Materials Needed

• Four colors of modeling clay or playdough (suggested: Red, Orange, Yellow, and Blue/Green)
• A piece of dental floss or a plastic butter knife (for cutting the model)
• A hard-boiled egg OR a peach (for demonstration)
• Paper and crayons/markers
• Optional: Small labels or toothpicks and tape

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:

• Name the four main layers of the Earth: Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle, and Crust.
• Identify which layers are hot and which are solid or liquid.
• Construct a 3D model representing the Earth’s structure.

1. Introduction: The Great Mystery Hole (Hook)

The Hook: Ask the learner: "If you started digging a hole in the backyard and never stopped, what do you think you would find? Would it just be dirt forever, or would it change?"

The Big Idea: Explain that the Earth is like a giant, round puzzle or a piece of fruit. We live on the very outside, but inside, things get very hot and very strange!

2. Instruction: "I Do" (The Analogy)

The Egg/Peach Demonstration: Show the learner a hard-boiled egg (unpeeled) or a peach.

• The Shell/Skin: This is the Crust. It’s thin, cold, and rocky. It’s where we stand!
• The White/Flesh: This is the Mantle. It is the biggest part. It’s super hot and acts like thick, gooey melted plastic.
• The Yolk/Pit: This is the Core. It is at the very center and is the hottest part of the whole planet!

Talking Points for 6-Year-Olds: "The crust is like the skin on your knee—thin but it protects what's inside! The middle is hot like a yummy toasted marshmallow, and the center is a burning hot metal ball!"

3. Guided Practice: "We Do" (The Layer Chant)

Before building, let's memorize the names with movement:

• Crust: Tap your feet on the floor (It’s what we stand on!).
• Mantle: Wiggle your arms like slow-moving lava (It’s gooey!).
• Outer Core: Make a "swish" sound (It’s liquid metal!).
• Inner Core: Squeeze your fists tight (It’s a solid, heavy ball!).

Repeat the names and movements together three times, getting faster each time.

4. Independent Activity: "You Do" (The Playdough Earth)

Now, the learner will build their own Earth from the inside out. Follow these steps:

1. The Inner Core (Yellow): Roll a small ball of yellow clay. (Explain: This is a solid metal ball, as hot as the sun!)
2. The Outer Core (Orange): Wrap a layer of orange clay around the yellow ball. (Explain: This layer is so hot it melted into liquid!)
3. The Mantle (Red): Wrap a thick layer of red clay around the orange. (Explain: This is the thickest layer. It moves very slowly.)
4. The Crust (Blue/Green): Wrap a thin layer of blue over the red, and add green spots for land. (Explain: This is the cool layer where we live.)
5. The Big Reveal: Use the dental floss to "saw" the ball in half. The learner can now see all the layers they created!

5. Conclusion: Recap & Success Criteria

Summary: Look at the cross-section of your clay Earth. Point to each layer and say its name. Remember: It gets hotter and harder the deeper you go!

Success Criteria: The learner can successfully answer:

• "Which layer do we walk on?" (Crust)
• "Which layer is in the very center?" (Inner Core)
• "Is the middle of the earth cold or hot?" (Very hot!)

Adaptability & Differentiation

• For Struggling Learners: Focus on just three layers (Crust, Mantle, Core) instead of four. Use a pre-drawn coloring sheet of the Earth layers.
• For Advanced Learners: Discuss why the inner core is solid (pressure) or introduce the idea of Tectonic Plates—the crust is actually broken into giant puzzle pieces that float on the mantle.
• Digital Option: If clay isn't available, use a digital drawing app to "paint" the circles in the correct colors and label them.

Assessment Methods

• Formative: Observation during the "Layer Chant" and the building process. Can the student place the colors in the correct order (lightest/hottest in the middle)?
• Summative: Have the learner draw a picture of their cut-open clay Earth on paper and try to label the layers using the first letter of each word (C for Crust, M for Mantle, etc.).