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Earth Science Exploration and Creation Project

Layers of the Earth

Lesson Framing

State Standards:

• SC.7.E.6.1 Describe the layers of the solid Earth, including the lithosphere, the hot convecting mantle, and the dense metallic liquid and solid cores.

Students will first explore the layers of the Minecraft World, then compare that to the real Earth’s layers. Finally, students will make an accurate model of the Earth’s layers in Minecraft using correct vocabulary.

Minecraft Expectations

1. No adding-on, destroying, or harming another group’s creation.

2. Stay in your assigned area with your group. No wandering to other group areas.

3. No potions or TNT allowed.

4. If you cannot follow the above rules, you will be placed in Minecraft time-out for 5 minutes. (Frozen, no moving or building).

Server Set-up (for teacher only)

No server set-up is necessary. Students will be playing on individual, single player worlds for this project. Student directions are included on the attached worksheets.

Directions for students

1. Students will begin by exploring the world of Minecraft in Creative mode. Specifically, they will be digging into the earth and all the way down to bedrock, recording the different materials as they travel inside the Minecraft Earth. Students will use the Minecraft Earth Exploration worksheet to guide them for this project.

2. Students will then complete a venn-diagram to explain the differences between the inside of the Minecraft Earth and the real earth. Students may need to use teacher-approved websites to research about the layers of earth so they can accurately compare it to the Minecraft Earth.

3. Finally, students will create an accurate model of the layers of Earth in Minecraft and then present their models to the class, explaining the layers of the earth using correct vocabulary.

| | | | |

|Rubric | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| |Novice |Emergent |Proficient |Score | |

| |(0-5 points) |(6-11 points) |(11-16 points) | | |

|Minecraft Earth |Student did not complete |Student completed some |Student completed the | | |

| |or only partially |of the worksheet, but did |worksheet, accurately | | |

| |completed the Minecraft |not thoroughly record |recording each type of | | |

| |Earth Exploration |each block and y |block and the y | | |

| |worksheet. |coordinate. |coordinates. | | |

|Exploration | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|Research and Venn |Student did not complete |Student attempted to |Student successfully | | |

| |or only partially | | | | |

| |completed the research | | | | |

| |and Venn diagram | | | | |

| |comparing the Minecraft | | | | |

| |World layers to the real | | | | |

| |Earth Layers. | | | | |

|Diagram | |complete the Venn |completed the Venn | | |

| | |diagram with correct |Diagram with correct | | |

| | |research but only listed |research and listed | | |

| | |minimal differences and |extensive differences and | | |

| | |similarities. |similarities. | | |

| | | | | | |

|Model & |Student did not complete |Student completed the |Student successfully | | |

| |or only partially |model but did not |completed the model of | | |

| |completed the model and |accurately represent the |the Earth’s layers in | | |

| |presentation of the real |layers of Earth or could |Minecraft and could | | |

| |Earth Layers in Minecraft. |not use all of the |describe the model using | | |

| | |vocabulary in the |all of the provided | | |

| | |presentation. |vocabulary words. Model accurately | | |

| | |presentation. |depicted the sizes of each layer and | | |

| | | |characteristics within. | | |

|Presentation | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

| | | | | | |

|Extension Questions |Student did not complete or only |Student completed the extension |Student successfully completed the | | |

| |partially completed the extension |questions but did not provide |extension questions with complete and| | |

| |questions. This would include not |accurate or thorough responses using |accurate responses as requested. | | |

| |providing complete sentences to |content from the class. |Also, students answers were clear and| | |

| |non-multiple choice/true or false | |thorough. | | |

| |questions. | | | | |

| | | |TOTAL SCORE | /64 | |

Minecraft Earth Exploration Worksheet

Instructions: First, you will need create a new, single-player, creative mode world in MinecraftEdu. Follow the pictures below to make the world. You have a free account through Duval County, which is already downloaded if you have a county laptop. If not, you can download it at by entering your STUDENT EMAIL into the “CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAVE AN ACCOUNT FOR MINECRAFT: EDUCATION EDITION”

Instructions: Next, you will find the Block Inspector in your inventory and drag it to the hotbar so that you can identify the blocks in Minecraft. If you cannot find this tool then use to help identify them.

Instructions: Press F3 on your keyboard to bring up the Debug screen. Record what type of biome you are in and your Y coordinate.

Y Coordinate

Biome

Biome: ________________________________ Y: _______________

Instructions: Complete the chart below. Write the Y coordinate and using the Block Inspector, write the different types of block you see at that Y coordinate. Then, begin to dig a hole in the ground where you are standing, when the blocks start to change or you see something new, record your Y coordinate and the name of the block. Continue until you reach bedrock.

|Y Coordinate |Blocks you see | |Y Coordinate | |Blocks you see |

| | | | | | |

Bedrock

Minecraft Earth’s Layers Model Worksheet

Instructions: Using your science textbook or the websites provided by your teacher, research about the layers of our Earth. What are the differences between the layers of our real earth and the Minecraft Earth you just explored? Record the similarities and differences in the Venn Diagram below. (resources listed on the last page)

LIST AT LEAST 4 IN EACH SECTION FOR FULL CREDIT

Real Earth Layers Minecraft World Layers

Instructions: Now, create an accurate model of the Earth’s layers in Minecraft. If you cannot find the correct materials in Minecraft, you may use something that looks similar. Be ready to present you model to the class using the following vocabulary words.

Vocabulary Words

|Crust |Mantle |Inner core |Mesosphere |

| | | | |

|Ocean crust |Continental Crust |Asthenosphere |Lithosphere |

| | | | |

|Outer Core |Upper Mantle |Liquid |Solid |

| | | | |

Illustrate your Minecraft model of the layers of Earth below (Remember that your model should accurately represent the thicknesses of each layer in comparison to each other!)

Examples of illustrations/models –

screenshots of each created layer from the game with y-value indicated

drawing on paper of your in-game model with y-values indicated

video of you walking through each layer with F3 open to show y-values

Example drawing/model:

[pic]

List the materials you used in each layer of your minecraft model. For example, “I used magma blocks for the outter crust in my model” etc.

|Layer |Material(s) Used in Game |

|CRUST | |

|UPPER MANTLE | |

|LOWER MANTLE | |

|OUTER CORE | |

|INNER CORE | |

LAST PART: EXTENSION

Complete the following challenging questions regarding our unit on Earth. Every question must have a complete sentence unless it is multiple choice (#8 and #9)

|Question |Answer |

|1.Why are fossils essential to both the theory of evolution and the theory of plate | |

|tectonics? (p126-153) | |

|2. How might the Law of Superposition relate to a stack of magazines that you have | |

|been saving over the past few years? (p506-525) | |

|3. How can scientists use rock layers to determine climate and its relative | |

|age? (p506 – 525) | |

|4. How are scientists able to measure the exact, or absolute age of a | |

|rock? (p506-525) | |

|5. Explain how the convection currents in the mantle directly result in tectonic | |

|plate movement. What effect does convection currents in the mantle have on the rock | |

|cycle? (p8-50) | |

|6. Compare and contrast the different types of plate boundaries and the resulting | |

|events. How can the plate boundaries determine the resulting surface event? (p54-84) | |

|7. How do rapid changes to the Earth's surface, such as earthquakes take | |

|place? (p54-69) | |

|8. In which layer would you expect to find the least dense materials? | |

|A. Crust | |

|B. Inner Core | |

|C. Mantle | |

|D. Outer Core | |

|9. TRUE or FALSE; By studying earthquake waves, scientists have discovered that | |

|Earth’s core has two parts. | |

|10. The rock cycle and the movement of tectonic plates are | |

|A. caused by processes within Earth. | |

|B. historical processes that no longer occur. | |

|C. geologic processes that have begun only recently. | |

Resources for Venn Diagram Research:

• Digital Textbook McGraw Hill (p 8 -50)

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