Week 1: The Earth

Last week was our official start on our Creation Curriculum. Now, I'm aware that technically God first created light, and last year we started off with light, but I wanted to do something a little more concrete this year, and the Earth seemed like a good place to start. 

Project 1: After reading a bunch of books and learning about the layers of the earth, we made an Earth Bowl. Ours didn't turn out exactly "earthy," (more like yucky!) but what did the kids care? They had a blast pounding the graham crackers and watching the jello slip down the sides. Plus, it was their snack for a couple days, and what beats jello and graham crackers? I explained the whole "cutting the earth in half" concept by cutting an orange in half.

Project 2: After reading a book about the types of terrains on earth, the kids each chose a terrain and created it using colored tissue paper. MM did a valley, and V-Man did an erupting volcano. Shocking. Then we talked about what types of plants and animals you would find in each (answer: none, in an erupting volcano! That was easy). 

Project 3: I cut four different-sized circles out of construction paper, and the kids layered them to represent the crust, the mantle, the outer core and the inner core (yeah, my proportions are a little off). Then they drew houses around the crust (and a flag for the North Pole). 

Project 4: The Earth is a giant magnet (I don't think I knew that!). We did a basic study of "What's magnetic?" and talked about why, and then used a compass to find the North Pole. The kids wanted to try walking there, but I had to cook dinner. Spoilsport.

 

Finally, on their own the kids asked for chalk, and when I came out on the back deck they had drawn their own earth and atmosphere, complete with clouds and stars. That's how I know when a unit has sparked their interest -- they play with the concept long after school is done!

What we're reading:
"Earth: Our Place in Space," by Seymour Simon
"Planet Earth/ Inside Out," by Gail Gibbons 
"Ask Dr. K. Fisher About Planet Earth," by Claire Llewellyn