Earth's Energy & Matter Cycles - FREE Video Worksheet - Middle School Science

Why do mountains rise and valleys form? How do rocks transform from one type to another? What powers earthquakes and volcanoes? The answer lies in understanding how energy flows through Earth's systems, driving the continuous cycling of materials from core to crust and back again!

[Preview this free video here on YouTube]

Standards:

Perfect for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students studying Earth's systems, geology, and energy transfer. This video aligns with NGSS standard MS-ESS2-1, exploring how energy drives the cycling of Earth's materials.

TEKS Addressed: 
🎯 Middle School Science: 6.10.C - The student is expected to describe how metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary rocks form and change through geologic processes in the rock cycle. 
7.10.B - The student is expected to describe how plate tectonics causes ocean basin formation, earthquakes, mountain building, and volcanic eruptions, including supervolcanoes and hot spots.

⭐ What's Covered?:

✅ How energy from Earth's interior and the sun drive Earth's processes 
✅ The rock cycle: how rocks transform between igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic 
✅ How plate tectonics moves Earth's materials and creates landforms 
✅ The role of heat energy in convection, melting, and metamorphism 
✅ How weathering and erosion cycle materials at Earth's surface 
✅ Why Earth's interior stays hot and drives geological processes 
✅ Real examples: volcanoes, mountain building, and rock formation

What will the students be doing?

● Students will be given either a printed or digital handout to record answers on.

● Either individually or as a class watch the video

● Then, they will use the video and their own knowledge to answer the questions.

● Use questions to spark discussions and apply information beyond the page!