Fun & Engaging Earth Science Activities

As a homeschooling mom it can sometimes be a challenge to find Earth Science activities that make your lessons more fun and engaging. 

In my first couple of years homeschooling, I searched all over to find different ideas to make learning fun and engaging for my daughter. She loves doing hands-on activities and that bonding time is so precious. 

Here I am going to share with you how to do our three favorite projects we did for our Earth Science Unit:

• Landform Cake 

• Earthquake Structure Jello

• Volcano

Landform Cake: This was one of the first activities we did to give our daughter a glance of the different landforms. Because there wasn’t enough room in the 9x13 cake pan to do them all, she decided on a mountain, canyon, river, glacier and plato.

Here’s how we make our landform cake

Supplies:

• 2 Store bought or homemade cake mix (flavor of your choice)

• Oreos

• Rolos

• M & M’s

• Frosting

• Food coloring

Instructions:

1. Make the cake of choice and let it cool completely. We made 9x13 inch and 8 inch cakes. (Works best if you make and bake the cake day before decorating)

2. While the cake is cooling, have your student/students choose what landforms they want to create. They can draw a blueprint or map of the layout. Also choose what colors you're going to want to use. 

3. Once your colors are chosen, separate frosting into bowls, add food coloring and stir to desired color

4. To make the canyon and the river: we dug out the cake to the desired depth and length. 

5. To build the glacier: we stacked oreos and made them stick together with frosting. 

6. To build the mountain: we used an 8 inch cake. Cut out circles in the desired size. Then stack using your frosting for these layers to stick. You’re basically making a mini stacked cake. Then carve the mountain shape you desire. 

7. Now that you have your structures, you can put everything together and frost the entire cake as desired. 

I hope your family has as much fun with this project as our family did.

Earthquake Structure:  You can make this into a contest to see who builds the best structure. The idea behind this earthquake project is to see how different structures hold up in an earthquake. The set jello symbolizes land, the toothpicks & mini marshmallows represent buildings. 

Supplies needed:

• Jello mix

• Mini marshmallows

• Toothpicks

To make:

1. Make the jello the night before so it’s got time to set.

2. Give your children mini marshmallows and toothpicks. Explain to them that they're going to make a building or structure to see how well it holds in an earthquake.

3. Once everyone has their structure or building make, they place their creation on the set jello.

4. Then...shake! Shake it like it would be an earthquake. 

When we did this, it was so much fun. My daughter laughed and laughed. In all confession, I tried to build a structure and it fell apart before I could even get it on the jello. 

Our daughter was so proud of her creation.

Volcano: Of course you can’t do an Earth Science project without doing a volcano. 

Supplies:

• Empty soda or water bottle (16 oz work best)

• Straws

• Scissors

• Baking soda

• Vinegar

• Food coloring

• Dish soap

• 6 cups Flour

• 2 cups salt

• 4 tablespoons cooking oil

• 2 cups of water

• Cookie sheet

To build volcano:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, oil and water. This should make a smooth, yet firm dough. If it’s too dry you can add more water if needed. Just do very little at a time. 

2. With the scissors cut the straw in half and make 1 or 2 holes in the sides of your plastic bottle. Then insert straws into holes to the desired length sticking out. These are your volcano vents.

3. Place the bottle on a cookie sheet. Then start to build your volcano by sticking the dough onto the bottle. Keep building until you're happy with it. Remember to build around your vents (the straws).

4. Be sure to leave open the top and try not to drop any dough in the bottle.

The eruption:

1. Once your volcano is built, put a couple drops of dish soap (like Dawn) in the volcano

2. Add about 2 tablespoons of baking soda

3. 4-6 drops of food coloring

4. Then add vinegar and watch the eruption!! Repeat this step as many times as desired or while supplies last. 

These are just a few of our families favorite activities for enhancing the learning experience of Earth Science.