How to Rock your Earth Science Activities

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Teaching Earth science to elementary school students can be daunting. With so much material to cover, it’s difficult to know where to even begin. Don’t worry, we have you covered. We have compiled a list of fun and engaging Earth science activities for kids that are sure to keep your 2nd and 3rd graders learning and entertained!

Exploring Rocks Activity:

Rocks are an important part of Earth Science, so having an activity that focuses on rocks is essential! You can easily set up a rock exploration station in your classroom by gathering various types of rocks (sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic) from home or at a local store (like Hobby Lobby). Have your students examine each rock carefully and then guess what type of rock it is. Once everyone has guessed correctly (or come close), have them research each type of rock to learn more about its characteristics and formation process.

Seasons Activity

Another fun earth science activities for kids is to teach about the different seasons. This activity focuses on how they occur. Have your class sit in a circle holding pieces of paper cut into circles representing Earth (you can also use a beach ball if you prefer). Have one student start rotating around while others hold their pieces/balls up towards him/her representing sunlight hitting Earth’s surface at different angles throughout its rotation/orbit around the sun demonstrating how this affects seasons on our planet! This is sure to be an engaging way for students to learn about seasons!

Earthquake Activity

Here is one fun activity that teaches students about the structure of the earth, seismic waves, and earthquakes. Students will use an empty bowl as an analog for the earth’s surface. Place cornstarch in the bowl as a representation of the earth’s layers—crust, mantle, outer core, inner core—and add marbles or small balls to represent seismic waves. When students shake or move the bowl side-to-side they can observe how seismic waves travel through different layers of the earth. This is a great way for students to get hands-on with modeling how earthquakes work!

Water Cycle Game:

The next activity we love doing is a game. This game is perfect for helping your students visualize how water moves through the water cycle. All you need to play is a large poster board with three sections labeled “Evaporation”, “Condensation”, and “Precipitation”. Divide your class into two teams—have one team start out in the Evaporation section while the other starts in Precipitation—and then have them move around the board while answering questions related to water cycling! The first team to reach Condensation wins!

Layers of Soil

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Another great activity to include in an earth science unit is studying the different layers of soil. One great way to teach kids about the different layers of soil is with an activity that focuses on building their own soil profile! All you need to do is provide each student with a container, such as a shoe box or plastic storage bin, and then have them fill it up with various materials that represent the different parts of the soil profile—like sand, clay, gravel, etc.—and label each layer accordingly. Once they’ve constructed their own “soil profile” they can use it to learn more about how soils are structured and what kinds of plants grow best in certain types of soils. This activity will help students gain a better understanding of Earth science concepts while having fun at the same time!

Add in pre-made Earth Science activities for kids

Earth Science activities for kids don’t need to be boring or tedious; there are plenty of fun and engaging ways to teach your 2nd and 3rd grade students about our planet’s processes! With these must-have activities listed above, you’ll be able to help your students understand more about Earth Science fundamentals in an enjoyable way. So get creative with these activities today—your students will thank you later!

If you are struggling with coming up with lesson plans on your own, I’ve got you covered. My Earth Science Bundle and weather activity pack is perfect for 2nd and 3rd graders. It is full of lesson plans, anchor charts, low-prep science experiments, worksheets, and quizzes.