Curated OER
Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
Students examine the relationship between temperature and brightness. In this astronomy lesson students will correlate the evolution of stars to the HR diagram plotted.
California State University
Csu: The Sourcebook for Teaching Science: Earth Systems Interactions
Explains what the four spheres of the Earth are and describes how volcanic eruptions affect the different spheres. Also provides a list of events that are examples of interactions.
Globe
The Globe Program: Earth System Module
Activities help students experiment with what plants need in terms of water, sunlight, and soil, explain how the Earth's processes and components are interconnected, and demonstrate their knowledge of how water, air, soil, and living...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Sea Ice Extension for the Earth as a System Learning Activity
The purpose of this lesson is for young scholars to learn how the Earth's systems interact on a global level. They will examine global environmental data and compare this to data on the polar regions. In the process, they will develop an...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Exploring Earth Systems Science: The Interactive Globe Earth System Poster
In this introduction to Earth Systems Science, students use images depicting global environmental data to explore connections and patterns in the climate system.
National Association of Geoscience Teachers
Nagt: Earth System Science Project
An Earth System Project shows the interaction between the Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, and Biosphere. This project provides a model of a pond ecosystem and can easily be woven into the hydrosphere unit.
University of California
Ucmp: Creating an Earth System: Interactions in the Earth System
A brief description of the four spheres of the Earth, with an activity where students brainstorm interactions among them.
eSchool Today
E School Today: Earth System
Learn about the systems that make up Earth, and find out how they interact.
Center for Educational Technologies
Exploring the Environment: Earth System Science
Explains what the four spheres of the Earth are, and the interactions between them.
Other
Digital Library for Earth System Education: Teaching Box: Essentials of Weather
A suite of lessons focusing on the basic elements of climate and weather. Inquiry-based exploration of extreme weather events and the factors of weather including clouds, wind, air pressure, temperature, and the water cycle.
PBS
Pbs: Earth Science Exploration
An earth science collection where students can explore earthquakes, volcanoes, and more natural phenomena. The collection uses videos and interactive activities to investigate our dynamic planet and earth systems.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker
This interactive activity adapted from A Science Odyssey Web site helps you visualize different types of plate tectonic activity and shows the impact this activity has on Earth's surface.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Discover Our Earth
Study earthquakes, volcanoes, topography, plate tectonics, and sea level change using graphs, maps, and movies. Engage in earth science knowledge discovery, critically evaluate the data and results, and reach conclusions about the earth...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Ap Environmental Science: Science, Matter, Energy, Systems
Through interactive activities, reading exercises, and lab activities, students study how science, matter, energy, and systems are interrelated.
Soft Schools
Soft Schools: Space: Solar System Interactives
Identify the planets in our solar system and discover how much you weigh on another planet with these space interactives.
NOAA
Noaa: Earth System Research Laboratory: Psd: Interactive Climate Map of u.s.
Investigate climate trends across the United States by clicking on individual states and then specific cities. Data is presented from 1961-1990.
Texas Education Agency
Texas Gateway: The Sun Is the Center of the Solar System
See what you know about the solar system by taking this brief interactive quiz and learning module.
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: Our Solar System
Our solar system is filled with a wide assortment of celestial bodies - the Sun itself, our eight planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids - and on Earth, life itself! The inner solar system is occasionally visited by comets that loop in...
American Geosciences Institute
American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Surficial Features
Using a surficial features map, students see the connections between those features and other Earth systems. They will consider the interactions of the geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Projections and Coordinates: Turning a 3 D Earth Into Flatlands
Projections and coordinates are key advancements in the geographic sciences that allow us to better understand the nature of the Earth and how to describe location. These innovations in describing the Earth are the basis for everything...
Other
Big History Project: Chapter 2: Our Solar System and Earth
Interactive resource on the solar system and earth. Engaging site for students and teachers provides a fascinating look at the planetary system. Includes videos, photos, text, quiz.
NASA
Nasa: Solar System Exploration
Enter our solar system to interact with the planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, and more. Investigate with NASA scientists and explore missions related to space exploration. Read facts, compare statistics, look through resources, and...
Other
Space Science Institute: Alien Earths: Star and Planet Formation
Learn about the lives of stars, and how stars and planets form. The Interactive activity, 'Planet Families' requires Adobe Flash and cannot be launched.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Gallery: How Do Earth and Life Interact?
Explore the biosphere, zoom in on some unique ecosystems, and learn how activity in the Solar System and plate tectonics can affect the climate and life on the planet.