Grade 1 - A History Of The Earth

The History of the Earth: Supplemental Guide 183

Dear Family Member,

Over the next several weeks, your child will be learning about geology, the scientifi c

study of the history of the earth. S/he will learn about the earth’s surface, the layers of the

earth (crust, mantle, inner core and outer core), as well as volcanoes and geysers.

Below are some suggestions for activities that you may do at home to help your child

continue learning about the history of the earth.

1. Looking Inside the Earth

Have your child color the layers of the earth on the attached activity page. After s/he

has colored the layers, work together to cut and glue the labels for each layer. Discuss

the names of the layers, and use this activity page as a guide for the next activity.

2. Make and Eat a Model of the Earth

There are many fun ways to make a model of the earth. Use the activity page included

in this letter as a guide to the earth’s layers. Here are few ideas to get you started:

• Pizza: Use a round pizza crust to represent the earth’s crust. Have your child
  spread pizza sauce on most of the crust. Next, have your child spread grated orange
  cheese from the center of the pizza, out about fi ve inches; this is the outer core. To
  represent the earth’s inner core, have your child place a piece of pepperoni or a slice of
  tomato in the middle of the orange “outer core” cheese circle. To represent the earth’s
  mantle, use mozzarella cheese to create a circle around the “outer core”. Bake the pizza,
  review the layers of the earth, and enjoy a slice of Earth pizza!


• Fruit: Cut a watermelon in half, width-wise. The watermelon rind represents the
  earth’s crust. The watermelon’s fruit represents the earth’s mantle. Scoop out enough
  fruit to fi t an orange into the watermelon. Cut an orange in half, width-wise, and place it in
  the watermelon; the orange represents the outer core. Cut a slice of banana to represent
  the inner core. Use a toothpick to hold the banana in place in the middle of the orange.
  Review the parts of the model with your child.

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