Natural Resources

Watch how different fossils can form over time, creating fossil fuels we use today for energy!

We are discussing natural resources, including renewable and nonrenewable resources.

Renewable resources can be made again and they don't go away very easily. They go through shorter cycles.

Nonrenewable resources cannot be made or used again, and it takes a long time for these resources to form. Let's watch a few brainpop videos about natural resourcse and fossil fuels!

Mealworms!

Click on the picture to read about mealworms. They will become Darkling Beetles through their lifecycle.

The mealworms have arrived, and we will be observing their lifecycle over the next few months!

Layers of the Earth

Click on the picture of the volcano, then click on the word "Melting" under Igneous Rock. Watch how the volcano can erupt by clicking on the word "Erupt" in the activity. What happens after the lava comes out of the volcano and cools down?

That's right! It forms new land. Each time the volcano erupts, it forms more and more land! The lava cools down and makes different layers of rock over time.

Soil

What is soil? Why is it so important? What's it made of, and are there different soils around the United States? Click on the picture to learn more about different soils.

Caves

Click here to explore a cave that has formed inside Earth's surface.

You can drag your tour guide along and click on the different formations to learn more about each kind of formation found in caves.

Colonial Williamsburg

http://www.history.org/kids/

"Where did all my soil go? And why is it over there?"

Take a look at these pictures. Over time, these landforms were created and weathered by ocean waves, rain, plant roots, glaciers, rivers, acid rain and wind. Can you figure what is effecting each picture?

Let's watch a quick video about weathering, erosion and deposition.

When something is weathered, that means it's being broken down into little pieces, like when you chew a piece of candy! When sediments are eroded, they are moving to a new place, like when you swallow the piece it candy and it moves down your throat and into your stomach. When sediments are deposited, they land in a new place and can start making a new landform, sort of like when your candy drops into your stomach and stops moving.

Let's watch how frozen water can make a rock break!

How do rivers and glaciers change the surface of the earth? Think about what you modeled in the lab today.

Volcano Videos

Today, we discussed how volcanos create more land when they erupt. Take a look the videos I've linked to our blog. This videos are from the National Geographic website.

Layers of the Earth

Have you ever cut open an onion? What does it look like inside?

The outside is layer is the largest, and the center is smaller, but still looks like a sphere. The Earth is kind of like an onion. If you were to split the world in half, you would see that the Earth has more than one layer. The top layer is called the crust. This is where we live. You can find oceans, landforms, trees, people, animals and soil on the crust. The crust is always changing because of weather and what happens underneath it.

The mantle is the red, hot liquid layer underneath Earth's surface. This is where we find magma. When there's a hole in earth's crust, sometimes a lot of pressure can form, and magma comes out of the ground, causing a volcano to form and erupt. When you see magma on Earth's surface, it's called lava. Lava cools and hardens over time.

The core is the center of the Earth. The core is very hot, and it would be impossible to dig a hole and visit the core because of it's extreme temperature.

Let's read more about Earth's different layers here.

Let's play a game about Earth's different layers here.


1.How would you compare and contrast the layers of the earth?

2. What else has layers like the Earth or an onion?

3. What kinds of things can be found below Earth's surface that we can't see?