Earth Labs - Earth Systems Science

Earth Labs - Earth Systems Science
Publication Date: February, 2014
Type of Resource: Unit of Work

This online resource gives comprehensive coverage of Earth's global systems.

The resource is a fully self-contained series of lessons concerning global systems including: the biosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, and the carbon cycle.

Four units illustrate a sequence for learning science concepts through data analysis activities, satellite imagery and computer visualisations, as well as hands-on experiments that illustrate processes of our Earth system.

The resource has the flexibility for students to select and focus on the elaborations that most interest them. The website also includes a glossary to help scaffold understanding and students should be encouraged to make use of this.

This is an education resource developed for US schools, however, there is high relevance to the Australian Curriculum course with this content.

Australian Curriculum v9 Codes: AC9S10U04 (Year 10)

Additional Information

This unit of work could be used as a flipped classroom activity where students complete their lessons of choice and then come to class to present their learnings in a ‘jig-saw’ style activity.

Allow 2 hours to complete each lesson and further time to prepare any presentation materials.

Also links to cross curriculum priority—Sustainability.

Related resources:

Interactives and animations of the cycles: http://www.learningscience.org/esc3bgeochemicalcycles.htm

Research paper: Interactions of the carbon cycle, human activity, and the climate system: a research portfolio

Australian Curriculum:
  • Year 10 > Science Understanding > Earth and Space Sciences > Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the... > ACSSU189