How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World
Science/Strand V/Content Standard 1/Elementary
Benchmark 1: Describe major features of the Earth’s surface.
Benchmark 2: Recognize and describe different types of Earth materials.
Science/Strand II/Content Standard 1/Elementary
Benchmark 2: Show how science concepts can be illustrated through creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.
Science/Strand 1/Content Standard 1/Elementary
Benchmark 1: Generate reasonable questions about the world based on observations.
Objectives
The Learner will
•Demonstrate an understanding of gravity’s effect on earth’s layers.
•Communicate their observations of rocks and soil through words and pictures.
•Demonstrate knowledge of the layers of the earth by creating an art project with various colors of sand.
•Generate 2-3 sentences on what they’ve learned about the Earth.
Materials
•How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World by Faith McNulty.
•Black construction paper (space background)
•Glue
•Pre-cut circles from white poster board (earth)
•Colored sand – green, blue, brown, red, orange, yellow (earth’s layers)
•Bowls (to hold different-colored sand)
•Spoons (to scoop sand onto glue)
•Q-tips (to spread glue)
Anticipatory Set
•Start children thinking about the ideas in this unit by asking what they think is inside the earth. What is the earth made of? Do you think it is the same all the way to the center? How does the temperature change as you dig further into the earth? Do you think it gets hotter or colder? Why? How does the ground under our feet feel? Do you think it feels the same inside the earth? Why?
•Explore the cover of How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World. Ask children to predict what the author has written about. What can you tell about the inside of the earth just by looking at the cover of the book? Do you think this is fictional or non-fictional?
Procedures
1.Read How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World.
2.Point out the illustrator’s use of colors to represent the various layers of the earth.
3.Reread the author’s description of the changing physical states, thickness in miles, and increasing temperatures of the layers.
4.Have students speculate as to why the very center of our earth is made up of solid iron and nickel. Remind students of what they know about gravity and how its forces have pulled the heaviest, most dense material to its center.
5.Explain to students that they are going to create their own earth using colored sand to show the layers. Collectively decide which colors best represent particular layers of the earth. Write the colors and the layers they represent on the board.
•green = land
•blue = water
•brown = rocky crust
•red = upper mantle
•orange = lower mantle
•yellow = outer core
•white = inner core (poster board center)
6.Show students a finished product. Emphasize the thickness of each layer (i.e. land and water are very thin compared to the crust. The crust is thin compared to the mantle. The mantle is the thickest part of the earth).
7.Go over the materials to be used. Explain what you learned about making your earth. In order to make sure you include all the layers, first draw your lines (although arbitrary) of division between the layers. The glue will make lines, so use a Q-tip to spread it evenly. Only apply glue on the layer you are doing or the colors will stick where you don’t want them to. The sand colors will get mixed if you don’t pour the extra sand off into the right bowl.
8.Instruct students to make sure they go to each station – land and water, crust and upper mantle, lower mantle and outer core, and outer space (black mounting paper). For purposes of time and classroom management, tell them they will not all be able to start at the top or center layer. They can start anywhere now that they have drawn their lines for each layer.
Closure
•Have students return to their seats with their earth art.
•Give students an opportunity to discuss what they learned about the inside of our earth.
•Have students retell what the colors represent on their earth art.
•Have students summarize what they learned in today’s lesson in at least 2-3 sentences.
Assessment
•What was the student’s prior knowledge about the earth?
•Was the student able to communicate his or her new knowledge through discussion?
•Did the student accurately depict the inside of the earth, distinguishing between the layers with the use of the colored sand?
•Did the student accurately depict the inside of the earth, demonstrating the relative thickness of the layers?
•Did the student produce at least 2-3 sentences that relate what you wanted them to learn today?
Extensions
•Reread the last page of the book. Then, have children write to friends and tell them how it felt to dig the deepest hole in the world. Encourage them to include where they have been and what they have seen along the way.
•Today’s imaginary trip through the earth was about 8,000 miles long. Have children brainstorm about just how far 8,000 miles is from their classroom. Take a one-mile walk and time the walk. Explain that children would have to take the same walk 8,000 times to get straight through the earth. Ask them how long that would take. Use a calculator to compute the time.
•Have children write and illustrate a newspaper advertisement for a vacation to the center of the earth. They should include why a trip like this would be an experience people would never forget. Have them describe some of the things that travelers would see along the way as well as information about the duration and the appropriate vacation clothing.
