5 - ESS2.A (B) - Earth's Systems Interactions - FINAL (WND 1/13/14)

DCI: ESS2.A (B) Earth Materials and Systems – Earth’s systems interact in multiple ways to affect Earth’s surface materials and processes. The ocean shapes landforms, and influences climate. Winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with the landforms to determine patterns of weather.

 PE: 5-ESS2-1 Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.

[Clarification Statement: Examples could include the influence of the ocean on ecosystems, landform shape, and climate; the influence of the atmosphere on landforms and ecosystems through weather and climate; and the influence of mountain ranges on winds and clouds in the atmosphere. The geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere are each a system.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to the interactions of two systems at a time.]

The ideas we see here are: 

-the interactions of the Earth's systems affect Earth's surface materials
-the interactions of the Earth's systems affect Earth's processes

- oceans shape landforms

-oceans influence climate

-winds and clouds in the atmosphere interact with landforms to determine patterns of weather

We have previously written a batch of questions related to the first part of this standard, which names and describes the different spheres (geosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere). The previous batch included the idea of interactions, so this batch will be very very similar but will focus predominantly on interactions that affect the surface materials and/or weather. 

Possible Question Starters: 

"Which of the following is an accurate label for one of the arrows in the diagram provided here of Earth system interactions?"

correct answer - y = winds change the position of sand dunes in the dessert 

incorrect answer - z = animals release gases when they breathe 

"Which of the following provides an example of  an interaction between the hydrosphere and the geosphere?"

correct answer - a delta is formed at the mouth of a river as sediment is carried downstream

incorrect answer - burrowing animals, like prairie dogs, dig tunnels in the ground