Virginia SOL 6.4.b
The Standard
Earth's energy budget relates to living systems and Earth's processes
Virginia Standards of Learning for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students track how solar energy enters Earth’s system, then is reflected, absorbed, transferred, or released as heat. They connect this energy budget to weather, the water cycle, photosynthesis, and other Earth processes.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can use a diagram to explain where incoming solar energy goes. They can predict how changes in clouds, ice, land, or water affect energy absorption and reflection.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think all sunlight is absorbed, or that Earth creates its own solar energy. They may also confuse reflected light with heat released back toward space.
How to Assess It
- Give students a diagram showing sunlight reaching clouds, ice, ocean, and land. Ask them to label reflection and absorption, then explain one effect on living systems.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Shine a lamp on cups of dark soil, water, and ice, then record temperature changes every two minutes.
Write a claim explaining how a change in sea ice could affect Earth’s energy budget and nearby living systems.
Sort process cards into four groups: energy reflected, absorbed, transferred within Earth, or released toward space.
Compare satellite images of a city and nearby forest, then explain how each surface affects heating and local organisms.
Free download
Printable 6.4.b Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 6.4.b, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- 5.8.d
processes such as weathering, erosion, and deposition change the surface of the Earth; and
- 5.8.a
Earth's internal energy causes movement of material within the Earth;
- LS.5.a
matter moves through ecosystems via the carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles;
- LS.5.b
energy flow is represented by food webs and energy pyramids; and
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson