Earth Systems Connections

Please see our Welcome Movie for a two-minute introduction to ESC.
You may also want to see the About the Modules page for scope and sequence information.

As humans continue to subject the Earth's dynamic and interdependent systems to greater levels of stress and demand, it is essential that educators help young children appreciate the significance and delicate nature of our environment. Earth Systems Connections (ESC) is an elementary mathematics, science, and technology curriculum designed to begin meeting this need. With this program, we aim to provide integrated learning opportunities for primary children that will help them:

The Earth Systems Connections (ESC) curriculum consists of multifaceted lessons organized into eight learning modules. In its entirety, more than 100 activities are contained within the ESC lessons. Each of these activities has been designed to develop in students a rich sense of how the Earth operates as one interconnected system. This ESC Preview CD contains eleven lessons that represent a wide range of content across all grade levels.

In the early 1970s an accomplished meteorologist named Edward Lorenz posed the question, "Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?" This provocative question still symbolizes the vast number of-- often surprising-- interconnections that knit together our world. In fact, researchers around the globe make daily discoveries showing that the Earth's physical, chemical, biological, geological and even economic and cultural systems are intimately intertwined. Because of these findings, it is becoming common practice among scientists to think of the Earth not as a collection of individual, unrelated objects, but instead as a symphony of interdependent processes linking the water, air, rocks, and life of the planet. We are entering the age of Earth System Science, not because it is fashionable to think about the Earth as a system, but because it is actually necessary in order to crack the "inner secrets" of how our world really works. Through the ESC program, we strive to provide meaningful contexts within which young children can begin to crack these secrets themselves.

Perhaps the single most powerful motivation to think of and study the Earth as a system arose from this image taken by NASA astronauts aboard the Apollo 8 spacecraft in December 1968. Instead of a vast, seemingly endless and inaccessible planet that we experience every day, we see here a small swirled marble suspended in the enormity of outer space.

The significance of this image still rings clear today, more than 30 years later. However, today there is a new generation of spaceships gathering powerful imagery of the Earth's surface in more detail, allowing us to study the changing of the seasons, the swirling of the clouds, and the choppiness of ocean waves. Using this type of information, scientists are learning that sands from the Sahara Desert are actually blown all the way to the Amazonian Rainforest, and that the length of the growing season in Canada and Alaska is different now than in decades past! Satellites are unlocking ever more of the unexpected wonders of how our Earth works.

Taking photos of the Earth from space, also called satellite remote sensing, belongs in a special category of scientific disciplines because of its potential for bridging the gap between cutting-edge science and K-5 inquiry. Not only is satellite remote sensing a unique scientific tool that spurs novel environmental research, it also represents a powerful teaching tool because it can produce beautiful images of an item found in nearly all elementary classrooms: the map. It is from this starting point that satellite remote sensing is woven into the ESC curriculum.

As with all new concepts, satellites and satellite images begin as abstractions in a young child's mind. Although remote sensing is a novel concept for young learners, we have found in ESC pilot studies that students are captivated by satellites and the images they collect, given the proper learning context. To help this process of putting a face on the unseen and making what might be complex ideas of remote sensing more accessible to young children, we have created a cartoon character named "Pixel the Satellite". We have developed 10 Pixel the Satellite animations that may be played on any modern computer using the freely available "Quicktime" software. The first Pixel the Satellite animation, "Introduction to Earth Systems Connections", is designed to be viewed independently of any lesson. The remaining 9 animations are specially designed to complement various lessons throughout the curriculum. More mention of using these animations will be made below. In summary, these animations are designed to excite and inspire students to learn more about satellites and how satellite imagery can be used to study the Earth we live on, whether it be connected to a formal lesson or as a starting point for informal discussion.

Several primary themes guided the conceptualization and development of ESC's modules and lessons. Included below are highlights about (a) the ways in which context is a central component of the curriculum; (b) the philosophy behind the lesson levels and curricular spiraling; and (c) the structure, scope and sequence of the individual lessons themselves.

A central premise supporting the ESC program is that understanding - i.e. learning - is inevitably "constructed" by children as they actively explore their environment, engage in meaningful activities, and interact with others. Therefore, it is our belief that helping children come to understand the Earth as an interconnected system and the role that humans play in that system could best be accomplished - perhaps only be accomplished - if the curriculum modules and lessons were developed around real world, scientific, mathematical, and cultural contexts that resonated with children. Hence, in ESC you will find a wide variety of lessons that engage children in many meaningful ways - imagining that they are on a great adventure… taking photographs with digital cameras… using hands-on manipulatives… developing language arts skills through creative writing prompts… examining satellite imagery… finding roots in the soil…tracking animals… using various technologies… etc. These are but a few of the activities that children have opportunity to experience in ESC, each of which is based on a tradition of educational research that indicates that learning best occurs when students are actively involved in the exploration of meaningful contexts.

Specific to the curriculum is the notion that mathematics and science (and, indeed, other subjects) should be integrated to show the beauty and utility of connections among the disciplines. Mathematical tools are developed and used to understand scientific phenomena. Science contexts are used as a site to motivate the need and (re)discovery of mathematical principles and procedures. Technology (specifically, satellite imagery) is often used to bridge mathematics and science by providing a perspective of the Earth that children normally do not have. Throughout the curriculum, preference has been given to contexts that not only illustrate the connections across disciplines, but also contain cultural components that help children recognize the relationships that humans have with the environment, the various ways in which different groups of people view the role of humans in the environment, as well as our responsibility to think carefully about human impact on the systems of the Earth.

There are no grade-level numbers on any ESC materials. Given the complexity of teaching mathematics and science in a standards-based era, we recognize the great variability across schools and districts with respect to standards and content coverage at individual grade levels. Therefore, rather than organizing lessons by grade level, we have designed each lesson to fit into one of three categories - Entry, Intermediate, or Extended. To assist with planning, it may be helpful to think of these levels as roughly corresponding to grade ranges of K-2 (Entry), 2-4 (Intermediate), and 4-5 (Extended). However, several lessons have been adapted by teachers and used successfully in pilot settings across the entire K-5 range. Assessment and National Science and Mathematics Standards tables exist for each lesson, enabling teachers and schools to select modules and lessons based on their own needs, standards, curricular sequences, and preferences.

Moreover, it is our hope that these lesson plans represent only a starting point for teachers and students. While there is enough information and material support to implement each lesson as written, we also recognize that teachers will bring their own knowledge and experiences to the program. With some adaptation, most of the lessons in ESC can be adjusted to meet the needs of students in various grade levels. By design, therefore, the majority of lessons have been written at an Intermediate level with the hope and expectation that, if the topic of the lesson seems relevant, teachers will feel the freedom to adapt the lesson "up" or "down" so as to best meet the needs of their students. Toward this end, teachers should be aware that every lesson has up to five "Extension" activities meant to stimulate the creativity of students and teachers. By pursuing the Extension activities, many of these "individual" lessons might be broadened from a single lesson to a more comprehensive unit of study. Lesson extensions are ideal for use as authentic assessments of lessons.

In summary, while we have written these lessons with one eye on national math and science standards, we also have intended to leave these lessons open enough for teachers to build upon them in powerful ways. Although we have packaged ESC in a format that will be easy for teachers to implement, we certainly hope that the modules and lessons will not be viewed as end products, but rather springboards for deeper investigation.

As indicated above, there is a good deal of flexibility inherent in ESC. This is also true of the scope and sequence around which the lessons and content threads have been organized. For each module, we have included a recommended lesson sequence (see About the Modules). Typically, this sequencing illustrates a trajectory across levels (Entry, Intermediate, Extended), and takes into consideration prerequisite concepts that may be necessary for any given lesson. While this ordering is important, we recognize that lesson implementation is always more complicated than it appears on paper, and that teachers may see only part of a module as appropriate for their students. For that reason, we have been attentive to the need to "cycle" important concepts and tools repeatedly throughout the curriculum. While there are certainly some lesson sequences that build explicitly on one another, most of the activities in ESC can also stand alone.

For those instances in which a concept is developed over time and requires a full complement of lessons, we have been careful to provide detailed guidance about how the activities build upon each other in the lesson plans. For example, in the Maps and More module, graphing in the coordinate plane is developed over a sequence of several lessons. While more experienced students might be able to engage in the final activities in this thread without trouble, students who are being introduced to the coordinate plane for the first time will need the benefit of the entire lesson sequence.

What do you need to know about ESC to begin implementing lessons? Here you go! The following summary contains helpful pointers about how ESC lessons are structured, and how you can best take advantage of the program resources as you begin teaching the lessons.

Including all the extension activities in ESC, there are over 100 "lessons" that you might pursue with your students. So, how do you find the right place to start?

ESC contains eight different learning modules. We have worked to develop connected concepts throughout the program, so some lessons fit into more than one of these modules. The About the Modules document, therefore, will probably be the most helpful place to start looking for an appropriate lesson. By clicking on the prompt for each module, you will find a written description of the module itself, as well as brief explanations of the level, content, focus, and standards correlations for each lesson.

Each lesson contains detailed information for teachers regarding the content of the lesson, the context of the lesson, and expectations for student learning and activity. The lesson begins with a brief overview, followed by a table that indicates the lesson level, the math, science, and technology connections inherent in the lesson, National Standards correlations, and a suite of assessment tools. The plan then continues with a more detailed, step-by-step procedure description containing background information for the lesson, materials, vocabulary words, student activities, anticipated responses of students for the activity questions and writing prompts, ideas for discussion starters, and other details that may be specific to a particular lesson. The lesson plans also include information about particular questions that may elicit varied responses from students. Consistent with the philosophy of ESC, not all questions posed in a lesson will have one correct answer. Rather, some questions are designed to spur students' creativity and to promote discussion and are, therefore, divergent rather than convergent. Information in the lesson plan will help teachers embrace these moments in which students might be suggesting multiple solutions and strategies, or be uncertain about the "correct" response to a question.

As indicated previously, many of the lessons are enhanced by various forms of technology. Students may be asked to download a picture for printing, download an image from the Internet, visit a particular website, take digital photographs, view short video clips, listen to sound files, and other similar activities. Again, although many of these technological elements may enhance the learning of students, they are not mandatory for the success of a lesson. However, teachers should be prepared to use technology throughout the project as it serves a vital role in delivering important content and information to students.

Almost every lesson includes activity experiences for students. They may need to view a satellite image, record data, draw a picture, write a story, or some other related task. To help facilitate these experiences, most lessons include activity sheets. Teachers may choose to photocopy these activity sheets to distribute to students, or display them with a computer and/or projection device. In any event, most of what the students will need to accomplish the lesson will be provided in the activity sheets.

As described previously, some of the lessons in ESC have an animated introduction that features Pixel the Satellite. These short video clips are intended to introduce the lesson, captivate children's interests, and sometimes provide directions for further student engagement in the activities at hand.

Each lesson contains a suite of tools for student assessment. The assessment tools include an Assessment and Standards table showing links among the numerous assessment activities that exist in each lesson. Each lesson plan contains explicit sections containing formative, summative, and authentic assessment activities. Teachers will find specific questions or activities that serve as assessment tasks for students, and they are given pointers regarding the kinds of responses and understandings students should be evidencing throughout the lesson.

We hope that you and your students enjoy using the Earth Systems Connections curriculum!


Jeff Frykholm School of Education University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado jeff.frykholm@colorado.edu	George Glasson Department of Teaching and Learning Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Virginia glassong@vt.edu	Lee Vierling Institute of Atmospheric Sciences South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, South Dakota lee.vierling@sdsmt.edu

Teachers, administrators, and students at the following schools helped immensely throughout the pilot stage of the project. We thank them for their inspiration and expertise.

Earth Systems Connections was funded in large part by NASA Earth Science Enterprise grant NAG5-8973, with supplementary funds made available by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium.