Earth and Life Science

1. EARTH:THE UNIQUE PLANET
AND ITS SUBSYSTEMS
For Earth & Life Science/Grade 11
Quarter I / Week 1

2. [2]
FOREWORD
This self-learning kit in Earth and Life Science tackles the first three
topics of the subject which are the concepts of Earth as a
habitable planet, its components or subsystems: geosphere,
hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, and some of the rock-
forming minerals that aid in the formation of Earth’s surface.
It is our sincere aim to provide you with relevant activities,
exercises, and assessment that are essential in acquiring the
appropriate knowledge despite the present academic
challenges.
The activities in Self-Learning Kit are carefully made for you
to tailor-fit your understanding of the concepts and to
accomplish activities with ease. Your enthusiasm, eagerness,
and active involvement in completing these activities are
keystones towards developing a resilient attitude.

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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); and
explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems, across whose
boundaries matter and energy flow. (S11/12ES-Ia-e- 4)
I. WHAT HAPPENED
Activity 1: 4-PICS-1-WORD: Analyze the four pictures below and
guess the four-letter word. Choose the four letters from the jumbled
words below the boxes.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to:
K: Identify the factors that allow a planet to support life;
S: Make a creative drawing showing the interactions of
the Earth’s subsystems; and
A: Reflect on how unique is the planet Earth and the
importance of protecting and preserving its resources.

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C L U T T I E F
Life is the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects
and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism,
reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through
changes originating internally. (Life | Definition of Life at Dictionary.com)
Sometimes, man's failure to protect the environment and LIFE here on
EARTH is perhaps due to:
➢ Inability to recognize the full consequence of his or her actions; and
➢ Lack of appreciation of how truly unique the Earth is.
II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW
DISCUSSION:
The Earth: A unique, habitable planet in the solar system
The solar system is composed of the sun and the eight major planets
revolving around it. Among those eight planets, only one can support life
which is the Earth – the planet we live in. But the question is, how come
Earth can support life while the other planets cannot?
There are only two major requirements for a planet to become
habitable.
1. The star should survive long enough for its planets to develop life which
means a medium-mass star, such as the sun, can survive long enough for
life to develop.

5. [5]
(https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/sun/)
2. The planet must be located in the Goldilocks Zone – a region in the
universe where water could remain liquid.
• Different stars have different Goldilocks Zone, or habitable zones. Blue stars tend
to have farther habitable zones since they are relatively hotter and red stars
have closer habitable zones since they are relatively cooler.
(https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2020/01/13/could-there-
be-life-on-the-first-earth-sized-habitable-zone-planet-found-by-nasas-
tess/#1b52efa27919)
Being in the Goldilocks Zone indicates that due to the distance of
Earth from the sun, the amount of heat and solar energy received is
just enough to make the temperature of Earth neither too hot nor
too cold. As we all know, water evaporates if it is subjected to a very
hot temperature and gets freezes if subjected to a very cold

6. [6]
temperature. The capability of early Earth to sustain liquid water
dramatically increased the possibility of life.
For the inner planets, Mercury and Venus, since they are too close to
the sun, the solar energy received is too much, contributing to the
increase in temperature of their surfaces. For the other planets, such
as Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, their distances from
the sun are so far that the energy they receive is very little, making
these planets very cold.
Other factors for other planets to be inhabitable:
Mercury, for example, experiences extreme temperatures due to its
slow rotation. It also has a very thin atmosphere that is not capable
of capturing and maintaining the right amount of heat.
Venus, on the other hand, is very hot because it has a lot of active
volcanoes that produce a very thick atmosphere. The thick
atmosphere contributes to an increased greenhouse effect, making
the surface temperature very high.
In contrast with Venus, the fourth terrestrial planet, Mars, has very
little volcanic activity. As a result, it has a thin atmosphere and cold
surface temperature.
The Jovian planets (the four remaining gas giants), are mainly
composed of gases. Therefore, there is no land where organisms can
live. With these features, it can be clearly seen how Earth is the only
planet compatible with life.
Scientists also believe that carbon and its unique properties are the
basis of all life. Carbon has four valence atoms, which enables it to
easily bond with other carbon atoms and create long complex
molecules and polymers. Thus, the biological macromolecules such

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as lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids all have carbon
atoms in their structure.
Knowing the requirements for the existence of life on a planet,
scientists tried to determine how life started on Earth. In 1952, Stanley
Miller and Harold Urey conducted an experiment that replicated the
conditions of early Earth. They found out that life started in the
oceans. During the extreme conditions of Earth, the organisms that
thrived were called extremophiles. These organisms were able to
adapt to extreme environment such as very high or very low
temperatures, high acidity, or extreme pressure.
As seen in the Miller-Urey experiment, the early atmosphere did not
contain oxygen gas. The presence of oxygen first started when
cyanobacteria emerged. Cyanobacteria were the first organisms
that could produce oxygen gas through photosynthesis. But the
current oxygen levels of today, were not just due to the
cyanobacteria. It was only about 600 million years ago that the
oxygen levels rose to its current levels. Scientists, however, are still
unsure as to what caused the oxygen levels to rise.
The Earth’s subsystems
1. Definition of a system:
➢ A set of interconnected components that are interacting to
form a unified whole.
2. Components or subsystems of the Earth System:
➢ The arrows in the diagram below indicate the interaction
among the components or subsystems of the Earth System.
3. The Earth System is essentially a closed system. It receives energy from
the sun and returns some of this energy to space.

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➢ A closed system is a system in which there is only an exchange
of heat or energy and no exchange of matter.
(https://www.slideshare.net/maleigh/grade-11-earth-life-science-earth-
systems-subsystems)
A. The Atmosphere
▪ The atmosphere is the thin gaseous layer that envelopes the
geosphere.
▪ The present atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21%
oxygen, 0.9% argon, and small amount of other gases.
▪ One of the most important processes by which the heat on the
Earth’s surface is redistributed is through atmospheric
circulation.
▪ There is also constant exchange of heat and moisture between
the atmosphere and the hydrosphere through the hydrologic

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cycle or the water cycle which you just had encountered when
you had labelling activity a while ago.
http://ete.cet.edu/gcc/?/volcanoes_layers/
B. The Geosphere (some references used the term Lithosphere)
▪ Beneath the atmosphere is the solid region of the Earth called
geosphere.
▪ It does not only comprise the visible layer, it also extends to the
center of the Earth.
▪ It has a depth of 6400 km, making it the largest sphere of Earth.
▪ It is divided into different layers: crust, mantle, outer core, and
inner core.
▪ Misconception alert:

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✓ The geosphere is a major sphere of earth that deals
with the solid components, such as landforms, rocks,
and layers of Earth. It is not lithosphere. Lithosphere
refers only to the crust and top portion of the upper
mantle.
(http://antioceanacidification.weebly.com/affects-on-geosphere.html)
C. The Hydrosphere
▪ About 78% of the Earth is covered with liquid water
(hydrosphere) and much of it is in the form of ocean water.
▪ Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh: 2/3 are in the form of ice, and
the remaining 1/3 is present in streams, lakes, and groundwater.
▪ The oceans are important sinks for carbon dioxide through
direct exchange with the atmosphere and indirectly through
the weathering (physical or chemical breakdown) of rocks.
▪ Heat is absorbed and redistributed on the surface of the Earth
through ocean circulation.

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(https://428213922994289719.weebly.com/hydrosphere.html)
D. The Biosphere
▪ The biosphere is the set of all life forms on Earth.
▪ It includes all of the microbes, plants, and animals that can be
found 1 km above sea level down to the deepest parts of the
oceans.
▪ It extends to any place where life of any kind might exist.
▪ For the majority of life on Earth, the base of food chain
comprises photosynthetic organisms. During photosynthesis,
carbon dioxide is withdrawn from the atmosphere, while
oxygen is released as a byproduct.
▪ The biosphere is a carbon dioxide sink, and therefore, an
important part of the carbon cycle.

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✓ Carbon cycle = is the process by which carbon is
transferred among the atmosphere, oceans, soil,
and living organisms.
(https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/biosphere-vector-illustration-labeled-all-natural-
1520499716)
PERFORMANCE and WRITTEN TASKS:
Instruction: In one whole short bond paper, make a creative drawing
showing the interactions of the four subsystems of the Earth. Explain your

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output in 5 to 10 sentences only. Below is a sample illustration of how these
four systems interact. Think of some phenomena that exist on Earth which
are vital for human life. You will be graded based on the following criteria:
Accuracy=5 points, Organization=5points, and Creativity=5 points. A
total of 15 points for this task.
Carbon Cycle Play - MindFuel STEM Store
III. WHAT HAVE I LEARNED
EVALUATION/POST TEST:
Directions:
I. True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and False if the
statement is wrong. If the answer is FALSE, underline the word which
makes it incorrect. Copy and answer on your notebook/answer sheet.
Write your answer on the space provided before each item.

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_____ 1. Our sun is an example of a massive star which survives long
enough for its planet to develop life.
_____ 2. Being in a Goldilocks Zone means that the Earth has the right
distance from the other planets which makes the water remain liquid.
_____ 3. Mercury experiences extreme temperatures due to a fast rotation
which makes this planet inhabitable.
_____ 4. Venus is very hot because it has a lot of active volcanoes that
produce a very thin atmosphere that contributes to an increased
greenhouse effect, making the surface temperature very high.
_____ 5. Mars has very little volcanic activity which results to a thin
atmosphere and cold surface temperature.
II. Essay. Write a short essay on why Earth is unique from the other
planets in the solar system and why is it important to protect and preserve
its resources?
Grading criteria: Content------------- 5 points
Cohesiveness----- 5 points
Total------------------ 10 points

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References:
Cortez, Leah Amor S. and Sia, Shila Rose D. (2016). Science in Today’s
World Earth and Life Science. Sibs Publishing House, Inc., 9-30
Licuanan, Patricia B. (2016). Earth and Life Science Teacher’s Guide.
Commission on Higher Education. 24-40, 46-55

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL
SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent
FAY C. LUAREZ, TM, Ed.D., Ph.D.
OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
Acting CID Chief
ADOLF P. AGUILAR
OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
NILITA L. RAGAY, Ed.D.
OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)
ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
Education Program Supervisor – (SCIENCE & MATH)
MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)
ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)
FRUSSELL V. ELTANAL
Writer/Illustrator/Lay –out Artists
___________________________
BETA TEAM
ZENAIDA A. ACADEMIA
DORIN FAYE D. CADAYDAY
MERCY G. DAGOY
RANJEL D. ESTIMAR
MARIA SALOME B. GOMEZ
JUSTIN PAUL ARSENIO C. KINAMOT
ALPHA QA TEAM
LIEZEL A. AGOR
EUFRATES G. ANSOK, Jr.
JOAN Y. BUBULI
MA. OFELIA I. BUSCATO
DEXTER D. PAIRA
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
DISCLAIMER
The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide accessible learning
modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The contents of this module are carefully
researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set learning competencies. The writers and evaluator were
clearly instructed to give credits to information and illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is subject to
copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.

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SYNOPSIS
This lesson emphasizes the unique characteristics of
Earth. It is the only planet in the Solar System that is
considered to be habitable. It is located in a region in
the Solar System wherein the temperature,
atmosphere, energy, and nutrients are just right and
necessary to support LIFE. In order for the Earth
to support life, it has its subsystems
namely: the atmosphere, geosphere (lithosphere),
hydrosphere, and biosphere that continuously interacts
with each other. The absence of one system would
mean the end of life on Earth.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR