Evidence for Earth's Structure & Earth's Interior Layers - NGSS HS-ESS2-3

Engage students in the discovery of Earth's structure, particularly Earth's layers and convection in the mantle, through these NGSS-aligned exploration tasks that dig into the evidence that supports our current understanding of Earth's interior. This bundle includes:

• exploration-style 3D learning activities to discover unit concepts and integrate DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs
• interactive student texts to practice, review, and reinforce understanding
• extension activities and project-based learning opportunities
• performance tasks and traditional assessments (in the BONUS material!)

Also teaching plate tectonics? Check out Catastrophic Cycles here!

This Bundle Includes:

Mount Vesuvius Erupts [also included in Catastrophic Cycles]

Launch an investigation into Earth’s geology as students explore the eruption of volcano Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE from both primary and secondary resources, integrating literacy, history/Social Studies, and science in one anchor phenomenon learning activity. Students will

• record observations from primary and secondary resources, and
• develop questions to investigate in a three-dimensional, student-driven storyline

What's Inside Earth? // Unlocking Earth’s Structure

Launch learning into Earth's structure and the evidence that supports it by exploring the phenomenon of volcanic eruptions. Then, engage students in creatively considering how we might study the interior of something too large/too small to directly observe in this What's Inside? challenge task, in which students are asked 

• to determine what's inside a mystery egg without touching, moving, breaking, or shaking it. 
• "candle" the Mystery Egg to explore how light waves can help us indirectly observe a phenomenon.
• generate questions about Earth’s interior and how we study it

Graphing Seismic Waves: Evidence For Earth's Layers

How do we know the Earth has layers? Discover the Earth has layers by analyzing seismic data to develop an understanding of the evidence that supports our knowledge of Earth’s interior in this graphing activity.

Why Do Earth's Plates Move? // Convection In The Mantle

Develop student understanding of Earth's interior structure and convection in the mantle in order to explain why Earth's tectonic plates move in this hands-on, phenomenon-based lesson. Students will

• model convection and observe how it affects "tectonic plates" on Earth's surface
• clarify and reinforce understanding through a video-analysis learning task
• apply their learning by using their observations to explain the role of thermal convection in the mantle in the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti

Describing Earth's Layers & Interior Structure // Card Sort & Modeling

Dig into Earth's layers and develop a preliminary understanding of their characteristics in this simple card sort exploration. Then, deepen understanding through initial modeling and create a resource that can be added to throughout the unit as student knowledge expands. In this lesson, students will

• will obtain information about Earth's layers to understand the characteristics of matter within Earth's interior
• compare and contrast the layers to better understand the structure of Earth
• compare presented models of Earth's interior to formatively assess their understanding of both the content and the practice of modeling
• create an initial model of Earth's interior structure, focusing first on describing the layers.
• finally, as students move through unit material, they can add additional details to their model, such as the evidence that supports our understanding of each layer

CER Evidence For Earth’s Layers

Practice identifying claims, evidence, and reasoning (CER) while also reviewing content material related to Earth’s layers and the evidence that supports our understanding of Earth’s structure. Students will 

• explore presented information cards
• identify each piece of information as a claim, a piece of evidence, or reasoning
• determine the accuracy of each claim
• match evidence to reasoning to support the claim. 
• identify three key sources of evidence discussed in the activity that contribute to our understanding of Earth’s interior
• demonstrate their understanding of Earth’s interior structure

Earth's Structure and Plate Tectonics - Digital and Print Workbook

Reinforce student understanding of concepts related to Earth’s structure and plate tectonics with this extensive interactive text. Incorporating reading into science can be easy and engaging, and students can be actively learning and demonstrating their knowledge in the process! 

This bundle includes:

• 50+ student & class material pages
• detailed teacher lesson guides
• answer keys

*While this bundle was not designed for virtual learning, some of the included resources are compatible with distance learning and include Google Slides digital workbooks.

How can this lesson be used?

• engage students in explorations to uncover the science content
• follow-up explorations with the text workbook to clarify and reinforce understanding and make connections back to real-world phenomena
• these resources can be used by students individually or in small groups

How much class time will this take?

• provided material may take one to two weeks to work through, although students who work quickly may move through the material at a faster pace
• this time frame does not account for additional resources and activities you may incorporate into your unit storyline

Is this NGSS-aligned?

This resource is part of a storyline (Our Dynamic Planet) designed to work toward the tagged Next Generation Science Standards. Because Performance Expectations are designed to assess learning by the end of the grade band, unit material may not fully assess every Performance Expectation tagged in the post.

• HS-ESS2-3 Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.
• HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
• HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features. (progress towards)

⭐️ What Other Teachers Are Saying ⭐️

⭐️ "This is such a good resource for teaching about Earth's interior structure. My 9th grade students were engaged with this resource."

⭐️ "I used this with upper class Earth and Space Science students. It was very well made and easy to use."

⭐️ "Great resource to reach the standard!"

What if I have questions?

You can email me at nvantassel@iexplorescience.com with questions about resources or implementation. I'm happy to help!

Check Out These Related Resources

• Graphing Seismic Waves: Evidence For Earth's Layers
• Exploring Plate Tectonics: Age of Crustal Rocks NGSS HS-ESS1-5
• Exploring Plate Tectonics: Landforms & Surface Features
• Evidence For Earth's Layers - CER Argumentation - Google Slides HS-ESS2-3
• Evidence For Earth's Layers - CER Engaging In Argument - Print HS-ESS2-3
• Modeling Convection: Evidence For Earth's Layers NGSS HS-ESS2-3
• Describing Earth's Layers NGSS HS-ESS2-3
• What's Inside Earth? [Volcano Investigative Phenomenon + Activity]
• Earth's Structure and Plate Tectonics - Digital and Print Workbook
• Rock Cycle Journey - Cycling Of Earth's Materials
• Evidence for Earth's Structure & Earth's Layers - NGSS HS-ESS2-3 *BUNDLE*
• Discovering Plate Tectonic Theory: Mapping Volcanoes & Earthquakes
• Catastrophic Cycles - Geoscience Processes & Plate Tectonics [Middle School Performance Expectations] *BUNDLE*
• Evidence For Plate Tectonics - Crustal Rocks & Surface Features - HS-ESS1-5 *BUNDLE*

This activity bundle is part of a complete unit storyline that works towards these standards:

• HS-ESS2-3Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.
• HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
• HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features. (progress towards)

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