SELF LEARNING KIT IN

Why is the Sun important to life on Earth? The Sun serves an important role
EARTH SCIENCE
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION on Earth. Our Sun is stable and long -lasting star that provides ultimate sources of
Region I energy needed to support life. The light energy from the sun gives energy to the plants
Quarter 1: SLK # 1 Division of Ilocos Sur
TAGUDIN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
for photosynthesis. Also, the Sun warms the planet and drives the hydrologic cycle.
DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE MODULE Take a look at the moon during the night
WRITERS: WILMA AGUSPINA or look at the image of the moon. Does the moon
EDITORS: ERWIN R. ABRECILLO, JOCELYN M. MANSET
make Earth a more livable planet? The moon is
TITLE: The Earth the brightest and largest object in our night sky.
Yes, the Moon makes Earth a more livable planet
LESSON COMPETENCY: After going through this module, you are expected to: by moderating our home planet's wobble on its
• Describe the characteristics of Earth that are necessary to support life . axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. What
(S11ES-Ia-b-3) would happen if there was no moon? Remember
that if we have no moon life on Earth can change. The nighttime will be darker.
REVIEW/MOTIVATION:
The moon also exerts a gravitational pull on the Earth. The moon pulls
on the Earth and slows down the Earth’s rotation. The moon’s pull creates a bulge
near the Earth’s equator, which means there is a lower level of water at the poles.
Therefore, our moon Luna is important to us.
ANSWER: Now, what are the layers of the
Earth? Yes, the layers of the Earth are crust,
_________ mantle, inner core and outer core. Do you
know that these play an important role on
Earth? Each layer is responsible for the
formation of our continents. The system of
LESSON PROPER plate tectonics can modulate our atmosphere
The Earth is our home. It is a unique planet in the solar system where life is at the longest timescales. It keeps the water
possible. The Earth is also called as Goldilocks planet. Why? Because the Earth has here on Earth.
characteristics that are necessary to support life. Look at the image below of the
planetary distances from the Sun - Solar System. Is the Earth’s distance from the Sun The existence of water in its liquid form is necessary for life to exist. Why is
just right to support life? water so essential for life? For us, water helps to regulate our body temperature and
carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain. For the plants, they
use water directly when they capture the light energy of the sun and transform it into
energy.

Another characteristic of the Earth that is

necessary to support life is the Earth’s atmosphere .
Atmosphere is defined as the layer or a set of
layers of gases surrounding a planet or other
Correct! The Earth is at the right distance from the Sun. Imagine if the Earth material body and it is important to us. Why?
is too close to the Sun like Venus or too far from the Sun like Jupiter. What do you Because the atmosphere can protect us from small
think will happen? When Earth is too close to the Sun it will be very hot, the liquid meteors, it can block out harmful rays from the sun
water will boil and will evaporate into gas. If the Earth is too far from the Sun it will be and it traps the heat giving the Earth a comfortable
very cold, everything will freeze and no life on Earth would exist.
temperature.
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 The Earth sustains life because of the factors that exist at the same time. We Its temperature is about 3,000 degrees Celsius which makes it much hotter and
have only one life on Earth. We must always take care and stay safe at home denser than the upper mantle. It is mostly solid rocks and composed of the elements
especially during this time of pandemic. We should express our gratitude for all the iron, oxygen, magnesium and aluminum.
blessings that we have because life is possible on Earth with the help of the things
around like the sun, the moon, the atmosphere, gravity, and the water for these we Travelling beyond the Earth’s mantle is the core. The planet Earth has a ball-
need to love and save our Earth. like core which is extremely hot and dense. It is found about 2,900 kilometers below
the Earth’s surface with a radius of about 3,485 kilometers. The Earth’s core is divided
TITLE: The Earth’s Subsytems into outer and inner core. The outer core is the second largest layer and second to the
last layer of our planet. It is about 2,200 kilometers thick and is composed entirely of
LESSON COMPETENCY: After going through this module, you are expected to: superheated molten lava of liquid iron and nickel. The NiFe alloy of the outer core is
• Explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems, across whose extremely hot and its temperature range is between 4,500 degrees to 5,500 degrees
boundaries matter and energy flow. (S11/12ES -Ia-e-4 Celsius. The final layer of the Earth is the inner core which is an exceedingly hot,
dense huge metal of almost iron 2500 km wide. The temperature of the inner core
The Earth’s Four Subsystems ranges from 5,000 degrees to 6,000 degrees Celsius.
For ages, planet Earth has mystified man. The planet includes all the physical
and living elements on its surface. All these elements are connected to each other The Hydrosphere
and form a complex whole. They intermingle with each other within a defined The hydrosphere is composed of
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boundary. Thus, our planet has an integrated yet complex social-environmental all the waters on or near the Earth’s
system. surface. It can be in a form of liquid, vapor
The biophysical components of the Earth System are often referred to as and ice such as glaciers, ice caps and
spheres and are divided into four: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and icebergs. This frozen part is called
biosphere. These four regulate the different functions on Earth such as the climate Cryosphere. Mostly 97% of the Earth’s
system, ecological services generated by the living biosphere, including food water is in the form of oceans(salty) and
production, and natural resources like fossil fuels and minerals. the rest is fresh water (non-salty). Three-
quarters of this fresh water is solid and
The Geosphere exists in the ice sheets. Water moves
The geosphere makes up the through the hydrosphere in a cycle called
solid portion of the Earth, its structure and the Water Cycle. Water droplets as they
land. It includes the non-living land coagulate form clouds, then fall to the ground in the form of rain or snow. This water
features. Geosphere came from a Latin collects in rivers, lakes and oceans. As heat rises, water in it evaporates in the
name “Geo” which means ground. Our atmosphere to start the cycle all over again.
planet’s surface is covered by a thin layer
called crust. The Earth’s crust has a thin The Atmosphere
layer measuring 40 km deep composed of The Earth’s atmosphere is not just
solid rocks and minerals with temperature merely the air that we breathe but also a
of 22 degrees Celsius. The crust is made blanket of gas that surrounds our planet up to
up of large rocks. It is divided into two Figure 1. Geosphere the edge of space. This thin layer of gas that
forms: Oceanic crust and Continental envelops our planet is necessary to sustain
crust. The former is composed of the elements iron, oxygen, magnesium and life because it contains gases essential for
aluminum while the latter is made up of granite, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. humans and animals to breathe. It enables
plants to make their own food, traps heat to
Going beyond the Earth’s crust is the mantle which is mostly solid rocks and keep us warm, protects us from harmful
minerals and marked by malleable areas of semi-solid magma. The upper mantle radiation from the space and drives ocean
extends from the crust to a depth of about 670 kilometers below the Earth’s surface. currents that spread heat which regulates our climate.
It is mostly solid and its malleable regions contribute to tectonic activities. The lower
mantle extends from 660 kilometers up to 2700 kilometers below the Earth’s surface
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 The parts of the atmosphere are: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, a. Luster- refers to the way light is reflected from a mineral surface. Some have a
thermosphere, ionosphere and exosphere. The troposphere of the atmosphere starts metallic surface such as gold, silver and copper. Others are described as vitreous or
at the Earth’s surface and extends 8 to 14.5 kilometers high. It is considered the glassy, pearly, silky, resinous an earthy or dull.
densest among the other parts of the atmosphere. Almost all-weather types are in this
region. Above the troposphere is the stratosphere. It extends up to 50 km high. It is in b. Hardness- refers to the minerals resistance to being scratched. Frederich Moh, a
this region where we can find the ozone layer which absorbs and scatters the solar German mineralogist prepared a scale of hardness with a number of 1-10 in the
ultraviolet radiation. increasing hardness.
Mesosphere is the region above the stratosphere. It extends to 85 km.
Meteors usually burn up in this region as they approach our planet. Extending up to Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness
600 km above the mesosphere is the thermosphere. It is where aurora and satellites Mineral Hardness Common Test
occur. The ionosphere is the part of our atmosphere where abundant layers of Talc 1 Easily scratched by fingernail
electron, ionized atoms and molecules occur. It extends from about 48 km above the Gypsum 2 Can be scratched by fingernail
surface to the edge of space up to 965 km. This region makes radio communication Calcite 3 Barely can be scratched by copper penny
possible. The upper limit of our atmosphere is the exosphere. Fluorite 4 Easily scratched with steel knife blade
Apatite 5 Can be scratched by steel knife blade
Feldspar 6 Easily scratches glass
The Biosphere Quartz 7 Easily scratches both glass and steel
The biosphere is termed as Topaz 8 Scratches quartz
the “zone of life”. It is the part of the Corundum 9 No simple tests
Earth where life exists. It could Diamond 10 No simple tests
occupy the oceans, surfaces of the
land and can also be in the Rough approximates include: nail hardness of 2.5, copper penny 3; and glass 5.5
atmosphere. It extends from the
deepest root systems of trees, to the c. Color and streak- refers to the color of the powdered mineral. The sample is rubbed
dark environment of ocean trenches, across a piece of unglazed porcelain or streak plate.
to lush rainforests and high
mountaintops. d. Cleavage- is the tendency of minerals to break along planes of weak bonding. It is
described by the number of planes exhibited and the angles at which they meet.

TITLE: Rock-Forming Minerals
LESSON COMPETENCY: After going through this module, you are expected to:
• Identify common rock-forming minerals using their physical and chemical
properties. (S11ES-Ib-5)
A ruby, a gold nugget, and a grain of salt look very different from one another, but
they all have one thing in common. They are all minerals, the basic materials of the
Earth’s crust.
Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. Mineral is defined as a naturally formed,
generally organic, crystalline solid composed of an ordered array of atoms and having
a specific chemical composition.
1. Physical Properties of Minerals
Scientists identify more common minerals by their color or appearance; others
include their taste, smell, feel and sound. The physical properties that can be tested
are: luster, hardness streak, cleavage, fracture, color, specific gravity and crystal form.
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e. Fracture- Minerals that do not exhibit cleavage are said to fracture when broken.
Some break like glass, some into splinters or fiber.
f. Color-Some are of the same color like azurite is always deep blue, malachite is
green, cinnabar is red, sulfur is yellow.
g. Specific Gravity- is a number which represents the ratio to the weight of an equal
volume of water. Example, Galena is 7.5 times heavier than a comparable volume of
water.
h. Crystal form- External features of a mineral reflect its orderly internal arrangement
of atoms.
2. Chemical Properties of Minerals
A sample chemical test is a.) taste test. NaCl (common table salt) has a
distinctly salty taste. b.) The fizz test is used, such as carbonate minerals
effervesce(fizz) in hydrochloric acid, giving off bubbles of carbon dioxide gas.
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 Activity 2. SYNOPSIS
Unusual Properties of Minerals: Examine how unique Earth is together with its perfect position in the solar
system that enables it to support life. Write your synopsis on the space provided
1. Magnetism below.
A magnet passed through some sand or loose soil will often attract small particles of
iron-containing minerals. Magnetite is the most common among this group of magnetic Activity 3. ILLUSTRATE ME
minerals. Lodestone is a form of magnetite that acts as a magnet. Make an illustration showing the Earth’s subsystems. Describe briefly each
subsystem.
2. Fluorescence
The mineral calcite is greenish white in ordinary light, but under ultraviolet light it often Activity 4 FACT OR BLUFF
appears red. This ability to glow under ultraviolet light is referred to as fluorescence. Direction: Write FACT if the statement is correct and BLUFF if the statement is
Fluorescent minerals absorb ultraviolet light and then produce visible light of various incorrect on the space provided for.
colors. For example, willemite is light brown in ordinary light, but under ultraviolet light ______1. Minerals themselves are made up of one element.
it appears green. ______2. Crystal form/habit refers to the characteristic shape of a mineral unit.
______3. Specific gravity is the most obvious characteristic of a mineral.
3. Double Refraction ______4. Streak refers to the mineral’s color in powdered form.
Light rays bend as they pass through transparent minerals. This bending of light rays ______5. Magnetite is strongly magnetic as halite is salty.
as they pass from one substance, such as air, to another, such as a mineral, is called ______6. The softest mineral is talc.
refraction. Crystals of calcite and some other transparent minerals bend light in such ______7. The hardest mineral is diamond.
a way that they produce a double image of any object viewed through them. This ______8. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks.
property is called double refraction. Double refraction occurs because the light ray is ______9. A mineral with a metallic look, irrespective of color, has a non-metallic luster.
split into two parts as it enters the crystal. ______10. Calcite dissolves rapidly in acid, releasing visible bubbles of carbon dioxide
gas.
4. Radioactivity
Some minerals have a property known as radioactivity. Some atoms also have GENERALIZATION
unstable arrangements of protons and neutrons in their nuclei. Radioactivity results Our Earth is the only place in the universe that can support life. It consists of
as unstable nuclei decay over time into stable nuclei by releasing particles and energy. four spheres. The geosphere is composed of a dense, hot, central core, surrounded
Uranium and radium are examples of radioactive elements that occur in mineral by a large mantle that comprises most of Earth’s volume, with a thin, rigid crust. The
deposits. Pitchblende is the most common mineral containing uranium. Other hydrosphere is mostly ocean water. The atmosphere is a mixture of gases, mostly
uranium-bearing minerals include carnotite, uraninite, and autunite. nitrogen and oxygen. Earth’s atmosphere supports life and regulates climate. The
biosphere is the thin zone that life inhabits. The geosphere is composed of minerals.
EXERCISES/ACTIVITIES: Minerals are the building blocks of rocks.; naturally occurring, inorganic solid with a
definite chemical composition and a crystalline structure.
Activity 1 Sphere Interactions
Directions: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate subsystem of the Earth as shown in APPLICATION
the picture. Activity: Earth is
divided yet connected
Direction: Analyze the
given picture. Describe
in five sentences the
interaction among the
subsystems of the
Earth.

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 ASSESSMENT 9. Which of the Earth’s spheres contains mountains, valleys, and other landscape?
A. atmosphere B. biosphere
A. MULTIPLE CHOICES. Directions: Read each question carefully. Select the C. geosphere D. hydrosphere
best answer from the four choices lettered A, B, C, and D. Encircle the letter
corresponding to your answer. 10. A naturally occurring substance which is usually solid, crystalline, stable at room
temperature and inorganic.
1.What is unique about the existence of water in the Earth? A. crystal B. mineral
A. too much to handle C. quartz D. rock
B. overflowing and never ending
C. has its point of freezing in the south and north pole
D. neither too much nor too little that is in the liquid form B. CRITICAL THINKING (Answer in 2-3 short sentences.)

2. What is unique about the Earth? What is the difference between a mineral’s streak and color? Why is streak more
A. proximity to the sun-too much cold reliable for rock identification?
B. proximity to the sun-too much heat
C. proximity to the sun-neither too much heat nor too little ___________________________________________________________________
D. proximity to the sun-too much heat in the day and cold in the night ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. Which factor allows the Earth to have a comfortable temperature? ___________________________________________________________________
A. atmosphere B. energy
C. plate tectonics D. water
REFERENCES:
4. Mostly 70% of Earth is composed of water, how many percent of Earth’s water is in Abon, Catherine, Dizon, Ernesto Ancheta, Dizon, Zoraida, Guzman III, Alfonso
the form of oceans(salty) and the rest is fresh water (non salty)? Vincent&Listanco, Eddie. Earth Science for Senior High School: Initial
A. 3% B. 70% Release.Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education (2016)
C. 88% D. 97%
Bayo-ang, Roly, Coronacion, Maria Lourdes, Jorda, Annamae & Restubog, Anna
5. All weather types are in this region Jamille. Earth and Life Science. Quezon City: Educational Resources
A. mesosphere B. stratosphere Corporation, (2016)
C. thermosphere D. troposphere
Salandanan, Gloria, Faltado, Ruben, & Lopez, Merle. Earth and Life Sciences.
6. Meteors usually burn up in this region as they approach our planet Quezon City: Lorimar Publishing, Inc. (2016)
A. mesosphere B. stratosphere
C. thermosphere D. troposphere Thompson, Graham, & Turk, Jonathan. Introduction to Earth Science. Pasig City:
ESP Printers, Inc. (2012)
7. All living organisms of the Earth, including those on the land, water and air, are
considered part of which subsystem? https://www.earthonlinemedia.com
A. atmosphere B. biosphere
C. geosphere D. hydrosphere

8. Which layer of the Earth’s interior is liquid?

A. crust B. inner core
C. mantle D. outer core

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