Curated OER
Edible Four-Layer Earth
This lesson is designed to come after students have studied about the four main layers of the earth. They may relate the size of the sections to known objects such as the mantle to the size of a grapefruit and the outer core to the size...
Curated OER
The Earth's Layers Foldable
In this earth's layers worksheet, students build a model of the earth's layers with colored paper including the crust, the mantle, the inner core and the outer core.
American Museum of Natural History
Edible Earth
Create an edible model of the Earth using crispy rice cereal, marshmallows, and chocolate, yum! Model layers include the outer core, inner core, mantle, and crust.
University of Alaska
Clay Model Earth
What a great way to incorporate hands-on learning while teaching about the earth's layers. The class observes an overhead transparency (linked in Included Materials) as they create their own model Earth using different colors of clay....
Curated OER
The Geology of a Snicker’s Bar: Tectonic Plates
Students explore the layers of the Earth using a Snicker's bar. In this science instructional activity, students identify the parts of the Snicker's bar and identify which layer of the Earth the parts of the candy bar would represent....
NOAA
Wooly Magma
Model the earth's core with a neat activity that uses science as an inquiry and step-by-step procedures. The activity acquires a lot of assistance from the teacher or volunteer helpers.
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
What causes earthquakes? Second graders learn about stresses from plate movement with a set of hands-on activities. After tracing fault lines on a map with yarn, class members create a paper plate model of Earth to show its layers and...
Curated OER
Earth's Layers Foldable Questions Sheet
In this earth's layers worksheet, students answer questions about the main layers of the earth using the model they built in the activity. They write details about each layer and answer questions.
Curated OER
Inner Circle/Outer Circle Debate Strategy
Arranged in facing concentric circles, half the class discusses an issue. The other half of the class takes notes which are then used to fuel a class discussion and to prepare editorial opinions on the topic at hand. So much emphasis is...
NOAA
Plate Tectonics Interactive
Here is a plate tectonics interactive that will really move your class! The first of a 13-part series introduces young geologists to the fundamental concepts and vocabulary they need to understand the interactions between crustal plates....
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
The pre-lab portion of the lesson introduces emerging geologists to the various layers that make up Earth. After completing a sheet on the identification of the layers, class members simulate plate boundaries and their...
Curated OER
Layers of the Earth (Crust, Mantle, Inner and Outer Cores)
Students study the layers of the Earth. In this Earth's crust lesson students complete an activity, divide into groups and diagram and define given terms.
Curated OER
Socratic Seminars in English Class
What is a Socratic Seminar? Discover this type of discussion and it functions. Split the class into two groups with Group A sitting in an inner circle and Group B in an outer circle. Each person in Group B is assigned to a person in...
CK-12 Foundation
Field Lines
The earth has a giant magnetic field caused by the liquid iron that constantly moves in the outer core. Scholars explore the magnetic fields of four different planets. The strength and alignment of the poles relates to the implications...
Science 4 Inquiry
Layers of the Earth
We can't dig a hole through the Earth, so how do we know about the layers beneath our feet? Scholars learn about layering through hands-on exploration of common materials. They study the characteristics of each layer and apply their...
Curated OER
Label the Earth Diagram
In this earth's layer worksheet, students label a diagram of the earth's layers. They are given 4 terms and their definitions to read and students determine which layer is which on the diagram based on the definitions.
Geographer Online
Restless Earth
In less than 25 years, the continent of Australia moved 4.9 feet thanks to plate tectonics. The presentation introduces the idea of the layers of the earth as well as plate tectonics. It goes into why the plates move and where we believe...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fifth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Fifth graders continue their investigation of the plate tectonics cycle with an exploration of the movement of Earth's crust. During the lab, young geologists conduct an experiment to discover the result of different types of stress...
Scholastic
Lesson One: The Earth, Background and Glossary
How much do you really know about our planet? Middle schoolers build up their prior knowledge about Earth, its placement in the solar system, its composition, and important geological vocabulary with an introductory earth science lesson.
It's About Time
Paleoclimates
How do scientists know what the Earth was like in the past? This second installment of a six-part series focuses on paleoclimates and provides an overview of how geologists determine information about past climates using fossil pollen,...
NOAA
Plate Tectonics I
Young geologists get a glimpse beneath the earth's surface in this plate tectonics investigation. After first learning about the different layers of the earth and the constant movement of its plates, young geologists work in small groups...
Mr. E. Science
Plate Tectonics
Get a detailed look at plate tectonics with a 14-slide presentation that highlights the Earth's layers, continental drift, seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics, and boundary types. Each slide provides thorough explanations,...
Curated OER
The Earth's Layers
In this earth's layers worksheet, students learn about the 3 different layers of the earth: core, mantle and crust. They then use this information to answer the 16 questions in the packet. The answers are all on the last page.
Curated OER
Earthquakes: Sixth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Young seismologists learn more about plate tectonics with a set of pre-lab, lab, and post-lab lessons plans on earthquakes. After exploring how waves travel through various materials, sixth graders record their observations and draw...