Earth Science: Geology, Unit 1

The Earth Has Layers

We are continuing with the four-year cycle for both science and history this year. That means it's Earth science for us! Our yearlong study of the Earth will be broken down into three segments...geology, weather and space.

We had a really good experience with Evan-Moor ScienceWorks last year, so we will continue with it for Earth science as well. Evan-Moor doesn't have an appropriately-aged ScienceWorks book for weather, so we will use a resource from The Mailbox for that segment.

Geology - Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Geology, Grades 1-3
Weather - The Mailbox Investigating Weather, Grades 1-3
Space - Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Exploring Space, Grades 1-3

I'm feeling conflicted as to how to organize the science portion of our blog this year. Last year, I posted by the week. Each week typically featured one unit's worth of work. We added a complete language arts program to Tessa's schedule this year, so that has increased her daily workload by a good bit. Unfortunately, this means we have to tighten our schedules for science and history. Except for very rare occasion, we will study science a strict three days per week. That means, some weeks we will cover two units and other weeks we will split one unit over two (or even three) weeks. So, what I'm trying to say with all of my rambling is that I think it makes more sense to post by the unit this year.

Here we go...unit one!

Monday

• Completed Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Geology, Grades 1-3 "The Earth Has Layers: Crust, Mantel, Core - Locate the Layer" activity and worksheet (page 6).
• Read Planet Earth/Inside Out by Gail Gibbons.

Tuesday

• Listened to The Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth audiobook by Joanna Cole.
• Completed Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Geology, Grades 1-3 "The Earth Has Layers: Crust, Mantel, Core - A Trip to the Center of the Earth" activity (page 7).

Tessa thought this simple paper craft was pretty cool. She moved "The Magic School Bus" through the layers of the Earth!

Wednesday

• Completed Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Geology, Grades 1-3 "The Earth Has Layers: Crust, Mantel, Core - Summary Activity" and "Extension Activities - Clay Models of the Earth" (page 8).
• Sorted and labeled the layers of the Earth with Layers of the Earth Nomenclature Cards by The Helpful Garden.

Since the record sheet that goes along with the "Clay Models..." activity was a lot like The Magic School Bus activity Tessa completed on Tuesday, I had her sort and label the layers of the Earth with the free Layers of the Earth Nomenclature Cards from The Helpful Garden. I printed them in black and white and then colored them by hand to match the layers from the "Clay Models..." activity.

Using modeling clay, Tessa created a model of the Earth with secret layers inside. 

Tessa wasn't very happy about cutting open her model. After explaining that was the whole point of making it, she correctly identified the layers...inner core (red), outer core (yellow), mantle (orange) and the Earth's crust (blue and green).