Structure of the Earth

How did scientists discover what lies beneath the earth's surface? Dig a hole? X-ray vision? Guide your class through the types of seismic waves and how these waves helped shed light on Earth's many layers. The included resources provide...

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...

Each of the Earth's spheres interacts with the other spheres in predictable ways. Young scientists explore these interactions through a hands-on activity, graphing, and watching a video. They summarize their knowledge in a video or...

Crack the crust of earth science vocabulary with this vocabulary exercise. Kids use the key at the top of the page to decode the words that are written in numbers rather than letters. Each encoded word is part of a sentence...

How do you put 4.5 billion years into terms that young scholars can understand? Use your arms! Examine just how long our Earth has been around in a short video. The content includes the appearance of single-celled, then...

Why does the moon stay put, never getting too close or too far from Earth? See the truth unfold through interviews and a simulation using a basketball and a tennis ball. The host helps guide the discussion, all while spinning a ball to...

Determine what young pupils already know about earth science with a brainstorming activity. After class members work together to complete a KWL chart about the Earth, they craft an acrostic poem to demonstrate their understanding.

Winter, spring, summer, and fall—Earth experiences them all! But what about Mars? Scholars compare the planets in terms of distance, tilt, and rotation during a lesson from PBS's Space series. Great visual models of Earth and Mars, plus...

Take a trip back in time as the history of the earth is uncovered. An interesting video lesson explains the different methods scientists use to learn about the earth's past. While emphasizing teaching strategies, the lesson instructor...

For this activity students explore earth-friendly materials that can be used in home environments. They learn about the relationship between the environment and design, and use a variety of problem-solving strategies. They work in...