---
title: Lessons for Earth Materials and Systems | K-8 Grade
description: Earth Materials and Systems Disciplinary Core Ideas
image: https://www.knowatom.com/hubfs/Right%20Image.png
---
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/f56bee57-133e-4975-8055-799f1f23588b)
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# Earth Materials and Systems
Disciplinary Core Ideas
[](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)
- [Analyzing and interpreting data](https://www.knowatom.com/analyzing-and-interpreting-data)
- [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
-
- [Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems](https://www.knowatom.com/defining-and-delimiting-engineering-problems)
- [Developing Possible Solutions](https://www.knowatom.com/developing-possible-solutions)
- [Optimizing the Design Solution](https://www.knowatom.com/optimizing-the-design-solution)
Crosscutting Concepts
- [Stability and Change](https://www.knowatom.com/stability-and-change)
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/347944/b5a1446e-d782-4a5f-a019-0b3b98c8304f)
## Lessons for Earth Materials and Systems
Grade Ranges All K-2 3-5 6-8
[
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/controlling-erosion)
## [Controlling Erosion In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of different processes that change Earth’s surface over time. Once students have investigated how wind and water change the shape of the land, they use their scientific knowledge to engineer a solution that prevents rainwater from washing away a sandy hillside. This page showcases key components of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/controlling-erosion)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/2nd-grade-science/controlling-erosion)
[
](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/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/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/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/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)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle)
## [The Rock Cycle In this unit, students use what they know about the relationship between energy and matter to investigate phenomena of how energy powers the cycling of Earth materials. They begin with this lesson on modeling the Earth processes that form different kinds of rock. This page provides an overview of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/the-rock-cycle)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/mass-and-heat-transfer)
## [Mass and Heat Transfer In this unit, students explore phenomena of natural processes that cause Earth’s surface to change over time, analyzing how energy causes Earth’s matter to transform and cycle from one form to another. In this lesson, students investigate how Earth materials are continually being reshaped and reformed by multiple processes that are powered by energy from Earth’s hot interior and the sun. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson. ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/mass-and-heat-transfer)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/mass-and-heat-transfer)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/glacier-motion)
## [Glacier Motion In this unit, students analyze the phenomena that have shaped Earth’s surface, analyzing how gravitational energy moves glaciers, which have sculpted the land over time. This page showcases elements of the first lesson which focuses on glacier motion.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/glacier-motion)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/glacier-motion)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/climate-analysis)
## [Climate Analysis In this unit, students focus on the phenomena of Earth’s ice as they model how glaciers shape Earth’s surface. In this lesson, they investigate how scientists use ice cores to reconstruct Earth’s past climates and environments. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/climate-analysis)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/climate-analysis)
[.png)
](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/groundwater-flow)
## [Groundwater Flow In this unit, students explore the science phenomena of Earth systems as they interact. Students do this by discovering the importance of water for life on Earth. In this lesson, students figure out groundwater flow by exploring the porosity and permeability of different Earth materials. This page is a high-level extract of this lesson.](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/groundwater-flow)
[ VIEW LESSON ](https://www.knowatom.com/science-phenomena-videos/7th-grade-science/groundwater-flow)
[
](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/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/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/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)
Standards citation: NGSS Lead States. 2013. *Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By State*s. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.
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