All branches of science are fascinating and the earth sciences are definitely sure to peak your interest. Whether it's trying to understand how weather patterns form across large land areas or how rocks are formed over vast periods of time, learning more about the earth is a stimulating topic for children and adults.
What Are the Earth Sciences?
Earth science encompasses several disciplines including everything from studying the earth's core to examining the stars, and everything in between. Some more commonly known areas of earth science are geology, which includes fields such as paleontology, geophysics, oceanography and more. Environmental science is another field that is broad in scope and encompasses several smaller areas like ecology, biology, environmental chemistry and even zoology.
Earth Science Projects for Kids
If you have children, one of the best way to instill a love of science in them is working together on experiments. Your children may also need some ideas for a school homework assignment or science fair and the earth sciences category provides a wealth of possibilities.
Learning About Water
There are several fun water experiments you can do for children as young as kindergarten age. Regardless of their age, kids will love making rain clouds or learning about how water actually "bends." A simple experiment any child can do involves learning about the water cycle from evaporation, condensation, precipitation and percolation. Older children can learn about the plight of people who cannot find potable drinking water and how one can make a filter to make water safe without expensive equipment or supplies.
Understanding Natural Phenomena
Depending on where you live, you likely have to deal with one type of natural phenomena, such as earthquakes in California, floods in the Midwest or hurricanes in the Southeast. Engaging children in experiments on these events helps to demystify them and make them less frightening while stimulating them to learn more. You can teach about the forces involved in an earthquake with some styrofoam plates, craft sticks and marshmallows, of all things! Or demonstrate how a hurricane moves using a bowl of water and some food dye.
Earth Science Education
Earth science is a fascinating area of study, whether you wish to specialize in one area of it or take in knowledge about all the earth's observable phenomenon, atmosphere, and natural processes. Knowing more about how our planet works can inspire children into future careers in science and engineering to find new ways of using wind and other natural resources to create renewable energy. Teaching earth science can also instill in kids a love for conservation and preserving the delicate, vital ecosystems for generations to come.