Grade 5 Science: Earth Systems and the Water Cycle
Free Grade 5 Science unit on Earth Systems and the Water Cycle: 10 lessons in order. Includes practice questions and answer keys.
10 lessons in this unit
Earth’s major systems
Learn that Earth is made of four interacting systems, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere, and show with examples how a change in one system affects the others.
Lesson 2Atmosphere
Learn the composition and layers of the atmosphere, how it protects life, how air pressure and wind form, and how weather happens in the lowest layer.
Lesson 3Hydrosphere
Learn that the hydrosphere includes oceans, rivers, lakes, groundwater, ice and water vapour, compare fresh and salt water, and see how people depend on each source.
Lesson 4Geosphere
Learn the layers of the geosphere, crust, mantle, outer core and inner core, how plates move to cause earthquakes and volcanoes, and how rocks and soil form and change.
Lesson 5Biosphere
Learn that the biosphere is all living things and their environments, how life exists in many biomes, how living things depend on the other Earth systems, and how nutrients cycle between them.
Lesson 6Water cycle
Learn the full water cycle of evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff and infiltration, draw it as a labelled loop, and explain how the Sun drives it.
Lesson 7Evaporation and condensation
Learn the particle explanation of evaporation and condensation, the effect of temperature and humidity on both, and investigate dew point with a chilled can safely.
Lesson 8Precipitation
Learn the forms of precipitation, rain, drizzle, hail, sleet and snow, how clouds form them, how rainfall is measured with a rain gauge, and why rainfall patterns matter for people.
Lesson 9Water distribution
Learn how fresh water is unevenly shared across the world, why some places have scarcity, how water is stored and delivered, and how communities manage supply fairly.
Lesson 10Human effects on Earth systems
Learn how human activities such as burning fuels, farming, mining, building and waste affect Earth’s four systems, and design actions to reduce harm, including reduce, reuse, recycle and restoration.