NGSS PE Supported: 5-ESS2-1

​How do earth's systems work together? In this 5.5-hour field program at Irvine Regional Park, fifth-grade students explore the park’s ecosystems and carry out investigations to identify the components of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere, and investigate how they interact within the park creating the diversity in ecosystems we see all around us. Students will also look introspectively to identify ways that humans are a part of these interactions - both positively and negatively - within the parks systems. 

Activity Stations Include:

• ​Spheres Exploration Walk - Students embark on a hike exploring Irvine Regional Park to make observations of each sphere and begin drawing a model of the park to help them think about how the four spheres interact.
  
  
• Sphere Interactions - Students will work together to visit eight interaction stations to take this information and add it to their models.
  
  
• The Hydrosphere and Human Impacts - Students explore how the hydrosphere interacts with the geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere, as they become water droplets and travel through the hydrosphere. They also discuss human impacts on water and what can be done about it.
  
  
• ​The Biosphere at Orange County Zoo - In exploring the animals that live at the Orange County Zoo, students learn more about the wild animals that live in Irvine Regional Park. They then update their sphere models to include specific ideas about the area’s native animals and how they interact with the four spheres.​

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View the Resources pages for pre/post information. ​​

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