DE Science Elementary “5-Minute Prep” For Earth’s Features Earth Materials Structure of the Earth

Structure of the Earth – The Big Ideas The Earth’s internal structure consists of layers. These include the crust, mantle, and inner and outer cores. The crust of the Earth is the least dense layer, and is made of tectonic plates. The thickest layer of the Earth is the mantle, which is under the crust. The outer core of the Earth is made of iron, but is a liquid and very hot. The inner core of the Earth is solid and dense, and is also made of iron and some nickel. Material moves slowly from one Earth layer to another.

Structure of the Earth – Prior Knowledge Students probably know that Earth is shaped like a sphere. They may not know there are different layers to Earth, and will probably not know the characteristics of each layer. They probably will also not have much background knowledge about tectonic plates. It will help students to use the Exploration to learn the basics about the layers of Earth and tectonic plates. It will also help if they have seen a cross section picture of Earth.

Structure of the Earth – Common Misconceptions The Earth’s core is solid. –Reality: It is believed that the innermost part of Earth’s core is solid, but the outer core is liquid and very hot. Lava comes from the center of the Earth. –Reality: Lava originates by melting in the mantle of Earth. The Earth’s crust is a uniform thickness. –Reality: The crust under the ocean is 5-10 km thick, while the continental crust is km thick. The soil is miles deep. –Reality: Even the most fertile soil is only a foot or so deep. There are many layers of soil before you reach the bedrock, including top soil, sub soil, and weathered plant material.

Structure of the Earth – Using DE Science Content When you close this presentation, you can review the following recommended resources for Structure of the Earth. Exploration: Structure of the Earth Reading Passage: Models of the Inside of Earth Video: What is Inside Our Planet? eBook: The Journey to the Center of the Earth: Fact or Fiction?eBook: The Journey to the Center of the Earth: Fact or Fiction? Use the PowerPoint version of this presentation for hyperlinks to these resources or you can get to them through the browser or search feature.

Structure of the Earth – Instructional Ideas Use the Exploration as an introduction to the concepts of the Structure of the Earth. If possible, take students to the computer lab so they can explore, read, and click to learn more at their own pace. Create a Web search for your students based on the interactive vocabulary glossary. Students can navigate through the key words while answering your questions. Students can create their own models of the Earth using clay after learning about the four layers. Students can also make a scale model cross section of the Earth out of paper by doing simple mathematical conversions and measurements.

State standards: If you wish to review your state standards regarding Structure of the Earth, click here to get to the curriculum standards search feature of DES. You can click on any standard to see what resources are available to teach it. Additional Information: For additional content, check the Extend section within the concept.