1. Earth Systems
Can you identify which system (or systems) is shown in each picture?
1 finger = Atmosphere
2 fingers = Biosphere
3 fingers = Cryosphere
4 fingers = Geosphere
5 fingers = Hydrosphere
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2. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Students should respond with biosphere, because the biosphere consists of all living things on Earth.
Image credit
Brocken Inaglory, Wikimedia Commons; (CC BY-SA 2.5)
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3. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Students should say cryosphere, because the cryosphere consists of all of the frozen water on Earth. They should NOT respond with hydrosphere, because the hydrosphere consists of water that isn’t frozen.
Image credit
US Geological Survey, Flickr; (public domain)
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4. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Students should say geosphere, because the geosphere consists of solid part of the Earth including rocks and minerals and landforms. Students may say atmosphere because the air is being heated. The atmosphere includes the gases that surround the Earth.
Image credit
G.E. Ulrich for the USGS; (public domain)
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5. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Students should say biosphere because the vegetation is alive. Students may argue that the plants are releasing oxygen and taking in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. There are also some rocks (geosphere) visible in the center-bottom.
Image credit
Alessandro Cai, Wikimedia Commons; (public domain)
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6. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Students should say atmosphere, but may argue that clouds are made of water vapor, which is part of the hydrosphere, which includes lakes, rivers, oceans, water in aquifers, and water in the atmosphere. Suggest it if students do not!
Image credit
Wikipedia Commons; (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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7. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
These are living organisms, therefore students should say biosphere. Students may recognize that the organisms (volvox) are in water, so hydrosphere would be acceptable.
Image credit
Frank Fox via Wikimedia Commons; (CC BY-SA 3.0 DE)
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8. Are you beginning to see that Earth’s systems interact or work together?
Look at the next set of pictures
Show with your fingers which system is depicted.
Use two hands if you wish.
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9. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Atmosphere, Geopshere, and Hydrosphere
Allow debate and discussion.
Image credit
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Flickr; (CC BY 2.0)
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10. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Biosphere, Cryosphere, Hydrosphere
Allow debate and discussion.
Image credit
Christopher Michel, Flickr; (CC BY 2.0)
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11. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere
Allow debate and discussion.
Image credit
R.W. Decker, for the USGS; (public domain)
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12. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Atmosphere, Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere
Allow for debate and discussion.
Image credit
Forest Wander, Flickr; (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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13. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Biosphere, Hydrosphere
Allow debate and discussion. Students may argue about the geosphere. Accept their reasoning, but coral is alive, not part of the geosphere.
Image credit
Karel Jakubec, Wikimedia Commons; (public domain)
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14. 1 finger = Atmosphere 2 fingers = Biosphere 3 fingers = Cryosphere 4 fingers = Geosphere 5 fingers = Hydrosphere
Atmosphere, geosphere
Image credit
Wikimedia Commons; (CC BY-SA 3.0)
© Copyright 2015 – All rights reserved.