Port Jefferson School District
Water and Climate
Dive into a lesson on the hydrosphere with this Powerpoint presentation. Building on prior knowledge of the water cycle, young scientists learn what happens to water after it falls as precipitation and explore the different factors...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Non-Point Source Pollution
Investigate the different types of pollution that storm drain runoff carries into oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams with this class demonstration. Using an aquarium and an assortment of everyday items that contaminants like motor oil,...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Water Purification by Evaporation and Condensation
This easy-to-perform demonstration shows students how the water cycle, specifically the processes of condensation and evaporation, purifies Earth's water supply. Just mix up some water, dirt, and gravel in a glass bowl, place a cup in...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Protecting Your Drinking Water
Having a clean, reliable source of drinking water is essential for any community, but in many cases this is easier said than done. Engage young environmentalists in exploring the five factors affecting vulnerability of a groundwater...
Curated OER
Water in Earth's Hydrosphere
Environmentalists test stream water for temperature, pH, and turbidity. Each group shares their information and then the class makes an overall evaluation of the water quality. A slide show sets the backdrop for the teaching portion and...
Curated OER
Connect the Spheres: Earth Systems Interactions
Is everything really connected? Take your class on a walk outside, where they will make observations and write them down on a worksheet. Once they are back in the classroom, learners will work to determine if and how things like birds,...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Lithosphere, Hydrosphere & Atmosphere
Three of Earth's spheres are introduced to your earth scientists: lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. Each are described with text, while a combination of photographs and computer images are displayed. One of the best ways to use...
Curated OER
Gallery Walk Questions on Earth's Radiation Balance
Questions that can be used in a instructional activity on Earth's radiation balance are suggested in this resource. It is not a lesson plan, per se, but it is a list of questions for stations within a "Gallery Walk" instructional...
Curated OER
Water Around Us
Students create a collage of human land use activities around a body of water. Students evaluate the effects of different kinds of land use on wetland habitats, and create a list of pros and cons for each land use.
Curated OER
Investigating the Earth
In this Earth worksheet, middle schoolers investigate the interactions between the four major parts of the earth-the atmosphere, the geosphere, the biosphere and the hydrosphere. Students discuss their findings as a class.
Curated OER
The Change of a River
Students explore changes in the Missouri River. In this Missouri River activity, students discover that changes in the atmosphere cause changes in the river. Students search the Internet for information about the Missouri River and its...
Curated OER
The Impact of Human or Natural Events on the Spheres
In this hydrosphere and atmosphere instructional activity, students work in groups to present an assigned topic's effects on the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. They identify the topic as human activity or natural activity and it's impact.
Curated OER
Changes in the Atmosphere or Hydrosphere
In this atmosphere and hydrosphere worksheet, students work on assigned topic which are either categorized as human activity or natural activity which impact the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. Students work in groups and answer...
Curated OER
The Change of a River
Students describe the changes that have affected the Missouri River over the past 200 years by identifying transformations in this area's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. They research online in groups assigned to...
Curated OER
Water Cycle
Young scholars observe an example of evaporation and study the water cycle. In this research lesson students simulate a cloud formation and create a model of the water cycle.
Curated OER
The World's Spheres Vocabulary
In this world's spheres worksheet, students are given nine spheres and they match the given definitions of the sphere with the term.
Curated OER
Ecosystem Terms
In this science worksheet, students identify twenty-four terms in a word search about ecosystems. answers are available in various formats.
Curated OER
Annotated, Detailed Example of Socratic Questioning
Learners identify and define the main components of the hydrosphere and the ways in which they interact with one another. They explore how changes in Earth's surface materials affect components of the hydrosphere and evaluate the effect...
Curated OER
Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders define atmosphere and hydrosphere, explore through experimentation how the atmosphere was formed, and describe the layers of the Earth's atmosphere and their distances.
Curated OER
Weathering and Erosion: Some Ways the Hydrosphere Affects the Geosphere
Young scholars explain the causes of erosion, describe the effects of erosion, and devise a method of preventing erosion. They model the before-and-after-effects of erosion.
Curated OER
Earth System Science: Hydrosphere
Students identify the major Earth systems, and describe at least ten major uses of water on planet earth. They research major sources of earth's water, and describe general aspects of the hydrosphere.
Curated OER
Environment: Understanding Change
Learners predict changes that will occur in the environemt after trees are cut down around a house. They focus on changes in the hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. By examining the rings in a tree's trunk, they...
Curated OER
Mission Planning: Earth/Mars Comparisons
Students compare and contrast conditions on Mars to those on our own planet, specifically, their local or regional environments. The physical characteristics, the atmosphere, and other astronomical data is considered.
Curated OER
Alaska's Physical Systems and History
Students read about Alaska's physical systems and determine how Alaska's physical makeup has impacted its history. They create timelines of their particular physical system.