Category Archives: Earth Science
Tracking the Weather
Keeping an eye on the weather on a daily basis helps your kids learn and remember better than learning it once. Besides, kids LOVE setting up their own weather station and playing weather man. Here is a chart to keep … Continue reading
Super Simple Wind Vane
We made these easy wind vanes for school this week. You need: straw straight pin pencil with an eraser index card celophane tape First cut a triangle to serve as the arrow head and a tail. The tail is just … Continue reading
Growing Crystals
We’ve been growing crystals. The kids couldn’t believe how fast their dissolved Borax particulates reformed as crystals. They were done overnight. We examined the crystals with magnifying glasses so they could see the specific shapes formed. The crazy kids in … Continue reading
The Water Cycle
The water cycle is a great jumping off point for a unit study on weather, oceans, cycles, water, conservation, or pollution. We’ve been studying the weather lately, and this week we took a look at the water cycle. I … Continue reading
Recycled Regatta Boat
CJ built a “recycled” boat for his cub scout Rain Gutter Regatta last week. In case you’re not familiar with the famed Rain Gutter Regatta, the kids build boats, usually from cub scout supplied kits, and race them down water-filled … Continue reading
Sunshine City
Normally we don’t share super formal lesson plans on Layers of Learning, but when the Lego Company asked for lesson plans about renewable energy for their LegoSmart contest last year, we were happy to submit ours! Here’s the complete lesson … Continue reading
Homemade Barometer
I love studying weather with my kids because it’s such an observable science. It’s something that affects us every day. Kids can easily watch it, record results, and learn about how it works without complicated equipment or an expensive lab. … Continue reading
Ocean in a Bottle
Studying the ocean with kids is awesome because there is so much to explore. There’s also a lot we don’t know about the ocean; use those things to spark great discussions and creative thinking. This is a simple experiment that … Continue reading
Plant Growth
For a great introduction to plants make a poster board showing what a plant needs to grow and then plant a terrarium containing all the ecosystem necessary for plant growth. You need: potting soil one or two small plants a … Continue reading
Soil Horizons
Dirt is what you get under your fingernails. Soil is where plants grow. And the more you know about soil the more you’ll understand that there isn’t any part of this world that isn’t wondrous. Go outside with a shovel and dig a … Continue reading
Going Green Shouldn’t Be Laborious
My son is a cub scout and has been doing a recycling project for the past few months. Our little town does have a recycling program of sorts, but not exactly an EASY one. You can drop off cardboard, newspapers, … Continue reading
Solar Energy
Life has always depended on energy, but until just a few hundred years ago that energy was mostly low level, unorganized, passive energy in the form of sunlight which is essential in plant growth. Sunlight is still one of the best sources … Continue reading
History of Ecology
Ecology is the study of earth’s living systems and how they interact. It is not environmentalism, a social and political movement. Ecology is one of the most complex sciences and is very new. As such we are only at the … Continue reading
Wind Detector
Wind speed is measured with anemometers, which spin in the wind. Wind speed can also be measured with the naked eye, a little less accurately, but completely satifactorily for most of us. To make a wind detector: Mark the points … Continue reading
Algae and Pollution
How does pollution affect algae? Before you begin this experiment print out this page on the scientific method and use this process to set up your experiment. Collect a half dozen or more jars and add pond water to each … Continue reading
Making a Native Habitat Garden
Seeing animals and plants in their native habitat is invaluable. Hopefully every child gets to spend some time in nature, away from cities and asphalt. But you can create a native habitat right in your own backyard, perhaps even on … Continue reading
Earth Day Exploration
Today is earth day. I’m not a fan of pushy environmentalists or the trendy “going green” thing, though I do value our planet and its many natural resources. I do believe we should take care of the planet, though I … Continue reading
Volcanoes
We did some better-than average activities this week relating to volcanoes and I wanted to share. First there’s the traditional baking soda and vinegar “eruption”, which though certainly not a real eruption, is fun and memorable. Then we made model volcanoes out … Continue reading
Earthquakes
With recent major quakes in Haiti and Chili, one off Japan and many more, you may be interested in helping your kids learn more. Below I give a link to a website that shows all the major quakes of 5.0 and … Continue reading
Climate
Climate refers to all the factors that make up the weather of a particular place on earth. It includes, rain fall, temperature, wind, storms, and seasonal changes. There are four major climates on earth: Arctic, temperate, tropical, and desert. There … Continue reading
Autumn
Here are some ideas of activities you can do based around autumn time. Draw a picture of what it looks like outside at your house right now. Talk about how it’s different from other seasons and what stays the same. … Continue reading
