students graph and model the distribution of fresh water and salt water on Earth and use a physical model to analyze how fresh water moves and becomes salty. This page showcases each section of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-water) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image3-Oct-08-2023-11-09-11-0136-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) ## [Earth's Interacting Systems In this unit, students analyze the science phenomena of the important role that oceans play in regulating Earth’s climate. In this lesson, they focus on how oceans interact with other Earth systems to distribute water and heat around the planet, resulting in various weather patterns, including hurricanes. This page highlights key components of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/earths-interacting-systems) [![](https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/image2-Oct-08-2023-11-09-11-5198-AM.png) ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/engineering-filtration-devices) ## [Engineering Filtration Devices In this unit, students figure out phenomena of Earth’s interacting systems, focusing on how the hydrosphere interacts with and is influenced by the other systems. In this lesson, students apply their scientific knowledge of Earth’s water system to engineer water filtration devices to figure out how to reduce the impacts of water pollution on the environment. This page provides an overview of key aspects of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/engineering-filtration-devices) [ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/5th-grade-science/engineering-filtration-devices) Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 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