Distribution of Water on Earth Activities for 5th Grade Science

The Kesler Science Distribution of Water on Earth 5E Lesson provides an engaging and comprehensive unit designed for elementary students to explore how water is distributed on our planet. Aligned with the 5E Model—Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation—this lesson includes editable presentations, differentiated worksheets, interactive notebook pages in English and Spanish, student-choice projects, and STAAR-aligned assessments.

Students investigate essential questions about Earth's water distribution through a differentiated, multimodal station lab with nine interactive stations. Activities range from hands-on experiments and differentiated reading passages in Spanish and English, to digital research and videos. Students also demonstrate their understanding by organizing concepts, writing explanations, illustrating ideas, and completing formal assessments.

For elaboration, students can deepen their learning through choice projects suitable for classroom or home use. Designed for flexibility, all resources are fully editable, printable, and digital-friendly, making them ideal for both classroom and virtual learning environments. This unit supports diverse learners, fostering engagement and student success.

Engage your 5th graders with this student-led station lab aligned to NGSS standards about the distribution of water on Earth. Designed for both in-class and virtual learning, students direct their own learning through eight interactive stations, plus a bonus challenge station for early finishers.

Students explore water distribution through multimodal activities including experiments, research, reading passages (available in English and Spanish), and educational videos. They demonstrate understanding through organizing manipulatives, illustrating models, writing short responses, and completing task-card assessments. The bonus station offers advanced learners crosswords, games, and mini-projects.

This modular, differentiated resource promotes active engagement, critical thinking, and independent learning, supporting various classroom setups.

The Distribution of Water on Earth Student Choice Projects align with NGSS standards, allowing 5th-grade students to select a project suited to their preferred style. Students choose from nine provided project options or create their own, all clearly outlined on an included project page. An editable rubric supports assessments by teachers, peers, or students themselves, evaluating vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy.

These flexible, multimodal projects let students creatively demonstrate their understanding. Two project page versions offer differentiation, providing modified options to support students needing remediation and combinations of projects for advanced learners seeking additional challenges.

Projects utilize common classroom materials like paper, markers, scissors, and optional crafting supplies. Many activities can also be completed digitally.

This 5th Grade Earth Science Interactive Notebook is essential for teachers seeking to maximize student engagement when teaching elementary earth science concepts. It is versatile for traditional classrooms, 1:1 digital settings, or distance learning, providing both digital and paper versions. Digital resources feature interactive PowerPoint files compatible with Google Slides, MS Teams, Schoology, and Canvas, reflection pages, note-taking spaces, teacher answer keys, and modified versions for students needing accommodations. The paper resources include blank templates, pre-filled versions for absent or modified instruction students, and color photos demonstrating template usage.

Topics covered include the brightness of the Sun and stars, observable patterns of the sky, Earth's spheres, the distribution of water on Earth, protecting Earth's resources, sedimentary rock and fossil fuels, changes to Earth's surface, weather and climate, the water cycle, Earth’s rotation, and the Sun, the Moon, and Earth. These notebook templates also integrate seamlessly into Kesler Science 5E Lessons.