The Ground Beneath Us

Get the guide HERE.

View books and supplies recommended HERE.

As a homeschooling mom, I understand the joy and fulfillment that comes from watching our children explore and learn about the world around them. That being said, I also know how much an informative, straight-to-the point guide can be very appreciated in our busy lives. Add or take away whatever you please, this guide is FLEXIBLE. The materials list is mostly composed of items you already have in your home. This guide gives you the QR codes, links, crafts, and easy worksheets for your convenience, so that you can focus on the important part: MAKING MEMORIES!

That's why I'm so excited to share with you my latest creation, "The Ground Beneath Us" - a gentle, hands-on Earth Science guide designed with love for our young learners.

First off, let's talk about the amazing book we use as a spine for this guide.

The Street Beneath My Feet by Charlotte Guillain, is a family favorite in our home and I know this book would be an amazing resource in your home!

It opens up to 8 feet and has more on the other side.

--I will be doing guides using the other books in this series. Can't wait!

More about the guide...

The Ground Beneath Us offers seven thoughtfully crafted lessons that cover a variety of Earth Science topics, including Wastewater & sewage, Soil, Caves, Earth's Crust, Minerals, Fossils, and Underground Animals.

What's Inside:

Over 80 Pages of 7 Engaging Lessons: Each lesson is a new adventure, allowing your child to progress at their own pace and deepen their understanding of the world beneath their feet.

Each Lesson Includes:

Lesson Overview: A layout of the guide and an introduction to what each lesson will cover along with a material list.

• Multimedia Resources: Carefully selected video and book links to enrich your child's learning experience. A video comprehension worksheet to accompany each video!
• Fun Worksheet Activity: Writing prompts and coloring pages designed to spark creativity and reinforce the lesson's theme.
• Hands-On Experiment: Dive into science with a hands-on experiment related to the lesson, complete with discussion questions to encourage thoughtful reflection.
• Step-by-Step Instructions: Clear and simple instructions to guide you through each experiment, ensuring a safe and educational experience.
• Observation/Writing Worksheet: A special place for your child to record their observations and thoughts, turning each lesson into a cherished memory.
• Keepsakes: As you complete each lesson, you'll create a collection of worksheets and experiments that serve as keepsakes of your educational journey.

Join me on this wonderful journey and watch your child's curiosity and understanding of Earth Science blossom with each lesson. Let's dig deep and uncover the wonders of the ground beneath us.

Read below to get a glimpse of each lesson!

Lesson 1: Underground Sewage

Read & Watch

For this lesson we read pages 1-3 of our Spine (The Street Beneath My Feet). We also enjoyed a few other books that are listed in the guide. Next, the kids watched the linked video on where our water and sewage go when we're done with it! (During my youngest colored the Pipes page) The kids LOVED this video, and we all giggled. This mama also appreciated it informing our children of what NOT to flush down the toilet.

After, we worked on the accompanying worksheet. They loved knowing the answer on where our waste goes. We then did research on where our local waste treatment facility is located. (I learned something new too)

The Piping Beneath My House

This one was FUN. We walked out front, looked at our house, then discussed where the piping would be for water and sewage. After, my eldest drew our house from a front viewpoint then drew all the piping under the house.

The Ways I Can Help Keep Our Water Clean worksheet was the perfect opportunity to discuss, you guessed it: water pollution. WOW, did this open my eyes to the lack of parenting I've done on this subject. I've always talked about not littering our environment, but our water? Failed on that, but we got it down now. We discussed what was and wasn't okay to dump down the sink, and my daughter wrote them down.

Experiment time!

You'll have the complete instructions on how to create a Water Filter!

We simply stacked the items, poured in the dirty water in, and watched our filter work. (Not safe to drink) Then my daughter drew what our filter looked like on the Water Filter Experiment worksheet and wrote down her observation.

 

Lesson 2: Soil Layers

Read and Watch

First, we started by reading pages 4-5 of The Street Beneath Our Feet, then started reading Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth (Pages 14-17 specifically for this lesson)

For our video, we learned about soil with one of our favorite YouTube channels: SciShow Kids. The children discussed afterwards what dirt was and I wrote it down on the given worksheet.

Visual Fun

For the first visual activity, my 10-year-old used the keywords on the Soil Layers worksheet (I really enjoyed drawing this diagram). While we dug into that, my 5 year-old put the simple puzzle in order and my 4-year-old colored the Soil coloring/writing page.

Layer of Soil Snack

The 2nd visual activity is a crowd favorite. For this lesson, I went with a yummy classic snack ... a dirt cup! Layers of Soil style.

Lesson 3: Caves

We read pages 6-7 of the Spine, more of Magic School Bus, then REALLY enjoyed using Julia Rothmans Nature Anatomy book. (the specific pages are given in guide) DKs Fossil or Rocks & Minerals are great books for the next few lessons.

Next up: Watch the informative video, then show off their new knowledge by answering what are
caves and how are they formed.

Cave activity

(See above picture) Have your child color what they want their inside and outside of their cave to
look like. Cut it out then tape or staple on one side.

Foldable Rock Cycle worksheet

You can't learn about Earths layers without going over the rock cycle. Watch a video about the rock cycle then work with your child on the fun foldable page. Simply cut, fold, color and give a simple definition using the recommended books or video.

Limestone Cave Experiment

This is a fun one. It's a hands-on visual approach on explaining how caves are formed. Full instructions and material list given for all lessons. Before making the cave, I had my children discuss what they think would happen. After being amazed by the simple experiment, the kids finished up their cave worksheet.

Field Trip idea: This is a great time to go to some nearby caves.

Lesson 4: Layers of Earth Crust

Read and Watch

We read further along in our spine, our themed Magic School Bus book, and more of Julia Rothmans Nature Anatomy.

This time, during the video, all of my kids worked on a worksheet. SO, we went straight to the hands- on part.

Play Dough Earth's Crust

I provided two options for this one:
1. Lay each layer flat on the provided color-coded Earths layers worksheet.
2. Layer it into a sphere, then cut it to look at the inside!
We discussed each layer using the guide as they built their tiny Earth. Explaining that the inner core is solid and hot, the outer core is liquid, and so on.

 

Lesson 5: Minerals

Read and Watch

After reading further into The Street Beneath Our Feet, the kids have requested to leave the book open for the remainder of the guide. I don't blame them, it has little facts all over, and the visual aspect is UH-mazing.

My kids loved exploring all the minerals in our DK books and of course pick their favorite ones.
Luckily, they have a mama that has had a longtime obsession with our Earths treasures, so naturally, they had an abundance of hands-on minerals and stones to grab onto.

We finished of our Magic School Bus book, and again utilized Nature Anatomy.

The videos for this lesson really intrigued my kiddos and got them excited for the next experiment ...

Create a Geode

I worked to get the best recipe for all of you, and it does not disappoint.

Pro tip: When your geodes are done, add a drop or two of food coloring into the middle of your egg. It adds vividity and contrast!

Writing Activity: My Mineral

Your child gets to use their creativity to write a short fiction story!

Lesson 6: Fossils

Read and Watch

Here you can choose to finish off The Street Beneath Us book, like we did. At this point it's still sprawled out on our homeschool table, almost as if it is a table runner. We again used Nature Anatomy and DKs Fossils for visual learning.

Learn about paleontology with the fun video link provided. Remember, multiple worksheets are provided with each lesson. Do what suits your family!

Activity

Do you like sensory bins or an easy themed game? The fossil cut-outs are adorable and can be used
for hide-n-seek or any sensory needs!
We used @threepeasplay for our sensory bin material.

Create a Fossil

Two options again.
You can make a MOLD or CAST fossil.
We used an old abalone shell we had to create a Mold that we could keep. For the impression, we used some small seashells.

For the Cast, we used my son's dinosaur toy. You really can use whatever you want to imprint!

Writing Activity: My Fossil

Another opportunity to create a fiction story. My daughter loved this activity and enjoyed going into detail with her drawing.

Lesson 7: Burrowing Animals

Read and Watch

We finish up this guide with some cute animal fun. My kids loved the read-alouds for this lesson.
Watch a video on what and why animals burrow.

Then my kids drew their own burrowing animals on the underground page I provided. It was so fun to
see which animals they chose.

Activity: Life Sized Burrow

We are a big fort building family and have many tools to help us out. So, when I explained to my children that we were to build a giant burrow, they were on it. Each child picked an animal from the animal cards provided and built their own area. We connected everyone's in the middle. They gathered any burrowing stuffed animals, then placed predators like foxes and snakes outside of the
burrow. Boxes are a great alternative.

Thanks for coming by!

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