Earth’s Structure Lesson Plan: Earth’s Systems

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Earth’s Structure, and supports the standard of developing a model of Earth’s interior. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students:

  • What can you observe about Earth’s surface?
  • What can you predict about Earth’s interior? How might it compare to the surface?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

  • Read the description on the Earth’s Structure topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Students take the Earth’s Structure Quiz, applying essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: EXTEND and DEEPEN

Students express what they learned about Earth’s structure while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Produce a video tour of Earth’s structure that takes viewers through the different layers, describing each one’s characteristics.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying and describing each layer of Earth. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a learning game that challenges players to sort attributes of Earth’s structure by Earth layer.

More to Explore 

Time Zone X: Earth’s Structure: Place Historical events in chronological order in this interactive timeline game.

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of Earth’s systems with these topics: Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes.

Teacher Support Resources:

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    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, BrainPOP, Earth System, Earth's Structure, Lesson Plan, Science, Teacher Resources