Year 9 Planet Earth and Beyond - School Use

This resource covers the things you need to know and be able to do for the Planet Earth and Beyond topic of Year 9 Science.  

If we view Earth from space we see a planet which, unlike other planets in our solar system, has liquid water at the surface, clouds in its atmosphere, and large and small solid continents. It looks quite different from the other planets which are all cloud or cratered rock.

We tend to think that Earth looks beautiful compared with the other planets, but of course we're biased. But at least we know that this combination of liquid water, rock and a gaseous atmosphere supports the life of which we're a part.

What you'll learn

In this resource you'll work through two main sections:

1. Astronomy and our solar system

In this section, we’ll explore both historical ideas about how our solar system came into being and current theories on the subject, considering how we can know about events that happened so long ago or in places we can never physically reach. You’ll learn about the astronomical knowledge held by Māori, as well as Māori narratives about the creation of Earth and the meanings of various things we see in the sky.

2. Getting to know the planet we live on

In this section of the resource, we’ll explore Earth in detail, focusing on the four ‘spheres’: the geosphere (land, including rocks and soil), the hydrosphere (water), the biosphere (living things), and the atmosphere (air). We’ll also examine the role of the water cycle and the importance of water to both life on Earth and the shaping of our landscapes through processes like weathering and erosion.

In addition, because it’s essential to understand the issue of climate change, we’ve highlighted relevant scientific concepts covered in this course. This focus is hardly surprising, as climate change represents the response of Earth’s systems to the increasing accumulation of heat energy from the Sun.

This resource will give you a good grounding in the basic knowledge and language you need to take forward to the Planet Earth and Beyond section of Year 10 Sciences.

LearnWell Digital resources put the learner at the centre. Using almost any device, students can easily work at a pace that suits them through interactive, scaffolded learning and activities.  

For the print format of this resource, click here.

For Equipment Requirement list, click here.

This resource brings you the same great learning as the printed Learning Guide, but in a digital format.  

You can find out more on the information page about our LearnWell Digital resources.