Use interesting demonstrations to teach Earth science to third graders.
It may be difficult to explain certain ideas about Earth science to kids as young as third graders, but you can help by making it interesting. Demonstrating the way scientists record rainfall or how tsunamis happen gives them a visual example and gets them involved in the scientific process.
Tidal Waves and Tsunamis
Teach the difference between tidal waves, caused by gravitational pulls, and tsunamis, caused by earthquakes under the ocean. Use a 10-gallon aquarium to represent the ocean, and fill it only about half way with water. Place two foam blocks underwater, weighed down by rocks, to represent the tectonic plates. Move one of the blocks so that it shifts the other and displaces some of water, which causes a large wave.
Stalactites and Stalagmites
Lecture on how stalactites and stalagmites form in caves. Dissolve a quart of Epsom salt between two glasses of water. Cut a piece of string, attach a paper clip to each end to anchor them into glasses and let the middle of the string hang between the two glasses. Place the two glasses in a place in the classroom where they will be undisturbed. The formation of the stalactites on the string will take a while.
Rainfall Records
Give a lesson on how meteorologists, scientists who study weather, measure rainfall to see how much rain falls in an area over a period of time. Make a rain gauge for the classroom by marking the inches up the side of a tall, clear, tube vase with a marker and ruler. Place the gauge outside of a window and check the water height after each rain. Chart the amount of rain that falls on a graph over the course of a few weeks or months.
Landform Studies
Explain to the children the differences between different landforms, such as plateaus, mountains, hills and plains. Provide visuals of the landforms on a projector and give the kids each a pan full of damp sand. If there aren't enough pans or sand for each child, put them in groups of two. Name one of the landforms the kids learned about and have them make the landforms with the sand. Explain how the elements create the landforms.
Tags: between glasses, Earth science, third graders
