Unit Plan 31 (Grade 6 Science): Earth Systems Interactions

Focus: Develop and use models to show how geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact through the rock cycle, water cycle, weather systems, and climate circulation, spiraling across MS-ESS2-1–6.

Grade Level: 6

Subject Area: Science (Earth Systems — Cycles & Interactions)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, students step back to see Earth as a system made of four major spheres: geosphere (rocks, soil), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things). They use diagrams, maps, and simple simulations to trace how matter cycles and energy flows among these spheres through the rock cycle, water cycle, weather and air masses, and global circulation. Students build an Earth Systems Interaction Model that brings together ideas from MS-ESS2-1–6, explaining how processes like erosion, evaporation, storms, and currents connect Earth systems.

Essential Questions

• How do the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact to form one connected Earth system?
• In what ways do Earth’s cycles (rock, water) and processes (weather, circulation, hazards) move matter and energy among different spheres?
• How can models, maps, and data help us describe and explain Earth system interactions at different scales and times?
• Why does understanding Earth systems interactions matter for predicting weather, climate, and natural hazards?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify and describe the four major Earth spheres and give examples of how they interact in everyday Earth processes.
2. Use and revise models of the rock cycle and water cycle to show how matter moves among geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, driven by energy (aligned with MS-ESS2-1, MS-ESS2-4).
3. Interpret data on weather patterns, air masses, and circulation to describe how unequal heating and Earth’s rotation influence interactions among atmosphere, hydrosphere, and surface (aligned with MS-ESS2-5–6).
4. Explain, with examples, how geoscience processes and natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanoes, storms) arise from interactions within and between Earth’s systems (aligned with MS-ESS2-2–3).
5. Create an Earth Systems Interactions Model + Explanation that connects at least three spheres through two or more processes (e.g., rock cycle + water cycle + weather) and references evidence from earlier units.

Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NGSS-based custom, spiral across MS-ESS2-1–6)

• MS-ESS2-1 — Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy driving this process (rock cycle, internal heat, surface processes).
• MS-ESS2-2 — Construct an explanation for how geoscience processes (weathering, erosion, tectonics) change Earth’s surface at different scales.
• MS-ESS2-3 — Analyze and interpret hazard distribution data (earthquakes, volcanoes, storms) to forecast future catastrophic events.
• MS-ESS2-4 — Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems, driven by energy and gravity.
• MS-ESS2-5 — Collect or use data to show how air masses interact to cause weather conditions.
• MS-ESS2-6 — Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and Earth’s rotation cause atmospheric and oceanic circulation that influences weather and climate.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere and show how they interact in a specific example.
• I can use a model of the rock cycle or water cycle to explain how matter and energy move between spheres.
• I can describe how air masses, weather patterns, and circulation link the atmosphere to oceans, land, and life.
• I can explain how geoscience processes and natural hazards come from interactions within Earth systems.
• I can create and explain an Earth Systems Interactions Model that a classmate could use to understand how at least three spheres are connected.