Protect Earth's Resources Activities for 5th Grade Science

The Kesler Science Protect Earth’s Resources 5th Grade Complete 5E Lesson provides all the materials needed for an engaging, multi-day unit on how humans can protect the environment. With minimal prep, this lesson promotes student-led learning and ensures maximum engagement, covering essential questions about human impacts on the natural world and science-based solutions. The lesson is designed for flexibility, offering differentiated materials, editable PowerPoints, and both printable and digital formats.

Based on the 5E Model, the lesson includes five stages: Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Students explore Earth’s resource protection through nine differentiated stations, such as hands-on experiments (Explore It!), reading and comprehension (Read It!), and research (Research It!). Output stations help students demonstrate understanding through tasks like writing (Write It!) and drawing (Illustrate It!), while the Challenge It! station offers extension activities for early finishers.

The lesson is fully adaptable for both in-person and virtual environments. Interactive notebooks, digital files, and assessment questions are included in English and Spanish to support diverse learning needs. Whether in the classroom or remote learning, this complete lesson encourages critical thinking and empowers students to take action in protecting Earth's resources.

Engage your classroom with this student-led station lab designed to help fifth-grade students explore how science can be used by individuals and communities to protect Earth’s resources and environment. Aligned with earth science standards, the lesson promotes critical thinking through a variety of interactive and independent activities that support both in-class and virtual learning environments.

Students rotate through nine modular stations, including hands-on tasks, readings, video analysis, digital interactions, and written responses. Activities include organizing information, illustrating models, responding to short prompts, and conducting web-based research. A challenge station offers extension opportunities for early finishers, and English and Spanish passages support differentiated instruction.

This low-prep, high-engagement resource includes all necessary materials—signs, task cards, digital files, and lab sheets—for independent or small group work. Teachers act as facilitators while students guide their own learning using PowerPoint or Google Slides, making it adaptable to a variety of classroom settings.

The Kesler Science Protect Earth’s Resources Student Choice Projects offer 5th grade students the opportunity to select a project that aligns with their preferred output style. With six different student-led project options and a “design your own” option, students can showcase their understanding creatively. A flexible grading rubric allows for assessments by teachers, peers, or students themselves.

These projects are dynamic and adaptable, with nine options on the choice board, plus a modified version for students needing additional support. Teachers can modify the rubric to match their grading needs, while multimodal choices give students personalized ways to demonstrate their knowledge.

Designed with everyday classroom supplies in mind, these projects can be completed with basic materials like paper, markers, and scissors, though digital formats are available as well. Whether for remediation, challenges, or digital projects, these Student Choice Projects provide a versatile and engaging learning experience.

The Kesler Science 5th Grade Earth Science Interactive Notebook bundle provides 11 essential topics with multiple templates, making science lessons more engaging and accessible. Designed for traditional, 1:1, and distance learning environments, this resource includes both print and digital formats to fit any classroom setting.  

The digital version features unique interactive PowerPoint files, Google Slides compatibility, reflection pages, and modified templates for students needing accommodations. The paper version includes blank and pre-filled templates, plus color photo examples for easy implementation.  

Covering key earth science topics like the water cycle, Earth's rotation, weather, and fossil fuels, these interactive notebooks help students organize their learning while giving teachers an adaptable, low-prep resource.