Earth as a System

Overview: The overarching goal of Earth as a System is Essential: Seasons and the Seas (EaSiE) is to transform the traditional middle school study of terrestrial seasons and weather into an exploration of the dynamic interactions between Earth’s land, water, atmosphere, and the living world. Systems is an introductory lesson that emphasizes how various components in a system relate and respond to each other. Students discuss a series of questions to consider familiar manufactured objects as systems, and then examine the components and interactions in a natural system in their ‘backyard’.

This lesson sets the stage for the big idea: Earth can be conceived as an interacting set of processes and structures composed of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

Subsequent learning experiences that will refer back to this systems perspective include lessons about local weather and climate, the Gulf of Maine as part of our regional system, and seasonal and climate change.

Note: This lesson series is intended to serve as a relevant context for the teaching and learning of weather-related ideas in middle school. It is not designed to replace a comprehensive curriculum, but rather enrich and integrate authentic Earth systems science content into instructional units using NOAA resources.