Students will be able to obtain and communicate information about the relative position, density, and composition of Earth’s layers to describe the crust, mantle, and core. 8.E.5A.3
Content Knowledge Support
- Read and compete interactive science workbook pages 386-395.
Discussion Topics
- Check out this amazing interactive that will allow you to do the impossible...take a journey to the center of the Earth! For this discussion tell your own story about what it would be like to journey to the center of the Earth. Explain using specific evidence from this week's content knowledge resources what it would be like to actually experience each of these layers (crust, mantle, core). Be sure to include some equipment you would need to take with you to try and survive each of these layers during your extraordinary journey to the center of the Earth.
Recommended Exercises
(Level 2) Application
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(Level 4) Evaluation
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Additional Exercises & Extensions
(Level 1) Comprehension
(Level 2) Application
- Carefully complete this Earth layers exploration Google Form.
(Level 3) Analysis
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(Level 4) Evaluation
- Research and evaluate the greatest model of Earths layers using this assignment TEMPLATE.
(Level 5) Creation
- Create your own model of the layers of Earth using Google Draw. For each layer include information about the relative position, density, or composition to describe the crust, mantle, outer, and inner core (4 points). Evaluate your model by including 3 or more strengths of your model in terms of accuracy (3 points) as well as at least 3 weaknesses of your model describing how it does not accurately depict the actual layers of the Earth (3 points).
Additional Explorations
- Scientists have been able to identify the composition of inner and outer core based on the movement of seismic waves through the Earth's layers. How can scientists do this?
- Scientists have been able to identify the composition of the mantle based on the movement of seismic waves through the Earth's layers as well as materials ejected from volcanic activity. Most lava that erupts during volcanic activity is actually just melted crust and is not material from the mantle and/or the core. How do scientists do this?
- The reason that the inner core is solid, despite being at very high temperatures, is because of the weight of all the other materials above it (crust, mantle, and outer core). The pressure of these layers keeps the inner core solid. How much pressure does it take to make liquid iron and nickel metal into a solid?
- The movement of the inner and outer core results in Earth's magnetic field. What would happen if the inner and outer core stopped moving? How would this impact Earth?
Future Learning Connections (9-12)
- Analyze and interpret data to explain the differentiation of Earth's internal structure using (1) the production of internal heat from the radioactive decay of unstable isotopes, (2) gravitational energy, (3) data from seismic waves, and (4) Earth's magnetic field.
English Language Learners
Module Review Resources
Vocabulary Practice
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