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Interactive
American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History: O Logy: Stuff to Do: Edible Earth

For Students 3rd - 8th
Take a look at the layers that make up our Earth: inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust. Then have fun making a model of the Earth's interior that you can eat up.
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Interactive
University of Colorado

University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Ph Et: Interactive Simulations: Plate Tectonics

For Students 9th - 10th
Students studying plate tectonics will better understand its concepts with this virtual experiment that tests how plates move on the surface of the earth. Temperature, composition, and thickness of plates can be changed to create new...
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Unit Plan
Other

Moorland School: Earth Science Zone: The Structure of the Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
Take a look at the Earth from the inside out. This site shows the different layers of the earth with an explanation of the rocks and materials in each layer. Includes a quiz on the structure of Earth.
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Handout
US Geological Survey

Usgs: Inside the Earth

For Students 3rd - 8th
This is a website to learn not only about the inner and outer core, but also about the crust and the mantle of the interior of the earth.
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Activity
The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute: Land Mass Formation

For Teachers K - 1st
The Franklin Institute has provided a demonstration that theorizes how the earth's crust was formed. This is a lesson plan that needs only a few materials.
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Interactive
PBS

Pbs: Scientific American Frontiers: Earth on the Move

For Students 9th - 10th
The interactive resource examines the plate tectonics, magnetic reversals, and continental drift of the Earth. An animation of the Earth's continental drift over the last 750 million years is included.
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Website
Morning Earth

How Life Works: Biosphere Is Process: Life Helps Make Earth's Crust

For Students 9th - 10th
Scholars explore the Earth science topic of the Earth's basic structure. The tutorial consists of definitions and pictures about the Earth's crust.
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Lesson Plan
American Geosciences Institute

American Geosciences Institute: Earth Science Week: Mapping Vertical Movements

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Using flubber and plastic wrap, students study the Earth's crust and mantle.
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Activity
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Scale Model of the Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
In this activity, students gain an understanding of the layers of the Earth by designing and building a clay model.
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Website
Other

Spacetech's Orrery: Earth Our Home Planet

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a very interesting overview of our home planet, Earth. Content includes a focus on the atmosphere, the pull of gravity, and the active surface.
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Article
US Geological Survey

Usgs: The Interior of the Earth

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a detailed discussion of the Earth's interior. Facts about the crust, mantle, and core are given along with diagrams of each. Also presents a table that lists the thickness and types of rock found in each part of the...
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Lesson Plan
Purdue University

Purdue University: Earth's Interior Structure

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Purdue University provides a great lesson plan for learning about the Earth's interior structure. Focuses on the crust, mantle and core. Also includes examples and great charts that young scholars will enjoy looking at.
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Handout
Oswego City School District

Regents Exam Prep Center: Earth's Interior

For Students 9th - 10th
A basic overview of the earth's mantle, crust, inner core, and outer core. Also discusses how earthquake waves travel through the Earth.
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Interactive
The Tech Interactive

Tech Museum of Innovation: Inside the Earth

For Students 3rd - 8th
As an overview of the online exhibit on earthquakes, this site discusses the various sections inside the Earth. The crust, the mantle, and the core are each individually discussed.
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Website
Curated OER

National Park Service: What on Earth Is Plate Tectonics?

For Students 9th - 10th
An easy-to-understand explanation of what plate tectonics is. Contains information about the inner parts of the Earth, the difference between the three types of plates, and numerous maps and illustrations.
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Handout
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Australian Broadcasting Corporation: News in Science: Found! Oldest Chunk of Earth's Crust

For Students 9th - 10th
From ABC News in Science, Will Dunham's article covers research connected to the discovery of a chunk of Earth's crust found in Greenland which possibly dates over 3.8 billion years.
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Website
Treehut

Suzy's World: Earth

For Students 3rd - 5th
At this site from Suzy's World and Suzy Cato, you can find out what the earth is made of and try an experiment.
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Lesson Plan
The Franklin Institute

The Franklin Institute: Earth Bowl

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
This activity from The Franklin Institute demonstrates the layers of the earth using gelatin, pudding, graham crackers, and a few other items. The learners actually construct a representation of the earth that they can eat.
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Interactive
PurposeGames

Purpose Games: Layers of the Earth

For Students 3rd - 8th
Players will test their knowledge of the layers of the Earth. Know terms such as core, crust, and upper and lower mantle.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Plate Tectonics Intro

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart will take several class periods. This lesson begins to look at how the different landforms are created. There will be two follow up lessons - one on volcanoes and one on mountains.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Plate Tectonics Volcano

For Teachers 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson will take several class periods. This lesson begins to look at how volcanoes are created.
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Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: The Layers of the Earth

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
[Free Registration/Login Required] The lesson teaches fifth grade students about the 4 layers of the Earth. Characteristics of each layer are presented. The lesson incorporates video, student participation, and Activote assessment. The...
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Unit Plan
Geography 4 kids

Geography4 kids.com: Earth Structure

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief informational site provides information about the Earth's structure, plates and core.
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Article
National Earth Science Teachers Association

Windows to the Universe: Structure of Mercury's Interior

For Students 9th - 10th
Windows to the Universe briefly details the structure of the interior of the planet Mercury.