SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

QUARTER 1- WEEK 1
Earth as a Unique Planet

EARTH &
LIFE SCIENCE

Learning Competency

Recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being the only planet in the solar system with
properties necessary to support life. (S11/12ES-Ia-e-3)
Department of Education Republic of the Philippines
 Learning Competency

Recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being the only planet in the solar system with
properties necessary to support life. (S11/12ES-Ia-e-3)
Name of Learner: _____________________________________________________
Grade Level: _________________________________________________________
Section: ____________________________________________________________
Date: _______________________________________________________________

What Makes Earth so Unique?

Background Information:
Earth, our home planet, is a perfectly designated system of forest, lakes
and rivers, and intricate layers that all work together to form a sustainable
environment that houses species beyond our count and imagination. A beautiful and
complex fundamental set of ingredients form life on this planet and without one of
these ingredients life would not have been possible. Like variables in an equation,
everything in our planet is dependent on one another and everything combined
predicts the outcome. Everything living on this planet in in perfect balance and
harmony with its natural surroundings, but since humanity emerged and advanced
we have become unappreciative and turned a blind eye on nature
How did life on this beautiful planet come into being? What are the
fundamental ingredients that make life on this planet possible?

Learning Competency & Code:

The learners shall be able to recognize the uniqueness of Earth, being
the only planet in the solar system with properties necessary to support life.
(S11/12ES-Ia-e-3)

TRY THIS!

Direction: Read each item carefully and use your notebook to write your answers.

1. It supports respiration.
2. It is abundant in space and on other planets but not in the form necessary for life.
3. It is the neglected characteristic of our planet
4. It is the layer that influences the Earth’s magnetic field
5. It is the centermost part of the Earth
6. It is the raw material for photosynthesis
7. It is involved in the many reduction – oxygen reactions that are taking place in the
cell.
8. It is the cause of atmosphere leaking into outer space
9. It is the cause of earth attracting meteors to its surface.
10. It is the episode where the sun ejects a substantial portion of its corona.
11. It is known as the red planet
12. It is the only inhabited planet
13. t is composed of numerous interacting parts or subsystems
14. What makes the Earth is unique in the universe?
15. It represents the unending circulation of Earth’s water among the hydrosphere,
atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere
DO THIS!

Task 1:

Directions: Answer the question briefly.

Why do you think that Earth is the only planet in our solar system that is
capable in supporting life?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Task 2:

Directions: Analyze each picture and describe using one word.

1 3

2 4

EXPLORE!

What makes the Earth the only living planet in the Solar system?
View no. 1: There are those who think that life was simply imported to earth from
alien space.
View no. 2: Others think that Life is a property of the Earth involving different
processes.
Fact: The Earth has a life-supporting capacity, involving several factors.
These factors are:
1. Right distance to the sun 5. Presence of molecular oxygen
2. Presence of an atmosphere 6. Presence of liquid water
3. Right amount of gravity 7. Generation of internal heat
4. Presence of magnetosphere 8. Energy from lightning
Factors that enable Earth to support life:
1. Right distance to the sun:
It is important to know that the Earth is neither to close or too far from the sun.
It has the right distance for water to exist in three physical forms: liquid, solid and
gas.
Water, is an indispensable inorganic substance for life.
If the earth is too close to the sun, water would vaporize, hence , useless to life. On
the other hand, if the Earth is too far from the sun, the water would be rock hard , and
would be of no use to any living thing.
Water, in its liquid form can support life as either : (1) Habitat, and (2) is the
very component of the cells ( where water acts as a medium of biochemical
reactions).

FYI: the Earth is in the so-called GOLDILOCKS’ ZONE from the sun.

Goldilocks’ Zone—on balance. It is neither too hot nor too cold for living things
on its surface.

2. Presence of an Atmosphere:
The presence of atmosphere on Earth, along with all its associated gaseous
components helps make life possible in our planet. Part of the atmosphere is the
OZONE Layer, which protects living things from the damaging ultraviolet rays of the
sun.
CO2, also found in the atmosphere. Its presence in the right amount and other
greenhouse gasses helps retain enough heat for living things. If all heat from the sun
were reflected back into space it becomes too cold, the planet would freeze. On the
other hand, if too much heat would be retained, a run-away global warming would
occur. (very much, like Venus).
**Do you know that CO2 is also necessary for Photosynthesis (a fundamental
process that supports life). The atmosphere also contains the essential components
for the formation of organic molecules (water, methane, ammonia, hydrogen gas).

3. Right amount of gravity:

The Earth’s gravity is a decisive factor for life’s existence. If the Earth has
Weak Gravity, the atmosphere would easily leak into outer space, which would mean
that emerging life would have no protection.
If the Earth has Strong gravity, the planet would probably be attracting
meteors, which would constantly influence its surface, thus creating endless
cataclysms. These events would afford little and insufficient time for emerging life to
evolve.
4. Presence of magnetosphere:
The Earth’s magnetic field is produced by the rotation of the planet’s core and
rotation of the planet itself.

FYI: Magnetosphere’s role is now finally recognized.

It is important to point out that without a magnetic field, the

atmosphere and the surface of the Earth would be constantly
bombarded with solar wind and cosmic particles. Thus resulting to
decimation of any emergent life form. The planet’s magnetic field
renders particles from the sun less harmful.

Example: Coronal Mass Ejection—a dangerous episode where the sun

5. Presence of molecular oxygen:

It is best to realize that without molecular oxygen, life on Earth would be
inconceivable. Oxygen, in our case Molecular Oxygen supports respiration; It is
needed for energy production. It is a constant requirement of all living things.
Remember that it is involved in many reduction—oxygen reactions that takes place in
the cell.

6. Presence of liquid water:

Water is abundant in space and on other planets, but not in the form that is
necessary for life. Liquid water is the form necessary for life. Water is essential to life,
as site and medium of biochemical reactions. Water is also a raw material for
photosynthesis. It is a component of the cells.

Moon and Mars have water but in solid form and in small amounts.

7. Generation of internal heat:

Generation of internal heat is a characteristic of our planet. The Earth
constantly generates heat, internal heat from the core since its planetary birth. This
heat comes from the time of the Earth’s formation and decay of radioactive elements
at its core.
The Internal Heat is responsible for the geological processes evident on the
surface. These Geological processes includes the following examples: mountain
building, volcanism, and plate tectonics. There are also other processes important to
life, such as outgassing of volcanoes, released ammonia, methane, and other gasses
into the primitive atmosphere. These gasses were raw materials for the
biosynthesis of simple organic molecules that underwent chemical evolution to form
biomolecules essential to living cells.
The geological changes created pressure for living things to evolve into
diverse forms.

Figure 1. Earth’s geothermal Energy

from Inner Core.

Source: www.google.search.favpng

8. Energy from lightning:

Lightning provides the energy for the formation of biomolecules from simple
inorganic and organic compounds. These organic compounds may include water,
methane, ammonia, hydrogen gas.
These compounds (both inorganic and organic) became abundant in the
primitive Earth’s atmosphere. These compounds were virtually unnoticed until space
probes were designed to monitor lightning from space. It has been discovered that
lightning occurs so frequently in the atmosphere that its role in the formation of life
has become greatly appreciated.

KEEP THIS IN MIND

Remember the following and take note that:

 Our planet has a molten metallic core which enables it to hold a magnetic field
 The magnetic field prevents lethal cosmic rays from showering Earth’s surface
and stripping the Earth’s atmosphere.
 Earth has a liquid water and active water cycle exist.
 Proximity of the Earth to the sun allowed enough time for the evolution of
humans.
 About 2.2 billion years ago an atmosphere with free oxygen came into existence.
 The oxygen rich atmosphere makes higher life forms develop

Remember that the Earth Is Unique because of the following:

 It is the only place in the universe that can support life.
 It is a modest sized planet that orbits an average- sized sun.
 Our planet has molten metallic core that enable it to hold a magnetic field.
 The magnetic field prevents lethal cosmic rays from showering its surface and
stripping Earth’s atmosphere.
 The atmosphere is composed primarily of water vapor and carbon dioxide without
free oxygen.
 Microorganisms that evolved released oxygen into the atmosphere by the
process

APPLY WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED

Task 4:

Make a video report regarding the sun’s role in evolution and flourishing of life
on Earth. Include in your video how the sun affects our weather, climate,
communication systems and others.
Keep your video report within the 3-minute time range only. Post the title of
your video here and send your video to the group chat assigned to you by the
teacher.

Task 5:

1. Slice a boiled egg into two.

2. Observe closely the composition of the egg.
3. Relate the composition of the egg to the layers of the Earth.
4. Draw the sliced egg and label it using the layers of the Earth.

REFLECT
 I have learned that _______________________________________________

I have realized that ______________________________________________

I will apply ____________________________________________________

ASSESS WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED

Instructions. Write the correct answer on the blanks provided.

__________1. For all living things, it supports respiration.

__________2. Is abundant in space and on other planets but not in the form
necessary for life
__________3. It is involved in the many reduction – oxygen reactions that are taking
place in the cell.
__________4. It is the cause of atmosphere leaking into outer space
__________5. It is the cause of earth attracting meteors to its surface
__________6. What makes the Earth unique in the universe?
__________7. It is the only inhabited planet.
__________8. It is abundant in space and other planets but not in the form
necessary for life
__________9. The layer influences the Earth’s magnetic field
__________10. If the sun is too close to Earth it would cause the water to be.
__________11. It is known as the red planet.
__________12. It is the only inhabited planet.
__________13. Ii is composed of numerous interacting parts or subsystems.
__________14. What characteristic makes the Earth unique in the universe?
__________15. It represents the unending circulation of Earth’s water among the
hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere.
References:

www.google.search.favpng

https://video.genyt.net/_J0D61ttTPM . Why is the Earth Special?

https://www.ducksters.com/science/composition_of_the_earth.php .

https://socratic.org/questions/what-are-the-depths-of-the-layers-of-the-earth

Dela Pena,R, Gracilla,D., & Pangilinan, C.(2016).Earth and Life Science. JFS
Publishing Services

Reyes, J, & Reyes, M.(2017). Earth Science, Our Universe, Our Planet, Our Future,
for Senior High School. Unlimited Books Library Services & Publishing , Inc.

Salandan,G,Faltrado,R., & Lopez, M.(2016).Earth and Life Sciences for Senior high
school (Core subject). Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Refran,Tolentino & Genuino.(2016).Earth and life Science. Vibal Group Inc.

ANSWER KEY

TRY THIS (PRE-ASSESSMENT) ASSESS WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED

1. oxygen 1. oxygen
2. water 2. water
3. generation of internal heat 3. oxygen
4. core 4. weak gravity
5. inner core 5. strong gravity
6. water 6. support life
7. oxygen 7. Earth
8. weak gravity 8. water
9. strong gravity 9. core
10. corona mass ejection 10. rock hard
11. Mars 11. Mars
12. Earth 12. Earth
13. Earth 13. Earth
14. Only planet that can support life 14. Only planet that supports life
15. Hydrologic cycle 15. Hydrologic cycle
Prepared by:

JOEBERT C. DORADO
Science Coordinator
Dulangan National High School
Schools Division of Capiz

PATRICIA ISABEL A. ALANES

Teacher I
Dulangan National High School
Schools Division of Capiz