EARTH
ENGAGE
Have you ever thought about how lucky you are to be alive? Everything
on Earth is just right for life to exist, unlike any other known planet in
the universe.
EXPLORE
Earth is the third planet from the sun and the only planet known to harbor life. Earth has many
unique characteristics that set it apart from the other planets in its solar system.
Explanation
Earth is the fifth-largest planet in the solar
system and the third farthest planet from
the sun. Its average distance from the sun
is about 93 million miles. Scientists believe
Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years Earth is the third closest planet to the sun
ago, around the same time as the rest of
the solar system. The diameter of the Earth is about 8000 miles, and the shortest difference from
the North Pole to the South Pole is 12,440 miles. It takes Earth a little more than 365 to orbit
around the sun. Earth makes one rotation on its axis every 24 hours. Because the Earth is tilted on
its axis, there are four seasons on Earth: spring, summer, fall, and winter. The Earth has one moon.
Some refer to Earth as the “Goldilocks planet” because everything is just right for lifeforms to
survive. This includes the temperature, the amount of water, and the natural resources available.
Earth is the only known planet that has large amounts of liquid water. Earth also has a wide range
-1- © Clark Creative Education
of landforms, including mountains, rivers, deserts, oceans, valleys, plains, islands, volcanoes, and
plateaus. About 29% of Earth’s surface is covered by land, including seven continents. The
remaining 71% is covered with water. Over 7.7 billion people and
about 8.7 million species of animals live on Earth, reflecting the
great biodiversity. There is some geological evidence that the
first signs of life emerged on the planet as early as 4.1 billion
years ago. Although life has been able to evolve and thrive, there
have been periods of mass extinctions. In fact, 99 percent of all
species that ever lived on Earth are extinct.
Earth is the densest planet in the solar system. It is made up of
four layers: the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. The
outer layer of the Earth is made up of tectonic plates that move
across the surface over many millions of years. The Earth is
The Earth’s axis is titled at
divided in half by an imaginary circle called the equator. Above
23.5o degrees
the equator is the northern hemisphere, and below it is the
southern hemisphere. Earth’s atmosphere protects life on Earth
by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention, and reducing
temperature extremes between night and day. Most scientists agree that greenhouse gases
produced from human activity that are currently accumulating in the Earth’s atmosphere are the
main cause of global warming.
Earth has three main climate zones: tropical, temperate, and polar. Each region’s specific climate
determines its plant and animal life. Uneven heating of the planet by the sun contribute greatly to
the complex patterns of Earth’s weather.
These patterns include winds, clouds, rain,
storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, snow, and
high and low pressure areas. In addition to
extreme weather, many places on Earth are
subject to earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires,
volcanic eruptions, floods, landslides, and
other natural disasters. Scientists are
continually learning more and more about
the planet that we inhabit.
The Earth’s climate zones
EXTEND
Earth is incredibly biodiverse, and no two locations are exactly alike. The area where you
live has plants, animals, weather patterns, and natural disaster risks that are specific to
your area. Pick a city or town in any other country in the world and learn about life
there. Compare and contrast the two areas to see what they have in common and what
their differences are.
-2- © Clark Creative Education
Earth
Complete the sections below with information from the article.
Vocabulary
Write the definition of each term.
Definition Definition
Earth Equation
Planet Atmosphere
Solar System Climate Zones
Application
The area where you live has plants, animals, weather patterns, and natural disaster risks that are
specific to your area. Pick a city or town in any other country in the world and learn about life
there. Compare and contrast the two areas to see what they have in common and what their
differences are.
-3- © Clark Creative Education
