1. OUR EARTH SYSTEMS

2. Working as one – interacting systems
All of the Earth’s spheres are connected and work together to create the world we live in.
No sphere can be separated and what happens in one sphere affects the other Earth spheres.
ACTIVITY 1: Draw and label the diagram below

3. Atmosphere - AIR
The Earth is surrounded by a layer of gases which is called the atmosphere. The most important of the gases is oxygen because it sustains life.
NASA Earth Observatory,

4. Hydrosphere - WATER
The hydrosphere is all of the water on or near the surface of the Earth. It may be in oceans, lakes, rivers, ice caps or in aquifers under the surface of the Earth.
Courtesy of: Nina Holland. Used with Permission.

5. Lithosphere - LAND
The lithosphere is the land and soils of the Earth’s crust and parts of the upper mantle.

6. Biosphere – LIVING THINGS
The biosphere is the zone on Earth where all life exists, including plants and animals.

7. Cryosphere - ICE
The cryosphere is ice at or below the Earth’s surface. This includes permafrost, glaciers, pack ice and ice caps.

8. Anthroposphere – HUMAN BEINGS
The anthroposphere is anything brought about by humans that modifies the environment for activities or habitation.

9. Summary activity
ACTIVITY: Using the WORDS below, complete the CLOZE summary about earth systems.
WORDS: hydrosphere, interconnected, cryosphere, open, anthroposphere, impacts, lithosphere, interact, biosphere, atmosphere
Earth systems are _____ and _______ with each other. They are _________________, so when one sphere changes it _______ the others. For example, when the _________ is lost through deforestation it impacts both the ___________ through erosion and the ___________ through a lack of carbon taken and oxygen given. This then allows the climate to warm and impact the __________ that directly impacts the ____________ by raising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns. All of these changes are caused by the ___________________.

10. Summary activity- Answers
ACTIVITY: Using the WORDS below, write and complete the CLOZE summary about earth systems
WORDS: hydrosphere, interconnected, cryosphere, open, anthroposphere, impacts, lithosphere, interact, biosphere, atmosphere
Earth systems are OPEN and INTERACT with each other. They are INTERCONNECTED, so when one sphere changes it IMPACTS the others. For example, when the BIOSPHERE is lost through deforestation it impacts both the LITHOSPHERE through erosion and the ATMOSPHERE through a lack of carbon taken and oxygen given. This then allows the climate to warm and impact the CRYOSPHERE that directly impacts the HYDROSPHERE by raising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns. All of these changes are caused by the ANTHROPOSPHERE.

11. Environmental Spheres and Ecosystems

16. Using the model of an ecosystem diagram, complete the table to suggest possible ways the components of an ecosystem impact upon each other.

17. A biome is a major terrestrial vegetation community.
An ecosystem is the interactions of living things to their environment.
On a small scale we may look at the ecosystem of a pond, or a beach
A biome is a major terrestrial vegetation community.
For example, a tropical rainforest, a temperate grassland or a desert.
Similar biomes, but with different species of plants and animals, are found around the world in similar climatic zones.