Today’s Walking Classroom podcast focuses on the layers of the earth — the differences between the crust, the mantle, and the inner and outer core. The inner core of the earth is thought to be the same temperature as the sun. The students also discuss how tectonic plates are formed and why their movement creates earthquakes.
Character Value: Creativity
Click for Standards Alignment
Common Core
L–Language | SL–Speaking and Listening | RI–Reading: Informational | RL–Reading: Literature | W–Writing | RH–6-8 Literacy in History/Social Studies | RST–6-8 Literacy in Science & Technical Subjects Elementary School:RI.3.1, RI.3.2, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.4
RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, SL.4.1, SL.4.4
RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, SL.5.1, SL.5.4
Middle School:
RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, SL.6.1, SL.6.4
RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, SL.7.1, SL.7.4
RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, SL.8.1, SL.8.4
RST.6-8.4
Next Generation Science Standards
PS–Physical Science | LS–Life Science | ESS–Earth and Space Science | ETS–Engineering, Technology and the Application of Science Elementary School: 3-LS4-1, 4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS2-2, 5-ESS2-1Middle School: MS-ESS1-4, MS-ESS2-2, MS-ESS2-3, MS-LS4-1
Supplemental Resource Links and Downloads
Quiz: (Make sure you're already logged into your Gmail account, then click to copy this Google form to your Google Drive. Quiz keys are here.)
Layers of the Earth Google Quiz
Slide Deck:
Layers of the Earth Slide Deck
Discusses the Earth’s layers in a song.
Summarizes the history of the layers of the Earth.
Illustrates layers of the Earth using a cake, hardboiled egg, and drawings.
Test knowledge of the Earth’s layers with this quick interactive quiz from World Geography Games.
Make your own model of the earth with the layers in this Study.com project.
Dig deeper by reviewing an article and completing the questions in this free resource from Super Teacher Worksheets.
Create a foldable of Earth’s layers in this quick hands-on activity from the Houston Museum of Natural Science.