Transcript Structure of the Earth

DE Science Elementary
“5-Minute Prep” For
Earth’s Features
Earth Materials
Structure of the Earth
Structure of the Earth – The Big Ideas
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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 30-50 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.
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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?
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.
http://discoveryeducation.com/forward/curriculum.cfm
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.