Have you ever thought about what is beneath the Earth’s surface? Learn about the Earth’s structure with this printable layers of the earth activity. Turn it into an easy STEAM activity (Science + Art!) with a few simple supplies. This is a fantastic geology activity for multiple ages!
Explore The Layers Of The Earth For Spring Science
Spring is the perfect time of year for science! There are so many fun themes to explore. For this time of the year, our favorite topics to teach kids about spring include weather and rainbows, geology, Earth Day and of course plants!
Get ready to add this simple layers of the earth science activity, to your lesson plans this season. Our science activities and experiments are designed with you, the parent or teacher, in mind!
Let’s explore what the Earth’s structure looks like with a free printable layers of the earth worksheet and craft activity. While you’re at it, make sure to check out these other fun spring science activities.
The Layers Of The Earth
The earth’s structure can be divided into three main layers: the core, the mantle, and the crust. Each of these layers can be further divided into two parts: the inner and outer core, the upper and lower mantle, and the continental and oceanic crust.
The Crust
The outermost layer of the Earth consists of the solid crust and is relatively rigid and brittle. It is broken up into tectonic plates that move and interact with one another. Learn about tectonic plates!
The crust is made up of many different types of rocks that fall into three main categories: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary.
Learn more about the different types of rocks…
The Mantle
The upper mantle is composed of hot, ductile rock that flows slowly over time. It is responsible for the movement of the tectonic plates. The lower mantle is composed of solid rock that flows very slowly over long periods of time.
One way scientists learn about the earth’s mantle is to study earthquakes and look at how the seismic waves move through rock.
Intense heat causes the rocks to rise. They then cool and sink back down to the core. When the mantle pushes through the crust, volcanoes erupt.
Enjoy a volcano experiment, and learn more about volcanoes…
The Core
The outer core is composed of liquid iron and nickel. It generates the Earth’s magnetic field through a process known as the dynamo effect. This is the innermost layer of the Earth, consisting of solid iron and nickel. It is under immense pressure and has temperatures reaching up to 5,500 degrees Celsius. That is HOT!
Get Your FREE Printable Earth Layers Project!
Layers Of The Earth Craft
This Earth science activity would be great to pair with building a model of the layers of the Earth from basic LEGO bricks!
Supplies:
- Layers of the Earth Worksheet
- Glue
- Colored sand in 6 different colors (or colored markers)
Instructions:
STEP 1: Print out the earth layers activity page.
STEP 2: Add glue to each section of the design and then sprinkle with different colors of sand or glitter. Use a different color to represent each layer of the earth. Alternatively, just color with markers.
TIP: Start with the inner most layer and work outwards!
STEP 3: If you using glue, when you have finished sprinkling on the sand, shake off any excess and let dry.
More Fun Geology Activities
When you finish this layers of the earth activity, why not explore more earth science with one of these ideas below. You can find all our earth science activities for kids here!
Make your own tasty sedimentary rock to explore geology.
Explore the stages of the rock cycle with a crayon rock cycle or candy rock cycle!
Why not grow sugar crystals or make edible geodes!
Explore the layers of soil with simple LEGO bricks or make an edible soil layers model.
Explore soil erosion for kids.
Learn all about volcanos with these volcano facts and even make your own volcano.
Make this fun plate tectonic model.
Learn about how fossils are formed.
Printable Spring Pack
If you’re looking to have all of your printable activities in one convenient place, plus exclusive worksheets with a spring theme, our 300+ page Spring STEM Project Pack is what you need!
Weather, geology, plants, life cycles, and more!
