Layers of the Earth for Kids

I went home one day with a bunch of avocadoes for Vito and I to eat.  Then as I was slicing it, Mavi saw the huge seed inside and blurted out that it looks like the Earth’s core!  And just like that, I whipped a brief activity on the layers of the Earth!

For the book, we had this since 2 years ago that Mavi really really loves to read.  It’s an easy read for young kids and the good thing about it is that it’s like an adventure book that takes its readers into an adventure of digging a hole down to the Earth’s center!  So I am HIGHLY recommending it to those who are interested.

Get the book from:

• To the Core from Amazon
• To the Core from Book Depository (FREE shipping anywhere!)

After looking into the avocado and discussing how it looked similar to the Earth’s layers, I took out some coloured rice (we already have this and stored in ziplocks) and have Mavi create the layers in a piece of cardstock in the way it is described in the book.

 

And this is what he came up with. He completed this with a little assistance from me. Well actually, my work only includes getting the rice and beans for him LOL.   He added some space shuttle and man in suit.  The book indicates that it is impossible to reach the center of the Earth as no machines or human can stand the pressure and heat.  But the book allows the reader to imagine and pretend, that if it’s possible, a super duper powerful digger and super suit is needed for humans to reach the  Earth’s core.

And since Mavi is now 6 yrs old, I am “training” him to discuss to me what he has learned from the book.  So he narrated what he learned using his artwork.  Okay, this is like reporting or project presentation in school, but it is at home and you’re doing it with your Mom :D  Mavi actually loved doing it and wanted to do it again!

After which, we took out some stuff at the kitchen and put up together the elements that made up the Earth.  Now, the CRUST is soil (we don’t have any so we used oatmeal for representation), MANTLE is made up of thick hot rocks, OUTCORE is made up of hot molten metal (we used ketchup!) and the INNERCORE is made up of a huge solid metal, a ball of iron (seed of Avocado).

See how spontaneous we are at home! My son enjoyed this activity and so do I! Hope you find this helpful :)

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Warm and Cool Colours

We are doing a lot of artworks at home.  Just the other day, we were looking at the masterpieces of famous artists like Monet and Van Gogh.  We talked about the techniques the artists used and how they set the mood of their paintings.  In particular, we talked about the colours they used during the daytime and night time.  In effect, we ended up talking about warm and cool colours which eventually brought us to this activity.

So Mavi and I practiced mixing paints to create our own warm and cool colours.  He was even more excited that we get to name our own colours!

Warm colours are colours of fire and sun, yellow and colour tones of red and orange.  Can you see the  names of his colours?  Yellow Golden Sun of Heavens and Lobster Bloody Red!

Cool colours are those of water, violet and colour tones of blue and green.  Love how he created his names:  Gods Light and Coral Sea Blue.

This is a simple activity that you can do with your kids anytime of the day! Less preparation but with much to learn.  Now with this knowledge, we can create paintings with proper mood settings! 

By the way, about the coloured tempera paints we are using. The brand is Gouache Liquide Tempera Paints. I am very particular with the paints we use at home because Mavi has asthma.  This brand has negligible smell and I love how strong and vivid the colours are.

So start making you colours now and have fun naming them!

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Warm and.cool

We are doing a lot of.art works.at home. Just the other say, we were.looking at the.paintings of famous aetist.like .... we focus on how the artist set the.modd.of their paints. One in particular is the difference of the daytime and.nighttime.paintings. we started talking about thedifferen x e of the colours used and it hit me that we havent talked.aboutbysing colors to set the mood of being wsrm.or cool.

So the next fay mavi and i practice mixing.paints to.create warm.and.colours. mavi was even.more.inspired as we try to give ourcoours a name.

Here are thr warm.coloursbof amci.  Warmcolurs has sowmthibg todo with fire. So it is red and orange

The coxolours