Four Systems, One Storm
A 60-minute Grade 5 lesson on modelling how the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere interact, using one storm.
Four Systems, One Storm is a free 60-minute Grade 5 science lesson plan for Common Core standard 5-ESS2-1 — model one way that land, life, water and air affect each other. It is timed across 5 sections, gives the exact wording to use where the wording carries the mathematics, names 3 misconceptions with the teaching move that addresses each, and ends with an exit ticket and a printable worksheet with its answer key.
- Grade:
- Grade 5
- Length:
- 60 minutes
- Standard:
- 5-ESS2-1
Grade 5 · Earth and Space Science
5-ESS2-1
Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
Objective
Students will be able to model interactions between Earth's four systems using one real event.
Students are successful when they can
- Names all four systems.
- Describes an interaction between two of them.
- Uses one event to show several interactions.
What you need
- The local storm account, four labelled cards for the systems
- String to connect the cards into a diagram
- The printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan
The lesson
Warm-up
5 min- Read the storm account and ask how many different things were affected.
- List them before naming any system.
Teach — name them, then connect them
15 min- Name the four: atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere.
- Place the storm's rain under atmosphere and the river rise under hydrosphere. Connect them.
- Place the 40 tonnes of soil under geosphere and connect it to the river.
- Place the willow roots under biosphere and connect them to the bank that held.
- Ask which pair the willow shows: living things affecting the land.
- Say what makes it a good example: one week, four systems, several arrows.
“Which two systems does that arrow join?”
Investigate — build the diagram
22 min- Groups build the four-system diagram for the storm with string connections.
- They label each connection with what affected what.
- They add one interaction the account does not mention but implies.
- They find a connection that runs both ways.
Independent practice
15 min- Students complete the 'Four Systems, One Storm' page.
- Check answers name two systems per interaction.
Close
3 min- Ask which system the school field belongs to, and which it interacts with most.
What goes wrong, and why
Each of these is a reasoning error rather than carelessness. The fix addresses the reasoning.
Treats the systems as separate places.
Why: They have separate names.
Fix: The willow is in the soil, in the air, and drinking the water. They overlap.
Names one system per event.
Why: One is easier.
Fix: An interaction needs two. Which two?
Thinks people are outside the systems.
Why: People are the observers.
Fix: People are living things acting on land, air and water.
If they are not there yet
- Two systems and two events.
- Connection labels supplied to place.
If they finish early
- Add a fifth event and place it.
- Find an interaction that runs in both directions.
- Model a drought with the same four systems.
Exit ticket
Willow roots held one section of bank while the rest collapsed. Which two systems interacted, and how?
What to look for: The biosphere acting on the geosphere: roots held the soil during the storm. Naming one system means the interaction needs another run.
Printable practice for 5-ESS2-1
Free to print and copy, answer key included. Each sheet can generate a fresh set of problems for a retake.
- Four Systems, One StormRead the account, then answer the questions.
Questions about Four Systems, One Storm
How long does the Four Systems, One Storm lesson take?
60 minutes, split across 5 timed sections: warm-up 5 min, teach 15 min, investigate 22 min, independent practice 15 min, close 3 min. The minutes are stated per section and add up to the stated length, so the plan can be cut or extended at a section boundary rather than abandoned halfway.
Which standard does Four Systems, One Storm teach?
5-ESS2-1 — 5-ESS2-1, Earth and Space Science for Grade 5: “Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.” In plain terms, model one way that land, life, water and air affect each other.
What do I need to teach this lesson?
The local storm account, four labelled cards for the systems, string to connect the cards into a diagram and the printable practice sheet linked at the end of this plan. Everything listed is either ordinary classroom equipment or a free printable from this site — there is nothing to buy and nothing to prepare beyond photocopying.
What mistakes should I expect in this lesson?
Three, each a reasoning error rather than carelessness: treats the systems as separate places; names one system per event and thinks people are outside the systems. The plan gives the thinking behind each one and the teaching move that addresses the thinking rather than the symptom.
How do I know whether the lesson worked?
The exit ticket asks: “Willow roots held one section of bank while the rest collapsed. Which two systems interacted, and how?.” The biosphere acting on the geosphere: roots held the soil during the storm. Naming one system means the interaction needs another run. That tells you whether the class needs a reteach or a thirty-second conversation before you plan tomorrow.
Is there a worksheet to go with Four Systems, One Storm?
Yes — 1 printable 5-ESS2-1 worksheet, linked at the end of the plan and free like the rest of the site. Each one comes with an answer key and 25 versions, so the practice after the lesson can be a different paper on every desk.
Is Four Systems, One Storm free to use?
Yes. The plan, its printables and their answer keys are free to read, print and photocopy for your own class, with no account and no email capture. It was last reviewed on 8 September 2026. Please do not resell it or republish it as your own.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Aligned to 5-ESS2-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.