CHARACTERISTICS OF EARTH

THAT SUPPORT LIFE AND

EARTH’S SUBSYSTEMS
for Earth Science/ Grade 11
Quarter 1 / Week 1

NegOr_Q1_EarthScience11_SLKWeek1_v2
 FOREWORD

This self-learning kit will serve as a guide in describing

the characteristics of Earth that are necessary to support life.
It will also discuss the subsystems of the Earth and the
distinguishing factors among them. It will be an aid in
learning new scientific ideas and enrich existing knowledge
about scientific concepts.

In this learning kit the learners will develop an

understanding of Earth’s structure, composition, and natural
processes that form a significant part of one’s environment.
They are expected to identify the characteristics of the Earth
that are necessary to support life. They are also expected to
identify and describe the subsystems of the Earth.

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OBJECTIVES

After reading this self learning kit, the learners shall be able to:
K - identify the characteristics of Earth that support life and its
subsystems;
S - determine the distinguishing characteristics of each of the
Earth’s subsystem; and
A - verbalize appreciation of the uniqueness of the Earth and
its ability to sustain life.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES

▪ Describe the characteristics of Earth that are necessary to

support life (S11ES-Ia-b-3)

▪ Explain that the Earth consists of four subsystems, across

whose boundaries matter and energy flow (S11ES-Ib-4)

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I. WHAT HAPPENED

PRE-ACTIVITY

Search and Encircle

Direction: Find and encircle the words in the grid. Look for
them in all directions. Copy the grid in your notebook then
answer.

Earth Photosynthesis Lithosphere

Atmosphere Biosphere Hydrosphere

P I U R G X A H A B S U L W
A H E A R T H H S T U R I H
G S O A T S Q A D G R S T B
X S Q T X H Q S B N M Z H K
A A T M O S P H E R E S O N
X A H W S S N S J K L M S N
O G S V Z A Y D W T A S P J
V A Z G J S Q N A K L X H N
H S A N M A S T T H A A E X
N S T S Y Q S Q E H W C R M
S N D V W W A A R S E H E J
H Y D R O S P H E R E S R S
S E J A C B M R C Y A Q I H
B I O S P H E R E W V B M S

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sample+synopsis+in+student+learning+kit&sxsrf=ALeKk03FKBa5L2vfFYrA
hGXGkBt2Cb#imgrc=kk8Txd_dqLT34M

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 II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

What is Earth?

Planet Earth is the 3rd planet from the sun. We live in a

unique planet which may be the only one in our solar system
that has life in it. What do you think? Are we alone?

What are the characteristics that enable Earth to support

life?

A habitable planet has abiotic factors and

characteristics that are just right for allowing life to exist. Life
is limited to a temperature range of -15ºC to 115ºC. Because
of its distance from the sun, Earth has a temperature of 0ºC
to 100ºC which allows life to exist. The length of the day and
night also contributes to temperature that can sustain life.

There are a number of factors that enable life to exist

on Earth:

1. Presence of liquid water

➢ Organisms mostly need water
➢ Nutrients need to be dissolved in water to be used
➢ Most chemical activities occur in water

2. Atmosphere
➢ The presence of an atmosphere makes Earth livable. If
Earth had no atmosphere, it would not have maintained
the temperature and gases necessary for our survival and
sustenance. Earth has the right density to keep its
atmosphere. If it had lesser density, the atmosphere
would have escaped.

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 3. Sun
➢ All energy comes from the sun.
➢ Animals use oxygen to carry out the process of respiration
to make energy.
➢ Plants use carbon dioxide to carry out the process of
photosynthesis to make energy from sunlight.

 Do plants need oxygen to make energy? Why or why not?

What are the subsystems of the Earth?

Everything in the Earth can be placed into one of four

major subsystems: land, water, living things, or air. Earth as a
system is composed of numerous interacting parts or
subsystems. These four subsystems are called "spheres."
Specifically, they are the "lithosphere" (land), "hydrosphere"
(water), "biosphere" (living things), and "atmosphere" (air).
Each of these four spheres can be further divided into sub-
spheres.

a. Lithosphere “land”

➢ Rigid, rocky outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust

and the solid outermost layer of the upper mantle. It
extends to a depth of about 60 miles (100 km). It is broken
into about a dozen separate, rigid blocks or plates.

Figure 1: The Lithosphere

Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/lithosphere-vector-illustration-labeled-educational-earth-outer-shell-scheme-lithosphere-
vector-illustration-labeled-educational-image180355093

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Layers of the Earth

Crust- The crust is the outermost layer of Earth. Earth’s crust is generally
divided into older, thicker continental crust and younger, denser
oceanic crust.

Mantle- It is between the core and the crust, about 2,900km thick. It
makes up nearly 80% of the Earth’s total volume. The mantle is made up
of magma and rock.
Core- It is the innermost part of the earth composed of the inner core
which is at the center of the earth and is made of iron, and the outer
core which surrounds the inner core and is made of iron and magma.

b. Hydrosphere “water”

➢ Hydrosphere is the total amount of water in a planet. The

hydrosphere includes water that is on the surface of the
planet, underground, and in the air. A planet’s
hydrosphere can be liquid, vapor, or ice.
➢ On Earth, liquid water exists on the surface in the form of
oceans, lakes, and rivers. It also exists below the ground-
as groundwater, in well and aquifers. Water vapor is most
visible as clouds and fog.
➢ The frozen part of Earth's hydrosphere is made of
ice: glaciers, ice caps and icebergs. The frozen part of
the hydrosphere has its own name, the cryosphere.

Water Cycle or Hydrological

Cycle
Water moves through the
hydrosphere in a cycle. Water
collects in clouds then falls to
Earth in the form of rain or snow.
This water collects in rivers, lakes,
and oceans then it evaporates
Figure 2: The Water Cycle Diagram into the atmosphere to start the
Source: https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the-
hydrosphere-definition-examples-quiz.html cycle all over again.
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 c. Biosphere “living things”

➢ It contains all the planet's living things. This sphere

includes all the microorganisms, plants, and animals of
Earth. Within the biosphere, living things form ecological
communities based on the physical surroundings of an
area. These communities are referred to as biomes.
Deserts, grasslands, and tropical rainforests are three of
the many types of biomes that exist within the biosphere.
Scientists describe the Earth in terms
of spheres. The solid surface layer of
the Earth is the lithosphere.
The atmosphere is the layer of air that
stretches above the lithosphere. The
Earth’s water—on the surface, in the
ground, and in the air—makes up
the hydrosphere.

Since life exists on the ground, in the

air, and in the water, the biosphere
overlaps all these spheres. Although
the biosphere measures about 20
kilometers (12 miles) from top to
bottom, almost all life exists between
Figure 3: The Biosphere about 500 meters (1,640 feet) below
Source: https://www.quora.com/What-is-biosphere-1 the ocean’s surface to about 6
kilometers (3.75 miles) above sea
level.

d. Atmosphere “air”

➢ It is a very shallow layer. One half lies below an altitude of

5.6km, 90% occurs within 16km of the Earth’s surface. This
thin blanket of air provides us with air that we breathe. It
also protects us from the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet
radiation. The energy exchanges that continually occur
between the atmosphere and Earth’s surface and
between the atmosphere and space produce our
weather and climate.

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 The Earth’s atmosphere has a series of layers, each with its
own specific traits. Moving upward from ground level,
these layers are named the troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.

1. Troposphere
It is the lowest layer of our atmosphere. Starting at ground
level, it extends upward to about 10 km above sea level.
We humans line in the troposphere, and nearly all
weather occurs in this lowest layer. Most clouds appear
here, mainly because 99% of the water vapor in the
atmosphere is found in the troposphere. Air pressure
drops, and temperature get colder, as you climb higher in
the troposphere.

2. Stratosphere
It extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50km
above the ground. The infamous ozone layer is found
within the stratosphere. Ozone molecules in this layer
absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun,
converting the UV energy into heat.

3. Mesosphere
It extends upward to a height of about 85km above our
planet. Most meteors burn up in the mesosphere. Unlike
the stratosphere, temperatures once again grow colder
as you rise through the mesosphere. The coldest
temperatures in Earth’s atmosphere, about -90 degree
Celsius, are found near the top of this layer. The air in the
mesosphere is far too thin to breathe; air pressure at the
bottom of the layer is well below 1% of the pressure at sea
level and continues to drop as you go higher.

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 4. Thermosphere
It is the layer of very rare air above the mesosphere. High-
energy X-rays and UV radiation from the sun are
absorbed in the thermosphere, raising its temperature to
hundred or, at times, thousands of degrees. However, the
air in this layer is so thin that it would feel freezing cold to
us. The thermosphere is more like outer space than a part
of the atmosphere.

Figure 4: Conceptual Illustration of the Layers of Atmosphere

Source: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1059962/view/layers-of-the-atmosphere-conceptual-
illustration

Performance Task

Essay Writing: Answer in your notebook.

1. State the characteristics of Earth that support life and explain

how it helps in sustaining life.
2. Explain how each of the four subsystems differ from one
another and how they interact.
3. Explain why Earth is considered as a unique planet.

Criteria for rating: Organization: 5 pts.

Accuracy: 5 pts.
Total : 10 pts./item
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III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

POST TEST

Fill in the Blanks

Direction: Read the statements very carefully and fill in the

blanks. Copy and complete the paragraph in your notebook.

Planet Earth is the 1. ______ planet from the sun. We live in a

unique planet which may be the only one in our solar system
that has 2.______ in it. A habitable planet has 3. ________factors
and characteristics that are just right for allowing life to exist.

The presence of an atmosphere makes Earth 4. _______. If Earth

had no atmosphere, it would not have maintained the
temperature and gases necessary for our 5. _______ and 6.
______. Earth has the right density to keep its atmosphere. Had
it been less dense, the atmosphere would have 7. _______.

Animals use oxygen to carry out the process of 8. ________ to

make energy. Plants use 9. ___________ to carry out the process
of 10. _________ to make energy from sunlight.

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REFERENCES
Bilyeu, Teresa. “What characteristics are needed for life to exist? ”Prezi”. Updated
May 20, 2016. https://prezi.com/ndn1q8xmsudx/what- characteristics-are-
needed-for-life-to-
exist/?frame=c369ed214b5b24ec06b62b0027b3656d20d57906.

“Layers of the Atmosphere, conceptual illustration.” Science Photo Library.

https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1059962/view/layers-of-the-
atmosphere-conceptual-illustration. Accessed February 14, 2022.

Lithosphere Illustrations & Vectors

https://www.google.com/search?q=lithosphere&sxsrf=ALeKk03LppTfM
b5g1WBWuuFpISHDtur5sg:1592799239464&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1
&fir=lEIM3XttHHniM%253A%252ChUa9W0afPW5C7M%252C_&vet=1&usg
=AI4_kQ7_lTQGEt6xZDbyw_EZmolRuoeg&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjEjvfGx5T
qAhWXmEKHR79BZ8Q9QEwDnoECAkQIg&biw=1350&bih=578#imgrc=7I
2uWM-IYoLu3M (Accessed date: June 24, 2020).

Mangali, Glen R. and Mylene D.G. Oliva. DIWA Senior High School Series: Earth
and Life Science Module. Philippines: DIWA LEARNING SYSTEM INC.,
2016.

“Planet Earth”, Slide Share, Published Aug. 14, 2008

https://www.slideshare.net/basdsci/planet-earth-presentation.

Salandana, Gloria G., Ruben E. Faltado, and Merle B. Lopez. Earth and Life
Sciences for Senior High School (Core Subject). Quezon City, Metro Manila,
Philippines: LORIMAR Publishing Inc., 2016.

Structure of the Atmosphere

https://www.google.com/search?q=atmosphere&tbm=isch&ved=2ah
UKEwj24cagjZPqAhUDkJ4KHWG_DzcQ2cCegQIABAA&oq=atmos&gs_lcp=

Tanner, Lupe, PhD. “Which characteristics enabled Earth to support and sustain
life?”. enotes. https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/which-
characteristics-enabled-earth-support-680210.

“What is biosphere? “Quora. https://www.quora.com/What-is-biosphere-1.

Accessed February 14, 2022.

“What is the Hydrosphere? - Definition & Examples - Video & Lesson Transcript.”
Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the- hydrosphere-
definition-examples-quiz.html. Accessed February 14, 2022.

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL
SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent

JOELYZA M. ARCILLA EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

MARCELO K. PALISPIS EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

NILITA L. RAGAY EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent / CID Chief

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
PSDS – Division Science Coordinator

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)
DEXTER JUNE G. TAGACTAC
Writer
BONG K. TAG-AT
Editor

ZENLI ROSE B. MONGCUPA

BONG K. TAG-AT
Lay-out Artists
_________________________________
ALPHA QA TEAM
LIEZEL A. AGOR
MARY JOYCEN A. ALAM-ALAM
EUFRATES G. ANSOK
JOAN Y. BUBULI
MA. OFELIA BUSCATO
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
DEXTER D. PAIRA
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO

BETA QA TEAM
ZENAIDA A. ACADEMIA LIEZEL A. BESAS
DORIN FAYE D. CADAYDAY LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
MERCY G. DAGOY PETER PAUL A. PATRON
BETA QA TEAMTHOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO
RANJEL D. ESTIMAR
MARIA SALOME B. GOMEZ ZENAIDA A. ACADEMIAJOAN Y. VALENCIA
DORIN FAYE D. CADAYDAY
JUSTIN PAUL ARSENIO C. KINAMOT
MERCY G. DAGOY
RANJEL D. ESTIMAR
DISCLAIMER
MARIA SALOME B. GOMEZ
The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide
accessible learning modality to theJUSTIN PAUL KINAMOT of the Division of Negros Oriental. The
teachers and learners
contents of this module are carefullyARJIE T. PALUMPA
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 self-learning kit deals

with describing the characteristics of
Earth which are necessary to support
life. We live in a unique planet which
may be the only one in our solar
system that has life in it. A habitable
planet has abiotic factors and
characteristics that are just right for
allowing life to exist. There are a
number of factors that enable life to
exist on Earth: presence of liquid
water, atmosphere, and sun. Earth
has 4 subsystems that operate and
interact together to support and
sustain life. The four subsystems are as
follow: lithosphere (land),
hydrosphere (water), atmosphere
(air), biosphere (living things).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DEXTER JUNE G. TAGACTAC, is a licensed professional
teacher. He is a graduate of St. Paul University
Dumaguete, with the degree of Bachelor of Secondary
Education Major in Biological Science. He is currently
teaching at Negros Oriental High School as a Senior High
Science teacher. He is currently studying Master of Arts in
Science Teaching.

ABOUT THE EDITOR

BONG K. TAG-AT is a Licensed Professional
Teacher who is currently teaching at Manjuyod
National High School – Senior High School
Department at Sundo- an, Manjuyod, Negros
Oriental, Philippines. He is a graduate of Negros
Oriental State University, Bais City Campuses with
a degree of Bachelor of Secondary Education
Major in Biological Science.

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