The Science 4 Inquiry: Earth Science Collection includes 16 lessons designed for middle school. Scholars learn about layering through hands-on exploration of everyday materials and apply their findings to diagram the layers of the Earth, observe deforestation from satellite photos and discuss the importance of forests to the global environment. As part of inquiry projects, they learn about the causes of sinkholes and space diving through the layers of the atmosphere. In other lessons, young scientists play the role of carbon as they travel through the carbon cycle and make the connection between carbon and climate. They explore plate tectonics, the rock cycle, measure galaxies' relative positions, develop an appreciation for the theory of the expanding universe and learn about the impact the jet stream and ocean currents have on global weather. Scholars also learn more about the entire spectrum of electromagnetic waves, explore how the Earth's spheres interact with the other spheres, and apply the law of superposition to determine which fossils belong together. Experimenting with wind, water, and ice reshaping sand, class members connect the simulations facts about erosion and deposition to understand unique landforms such as the Grand Canyon and natural arches. Middle schoolers position themselves as the Earth as they rotate around the sun and hold the moon to observe its patterns and phases. They also learn about what causes tides by studying the interactions of gravity between the sun, moon, and Earth. The collection is an excellent introduction to earth science.
