Earth Science activities for kids

So funny story.  I promised Batman 2 years ago that we would study astronomy this year for our science lessons because the year before that I’d promised Superman we’d study anatomy.  Then I saw Susan doing all of these great earth science activities using Christian Kids Explore Earth and Space (affiliate link).

And I really wanted to do CKE Earth and Space.  But, I’d promised Batman astronomy.  I looked at it, and I knew there was no way I could convince him enough of that was space for what he wanted.  This is the boy who’s asked for a telescope for Christmas.

So, I cheated, and we’re doing both.  They don’t know it yet, they’ll find out tomorrow when we have our “first day of school.”

All that to say, here are our earth science activities:

As before, these are arranged in order by chapter for CKE Earth and Space.

(Side note, one of the things I’m really liking about the look of CKE is how it’s laid out and there are just so many activities perfect for my kids)

Hi, Future Ticia 2022 here, I’m combining two posts into one, because they are essentially the same, so this is about to have a lot more resources.

Here are my earth science resources

• CKE Earth and Space– this was our primary textbook, everything else was supplemental materials.  I do recommend getting the downloadable reproducible to make your life easier.
• The Magic School Bus: The Complete Series– This is also available to stream on Netflix
• The Magic School Bus Blows Its Top: A Book About Volcanoes
• The Magic School Bus Inside the Earth– I may really like Magic School Bus
• Toysmith Rock Science Kit– This was on my wishlist, and I’ll probably still buy it, because of the great reviews
• Smithsonian Handbooks: Rocks & Minerals– I love collecting books like this

Getting Started Earth Science Activities

• Layers of the Earth lesson– There are a lot of earth science activities you can do off of this one activity, and my kids had a lot of fun with our homemade playdough.

Ideas I found elsewhere

• Layers of Earth paper model
• Playdough layers of the earth model AND Montessori 3 part cards
• Earth revolving around the sun
• Landform flipbook
• textured landforms

The Lithosphere Earth Science activities

Future Ticia 2022, a term I only vaguely remember almost 10 years later. I obviously need to touch up on the terms.

• Volcano activities– Kids never think you’ve got wrong for an earth science activity when you pull out baking soda and vinegar, then when you add in a few more activities, they are super happy campers.
• Smithsonian Science Kit– This has both a rock project and a volcano project
• How volcanoes change the landscape– This was a great way to see the after-effects of eruptions.
• Earthquake activity– Blocks and Legos in your science, it’s a guaranteed hit.  It’s also a great engineering challenge.
• Plate tectonics unit– 3 different ways to learn about plate tectonics with your kids
• Sugar Cube Rock cycle– We tried several different ways to learn about the rock cycle, and this was a big hit in the end.
• Exploring Caves– Look at how caves are formed and create your own cave in your house.
• Identifying rocks– a great way to use resources in ways they were not originally intended.
• How to make a compass– using and learning about earth’s magnetic system

Ideas I found elsewhere

• Making super edible rocks
• Caves unit
• Volcano demonstration (no baking soda and vinegar, I love this variation)
• Types of Fossils
• Volcano unit (I love all the ways she explored this concept with the kids)
• Rock collecting and identifying FREE PRINTABLE
• Plate tectonics

One last one: the crayon rock cycle

I have a bunch more on my earth science pinterest board, so make sure you check that out.

The Hydrosphere Earth Science activities

Future Ticia 2022, It’s funny that I can figure this out with my greek roots, hydro=water.

• Water filtration experiment– This was done when my kids were preschoolers, and they loved it.  It’s a great messy earth science activity.
• Why do we float in salt water?– This was a fun way to experiment with the concept.
• Can you drink the water from your faucet?– this was a great way to check what’s in your water.

Ideas I found elsewhere

• Erosion experiment (you will need the page translated)
• River beds experiment
• Ocean currents
• water cycle unit
• water unit study
• groundwater experiment

The Atmosphere unit

• Layers of the Earth’s Atmosphere lesson– I love incorporating science and art, and this let us have a bit of fun with mixed media projects

Ideas from elsewhere

Interesting, not that many people write about the atmosphere

• At what temperature does air move faster?
• Atmosphere unit study

Okay, I’m gonna admit that a lot of the things I have pinned walk the line between atmosphere and weather, but lean more towards weather……

Earth’s Weather activities

• Fake snow activity– If you have preschoolers still in diapers, you have what you need for this activity, and it’s a big hit.
• Clouds unit– A fun way to learn about different clouds and have a writing assignment to go with it.

Ideas from somewhere else

• Cloud categorizer
• Cloud in a bottle
• Make an anemometer
• Make it rain in a cup
• Storm chasers thunderstorm video (I include this because I think this video is amazing)

Beyond Earth (Space) activities

And for space ideas head over to my Astronomy ideas for kids post.

***Image by DonkeyHotey by permission, text and overlays have been added