Who knew a shoebox and some art supplies would be so much fun!? This Earth’s Sphere Interaction Project is one my students’ favorite projects of the year! I love it because there is no real prep on my part, aligns with the NGSS standards, and the students get to use their creative sides in science. It really appeals to all students!
First, you will want students to get a shoebox in order to display their model. You can choose to have them create a model on paper or another way if you don’t have shoeboxes available. The students also need some sort of art supplies – or anything they can find! This model was made from paint, tissue paper, and cotton balls.
Here are the steps they will complete:
- Choose an interaction to model. The brainstorming packet gives the students lots of options to choose from like volcanic islands, coral reefs, the water cycle, tornados, and so many more!
- Do a little research. The packet includes links to videos and websites that could be helpful in the research process.
- Complete the notetaking packet that helps the students breakdown which of earth’s spheres are interacting and how it occurs.
- Create a model in a shoebox of the interaction with various art supplies.
- Define the spheres that are interacting and describe the interaction on the shoebox.
After the project is complete, I have students take a gallery walk around the classroom so they can see and learn about all the different interactions their classmates researched. There is also a rubric included for you to easily grade the projects!
At the end of the year, I always ask the students what they loved about class and what was their favorite project. This project always makes the top 5! Have fun creating with this Earth’s Sphere Interaction Project!