FROM CRUST TO CORE

Hello everyone,

It’s been another exciting couple of weeks in Earth Science! As we continue our journey from the “top of the world” down into the layers beneath our feet, students have been diving deep into the processes that shape our planet, from mountain building to earthquakes and everything in between.

WHERE WE WERE

We started our Earth's History & Processes unit, and explored Mount Everest and discussed how mountains like it are formed and continue to change over time. Students developed our Driving Question Board by sharing their own ideas about shrinking and growing mountains, along with other landforms that change. We looked at examples from around the world and began asking bigger questions about why Earth’s surface is always shifting.

WHERE WE ARE

Students analyzed evidence from an earthquake in Ridgecrest, CA, using Notice and Wonder routines to think through patterns in earthquake activity. This helped us build a foundation for how scientists use data to understand motion beneath Earth’s surface. We used the Seismic Explorer tool and a Mining Storymap to collect data on Earth’s materials. Students then discussed how this evidence connects to our growing questions about plate movement and mountain change. We've discussed the types of materials we'd find at and below the Earth's surface, and how these materials might change depending on location, and how they could be related to some earthquake activity.

Finally, we spent time rotating through our Earth's Structure stations. Students learned how scientists know what Earth is made of, even though we cannot dig to the center. These hands-on stations and discussions helped us build a shared understanding of Earth’s interior and set us up for our next steps in explaining mountain movement. Students were introduced to Earth's Layers and the three main types of rocks, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic, which we'll go into how these are significant in Earth's History later on.

Below: Photos from our Station Rotations

WHERE WE ARE GOING

Next week, we’ll launch into modeling tectonic plate motion and their interactions. Students will explore continental drift and investigate the clues scientists have used to piece together Earth’s moving past. They’ll engage in a CER (claim, evidence, reasoning) activity to model and explain how continents have shifted over millions of years.

We’ll also take a closer look at Earth’s structure, plate boundaries, rock types, and learn to recognize the patterns that help scientists predict where natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are most likely to occur. It’s going to be full of discovery, discussion, and hands-on learning as we continue rockin’ out to the core!

If you have any questions or want to connect further, please feel free to reach out at curtis_catwood@conestogavalley.org. You can also follow our classroom adventures on Instagram at @classwithcatwood, where I share updates and snapshots of what we’re learning.

Stay Gold,

Mr. Catwood