List the layers of the Earth and provide a short description of each layer starting with the center of the Earth.

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1 Why does the Earth have different layers? List the layers of the Earth and provide a short description of each layer starting with the center of the Earth. How is density related to the layers of the Earth?

2 Assess It! Station Directions It is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station. -Read It! -Explore It! -Watch It! -Research It! Each member will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Assess It! section.

3 Put the layersof Earth inorder from densest to least dense. A. Crust, Mantle, Inner core,outer core B. Inner core, Mantle, Outer core, Crust C. Crust, Mantle, Outer core,inner core D. Inner core, Outer core,mantle, Crust A. Crust B. Mantle C. Outer Core D. Inner Core Which layer plays the greatest role in the movement of tectonic plates? A. Fe and Ni B. Fe and Si C. Ni and Si D. Ni and C Which two elements are mainly found in the inner and outer core? Why is the inner core solid? A. Even though it is as hot as the surface of the Sun, it has immense pressure upon it. B. Iron and Nickel are only solid C. Because Nickel is not dense D. Because it is made up of mostly granite and basalt

4 Read It! Station Directions Each member of the group will read the passage and answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Read It! section. It is important to remember that the answers will come directly from the reading passage.

5 The Layers of the Earth What s beneath your feet right now? Carpet? Tile? A concrete sidewalk? Grass, dirt, and leaves? No matter what you re standing on right now, you re standing at the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Whether you realize it or not, there are thousands of miles of Earth below your feet made up of all sorts of materials, including soil, rock, rivers of water, volcanic lava, and solid iron to name just a few. If you ve ever dug a hole in your backyard, you know that digging can be a lot of work. It can be fun, though, to see what lies below the surface. Your hole probably consisted mainly of dirt and possibly a few rocks along the way. The deeper you dig, the harder it is to see to the bottom of the hole you re digging. Unless you climb down into the hole, it also gets harder to dig the deeper you go. That s why people who dig holes for a living, such as coal mines and water wells, use specialized equipment that allows them to dig really deep holes. Even the deepest coal mines and water wells, though, barely scratch the surface of what lies beneath Earth s outer layer, called the crust. How do scientists know how hot Earth s core is? They can t see it. They can t dig down deep enough to use a thermometer to measure its temperature. Despite the fact it's right under our feet, Earth s core is inaccessible. Earth s core is about the size of Pluto. Given the thousands of miles of rock and other materials that separate those of us on the surface from the core, it might as well be as far away as Pluto! How can we know anything about it? Modern scientists have come up with ingenious ways to study Earth s layers. Geologists, for example, have long used seismic waves to learn about what lies below Earth s surface. Seismic waves are the types of waves produced by earthquakes and other tectonic plate movements that occur below Earth s surface. By measuring seismic waves, scientists can learn a lot about the composition of Earth s subsurface layers. Because the layers are made up of varied materials that vary in thickness, researchers can analyze how seismic waves bounce off the boundaries between various layers.

6 The Layers of the Earth What s under your feet right now? Carpet? Tile? A concrete sidewalk? Grass, dirt, and leaves? There are thousands of miles of Earth below your feet made up of all sorts of materials. These materials include soil, rock, rivers of water, volcanic lava, and solid iron to name just a few. If you ve ever dug a hole in your backyard, you know that digging can be a lot of work. It can be fun, however, to see what lies below the surface. Your hole probably was made up of mainly dirt and a few rocks. The deeper you dig, the harder it is to see to the bottom of the hole. The deeper you go, the more difficult it gets to keep digging. That s why people who dig holes for a living, such as coal mines and water wells, use special equipment. Even the deepest coal mines and water wells barely make a dent in Earth s outer layer, called the crust. Below the Earth s crust is the mantle, which is the plastic-like layer of the Earth. The next layer is the outer core and then the inner core. Despite the fact these layers are right under our feet, they are still unreachable. Earth s core is about the size of Pluto. There are thousands of miles of rock and other materials between the Earth s surface and the core. It might as well be as far away as Pluto because we can t get to either place. Even though we can t get to the other layers of the Earth, scientists have come up with ways to study them. Geologists use seismic waves to learn about what lies under Earth s surface. Seismic waves are the types of waves made by earthquakes and other tectonic plate movements. These waves travel through the Earth. By measuring seismic waves, scientists can learn a lot about the creation of Earth s layers. The layers are made up of different materials and have different thickness. Scientists study how seismic waves bounce off the boundaries between many layers. This helps them decide if the layers are solid, liquid or something in between.

7 How do scientists know how hot the core is? A. Thermometers B. Seismic waves C. Oil wells D. Measure the electromagnetic spectrum What would be the best title for this passage? A. How Scientists Explore the Inside of Earth B. Details about Each of the Earth s Layers C. Tectonic Plate Mania D. The Rock Cycle The Earth s core is about the size of. A. Saturn B. Pluto C. The United States D. New York City A. Crust B. Mantle C. Inner Core D. Outer Core The deepest wells and holes drill into which layer?

8 Watch It! Station Directions Each member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1 Complete the task cards in order. Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Watch It! section of the lab sheet.

YouTubehttps://goo.gl/N9Mkhu Cloud https://goo.gl/yqrnuu URL is case-sensitive 1. Click Play on the video. 2. Answer questions from cards #2-4 on your lab sheet.

9 YouTubehttps://goo.gl/N9Mkhu Cloud URL is case-sensitive 1. Click Play on the video. 2. Answer questions from cards #2-4 on your lab sheet. How far have humans been able to drill into the Earth? YouTube What scientific principle causes the different layers of the Earth? Which two elements are found in the inner core? Solid or liquid?

10 Research It! Station Directions Each member of the group will go to the website listed on task card #1 Complete the task cards in order. Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Research It! section.

11 1. Go to 2. Click through each of the layers and listen to the information about each layer. 3. Answer the questions on the following cards. 1. What is the average thickness of the Earth s crust? 2. What causes the lithosphere to move? 1. Which layer of the Earth contains convection currents? 2. Compare the density of the outer core to the density of the crust, mantle and inner core.

12 Explore It! Station Directions One member of the group will read the task cards in order. The group will be responsible for completing each of the tasks that are being read. Each member of the group will then write their conclusions down on the lab sheet in the Explore It! section.

13 Layer 1 is called the Earth s crust. It is the thinnest layer and made up of mostly granite and basalt. 1. Look at the model provided for you and answer the questions about the layersof the Earth on your lab sheet. If you think about the outer layer of an apple, the Earth s crust would be compared to that. 1. Do you think this the densest layer of least dense layer? Why? Layer 2 is called the Earth s mantle. It is the thickest layer and made up of mostly magma, which is lava within the Earth. There are convection currents in the mantle that cause the tectonic plates to move as the heat flows. 2. Why do you think we know very little about the mantle? Layer 3 is called the Earth s outer core. It is made up of mostly liquid Iron and Nickel. Scientists believe the magnetic properties of the Earth are caused by this layer of the Earth. 3. Why do you think the outer core is liquid and the inner core is solid?

14 Layer 4 is called the Earth s inner core. It is made up of mostly solid Iron and Nickel. It is the Earth s densest layer. Even though it s as hot as the surface of the Sun, it is solid. 4. How do you think scientists are able to study the center of the Earth?

16 Illustrate It! Station Directions Each member of the group will draw a quick sketch on the lab sheet the shows they understand the concept that is being taught. Use the colored pencils and markers that are provided. The directions for the sketch are provided on the task card at the table.

17 Illustrate It! Station Directions Sketch the diagram on your page and label each of the layers. You DO NOT need to draw the continents.

18 Organize It! Station Directions It is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station. -Read It! -Explore It! -Watch It! -Research It! Every student will answer the questions from the task cards on the lab sheet in the Organize It! Section. Please mix up the cards again before the next group arrives at this station.

19 Match the Earth s layers with the correct descriptions. Have the teacher check your cards to ensure it is correct. They will sign your lab sheet in the Organize It area.

20 Earth s Crust Thinnest layer of the Earth Composed of mostly granite and basalt Mantle Contains convection currents that move the tectonic plates Made up of mostly magma Inner Core Made up of mostly liquid iron and nickel The densest layer of the Earth Outer Core Made up of mostly solid Iron and Nickel

21 Earth s Layers Explore It! Task Card #2: 1. Task Card #3: 2. Name Task Card #4: 3. Task Card #5: 4. Write It! Task Card #1: Task Card #2: Task Card #3:

Write It! Station Directions

Write It! Write It! Station Directions It is recommended that you have completed at least two of the following stations before working at this station. -Read It! -Explore It! -Watch It! -Research It! Answer