1. Unit 2: The Planet Earth Image shows different spheres interacting. Mount Tasman, South Island, New Zealand.

2. OBJECTIVES Present the basics of Earth’s shape and size Define and highlight the five spheres of the Earth System Explore the Earth’s hemispheres Highlight the general characteristics of Earth’s landmasses Introduce the world’s ocean basins and the topographic characteristics of the seafloor

3. The Earth’s Geometry and Size Due to rotation, the Earth is more elliptical than spherical.

4. The exaggerated Earth showing mountainous terrain

5. The smooth Earth more realistically drawn

6. The Earth’s Interacting Spheres Earth’s sphere’s video: http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/conte nt/visualizations/es0102/es0102page01.cfm http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/conte nt/visualizations/es0102/es0102page01.cfm Source: http://caaltd.org/images/rainforest/biosphere1.jpghttp://caaltd.org/images/rainforest/biosphere1.jpg

7. Distribution of land and sea

8. The Land Hemisphere This half of the globe contains most of the Earth’s landmasses which surround Africa.

9. World ocean floor reveals features below the ocean’s waters

10. Features of the continental margins Source: http://content.answcdn.com/main/content/img/McGrawHill/Encyclop edia/images/CE159100FG0010.gif http://content.answcdn.com/main/content/img/McGrawHill/Encyclop edia/images/CE159100FG0010.gif