Sun & Ocean Interactions Activities for 5th Grade Science

This 5th grade weather unit explains how the Sun and ocean interact in the water cycle and impact weather patterns. The lesson includes editable PowerPoints, worksheets, choice projects, and assessments, with differentiated materials for all learners. It is aligned with the 2021 TEKS 5.10A standard and designed for flexible use in both in-person and virtual classrooms. 

The unit follows the 5E Model with engaging activities for each phase. Students explore the Sun’s and ocean’s role in the water cycle through differentiated station labs, multimodal learning, and hands-on activities, such as reading, experiments, research, and video analysis. They demonstrate understanding by organizing, illustrating, and writing about the water cycle. Extension activities challenge early finishers. 

The lesson includes interactive notebooks, note-taking templates, and editable PowerPoints in English and Spanish. Students apply their learning through student-choice projects and assessments updated for STAAR 2.0. This lesson requires little prep, supports differentiated learning, and offers flexibility for classroom or virtual use.

This student-led station lab focuses on the interactions between the Sun and the ocean, driving the water cycle and influencing weather, aligned with the TEKS 5.10A standard. Designed for 5th-grade students, the activities engage them in exploring Earth science concepts with minimal teacher direction. The station lab includes nine modular activities that allow students to direct their own learning while facilitating teacher support.

The stations provide a variety of resources to help students understand the water cycle and weather processes. Input stations include Explore It! where students apply their knowledge through activities, Watch It! with videos and questions, Read It! featuring short reading passages in English and Spanish, and Research It! which allows students to explore facts and graphs about the Sun's energy and its impact on the oceans.

Output stations give students opportunities to demonstrate their understanding. In Organize It! students use manipulatives or digital tools, Illustrate It! asks them to draw a water cycle model, and Write It! has them respond to prompts with complete sentences. Assess It! helps students assess their grasp of the Sun’s role in the water cycle through task cards, while a bonus station, Challenge It!, provides extension activities for advanced learners.

This resource can be used in both in-person and virtual classrooms, offering flexible, differentiated learning options for all students.

These Water Cycle Student Choice Projects align with the 2021 TEKS Earth and Space Science standard 5.10A, offering 5th graders the chance to choose a project that fits their preferred output style. The project page outlines six student-led options and a “design your own” project. A grading rubric allows for assessments by teachers, peers, or students themselves. This resource is also part of the Sun & Ocean Interactions Complete Lesson for TEKS 5.10A.

The projects are flexible, with teachers able to modify the rubric as needed. Students can use various creative, multimodal methods to demonstrate their understanding.

The resource includes nine project options, a “design your own” project, teacher directions, and editable rubric pages that assess vocabulary, concepts, presentation, clarity, and accuracy. The projects require standard classroom supplies like paper, markers, and scissors, with many options available for digital completion. Differentiated versions of the project page support students needing remediation, while challenge options are available for advanced learners.