EARTH AND LIFE SCIENCE – Week 1

Name of Learner: ___________________ Grade:_______________

Level: ________________ Date: ________________
Section: _________________

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Lesson: Universe and the Solar System

Content Standard: The learners demonstrate an understanding of the formation of the universe and
the solar system.

Most Essential Learning Competency: The learners shall be able to recognize the uniqueness of
Earth, being the only planet in the solar system with properties necessary to support life. (S11/12ES-
Ia-e-3)

Specific Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:

1. Recognize the difference in the physical and chemical properties between the Earth and its
neighboring planes; and
2. Identify the factors that allow a planet to support life.

Background information for Learners

Understanding the Origin and Evolution of the Solar System

1. The Earth, the planet we live on, is part of the Solar System.
2. If we want to know how the Earth formed, we need to understand the origin and evolution of the
Solar System.

Exercises/Activities:

Activity 1: Compare and Contrast. What are the similarities and differences among these three
terrestrial planets?

1. Given the photographs of terrestrial planets Venus, Earth, and Mars make a Venn diagram that
will show the similarities and differences among the planets.
2. List down important aspects that make a planet habitable.
3. Write your work in a separate sheet of paper.

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Activity 2: Terraforming Mars

Write a 200 word report/essay on the following topic: ‘Can man alter Mars environment to
make it more suitable for human habitation? How?

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Lesson: Earth Subsystems

Content Standard:
The learners shall be able to understand the subsystems (geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and
biosphere) that make up the Earth.

Most Essential Learning Competencies:

The learners shall be able to explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems, across whose
boundaries matter and energy flow (S11/12ES-Ia-e-4) and show the contributions of
personalities/people on the understanding of Earth Systems (S11/12ES-Ia-e-6).

Specific Learning Outcomes:

At the end of this lesson, the learners will be able to:
1. Define the concept of a system;
2. Recognize the Earth as a system composed of subsystems; and3. Discuss the historical
development of the concept of Earth System.

Background information for Learners:

ATMOSPHERE
A. The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes the lithosphere.
B. The present atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen (N), 21% oxygen (O2), 0.9% argon, and
trace amount of other gases.
C. One of the most important processes by which the heat on the Earth's surface is redistributed is
through atmospheric circulation.
D. There is also a constant exchange of heat and moisture between the atmosphere and the
hydrosphere through the hydrologic cycle.

LITHOSPHERE
A. The lithosphere includes the rocks of the crust and mantle, the metallic liquid outer core, and the
solid metallic inner core.
B. Briefly discuss the Plate Tectonics as an important process shaping the surface of the Earth. The
primary driving mechanism is the Earth's internal heat, such as that in mantle convection

BIOSPHERE
A. The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.
B. It covers all ecosystems—from the soil to the rainforest, from mangroves to coral reefs, and from
the plankton-rich ocean surface to the deep sea.
C. For the majority of life on Earth, the base of the food chain comprises photosynthetic organisms.
During photosynthesis, CO2is sequestered from the atmosphere, while oxygen is released as a
byproduct. The biosphere is a CO2sink, and therefore, an important part of the carbon cycle.
D. Sunlight is not necessary for life.

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HYDROSPHERE
A. About 70% of the Earth is covered with liquid water (hydrosphere) and much of it is in the form of
ocean water.
B. Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh: two-thirds are in the form of ice, and the remaining one-third is
present in streams, lakes, and groundwater.
C. The oceans are important sinks for CO2through direct exchange with the atmosphere and
indirectly through the weathering of rocks.
D. Heat is absorbed and redistributed on the surface of the Earth through ocean circulation.

The origin of the systems approach to the study of the Earth

A. One of the first scientist to push for a more integrated or holistic approach in the understanding
of the universe (and by extension the Earth) was Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von
Humboldt. He considered the universe as one interacting entity.
B. The term "biosphere" was popularized by Vladimir Vernadsky (1863-1945), a Russian - Ukranian
scientist who hypothesized that life is a geological force that shapes the Earth.
C. In the 1970s, the Gaia Hypothesis was jointly developed by James Lovelock, an English
scientist/naturalist, and Lynn Margulis, an American microbiologist. According to the Gaia
Hypothesis. the biosphere is a self-regulating system that is capable of controlling its physical and
chemical environment.
D. In 1983, NASA advisory council established the Earth Systems Science Committee. The committee,
chaired by Moustafa Chahine, published a groundbreaking report Earth System Science: A Program
for Global Change in 1988. For the first time, scientist was able to demonstrate how the many
systems interact.

Activity 3: Hydrologic Cycle

Instruction: Label the different processes and phases of water involved in the Hydrologic cycle.

Use the following

terms to complete the
cycle:

i. condensation
ii. precipitation
iii. evaporation
iv. transpiration
v. infiltration
vi. surface run-off

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 The Earth’s 4 Systems

Activity 4: The Earth’s 4 Systems

Using the illustration diagram (Figure 3), identify how energy and mass is exchanged among the
subsystems. Maybe use different types of line .boxes to differentiate between matter /materials and
energy? Write your output on an Oslo Paper (Use art materials)

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Lesson: Minerals and Rocks

Content Standard:
The learners demonstrate an understanding of the three main categories of rocks.

Most Essential Learning Competency:

The learners shall be able to make a plan that the community may use to conserve and
protect its resources for future generations. The learners shall be able to identify common rock-
forming minerals using their physical and chemical properties (S11/12ES-Ia-9).

Specific Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to
1. Demonstrate understanding about physical and chemical properties of minerals
2. Identify some common rock-forming minerals
3. Classify minerals based on chemical affinity

Background information for Learners:

Common Knowledge Daw!!!

Instruction: Read the information below carefully. Make sure that the answers are correct by making
further readings about it.
Questions Answers
Do you consider water a mineral? No. It is not solid and crystalline.
How about snowflake or tube ice? Are these Tube ice is not a mineral, because it is not
minerals? naturally occurring. But a snowflake possesses all
the properties under the definition of a mineral.

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Activity 5: How to identify minerals.

Above is the Mineral Decision Tree, this is a visual guide in explaining the methods used by
geologists to identify minerals.
Source: https://gln.dcccd.edu/Geology_Demo/content/LAB03/LAB_Man_03.pdf, pp.24-30

1. Select at least 5 rocks/minerals and try to identify (you can get pictures from the internet).
2. Use the Mineral Decision Tree to narrow down the mineral choices into groups A to F.

Activity 6:

Homework, to be submitted next meeting: List five minerals and their common uses. Identify the
specific property/properties that makes the mineral suitable for those uses. For example, graphite,
having a black streak and hardness of 1-2, is used in pencils due to its ability to leave marks on paper
and other objects.

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