Lesson plan of Earth: Planet Formation

Objectives (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Understand the process of formation of the planet Earth: Students should be able to understand the main events that occurred during the formation of the planet, from its origin to its current configuration. This includes the formation of internal layers, the atmosphere, and the oceans.

2. Identify and describe the main theories on the formation of the Earth: Students should be able to mention and explain the main theories that attempt to explain the origin of our planet. This involves the Big Bang theory, the accretion theory, and the cooling theory.

3. Relate the formation of the Earth to the existence and evolution of life: Students should be able to understand how the formation of the Earth and the evolution of its physical and chemical conditions allowed the existence and evolution of life as we know it.

Secondary objectives:

• Develop research and synthesis skills: In addition to learning the content of the lesson, students should improve their research skills, since part of the lesson will be based on autonomous research. They should also practice the skill of synthesizing information, making it understandable and relevant to the topic at hand.

• Stimulate critical thinking and argumentation: When discussing the different theories of Earth formation, students should be encouraged to think critically and to make evidence-based arguments.

• Promote active participation and collaboration: Through group activities and classroom discussions, students should be encouraged to participate actively in the lesson and to collaborate with their classmates in the learning process.

Introduction (10 - 15 minutes)

1. Review of previous content: The teacher should begin the lesson by reminding students about some basic concepts that were covered in previous lessons and that are fundamental for understanding the topic to be studied. This may include a brief review on the internal structure of the planet, the composition of the atmosphere, and the importance of water for life on Earth.

2. Problem situation 1: "What is the Big Bang?": To arouse students' interest and prepare them for the new content, the teacher may ask the following question: "You have heard about the Big Bang, right? But what exactly is the Big Bang and how is it related to the formation of the Earth?" The teacher should encourage students to share their ideas and prior knowledge on the subject.

3. Problem situation 2: "How did water arise on Earth?": The teacher may then present a second problem situation: "Do you know how water appeared on Earth? And how did it become so abundant as to cover most of the surface of our planet?" This question aims to arouse students' curiosity and lead them to think about the importance of geological processes in the formation and evolution of our planet.

4. Contextualization: After presenting the problem situations, the teacher should contextualize the importance of the subject, explaining how the study of the formation of the Earth is fundamental to understanding not only the origin of our planet, but also the origin of life and the occurrence of natural phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes.

5. Introduction of the topic: Finally, the teacher should introduce the topic of the lesson, explaining that students will learn about the main theories of Earth formation, from the Big Bang to the current configuration of our planet. In addition, the teacher may share two curiosities to grab the students' attention: the first is that the Earth, despite being a relatively small planet compared to others in our Solar System, is the only one known to harbor life; the second is that the Earth is not perfectly round, but slightly flattened at the poles and widened at the equator, due to its rotation.

Development (20 - 25 minutes)

1. Activity "Assembling the Earth" (10 - 12 minutes):

   • Materials needed: Styrofoam balls of different sizes, acrylic paint (blue to represent the oceans, brown for the Earth's crust, yellow for the mantle, and red for the core), glue, toothpicks.

   • Description of the activity: Students will be divided into groups of five. Each group will receive the materials needed to assemble a model of the Earth. Students will have to paint each layer of the Earth on the corresponding Styrofoam ball, and then assemble the model, using toothpicks to fix each layer. During the activity, the teacher should circulate around the room, assisting students and clarifying doubts.

   • Objective of the activity: This activity aims to provide students with a visual and practical understanding of the internal structure of the Earth. By building the model, students should discuss and understand the order of the layers, as well as the composition of each of them.

2. Activity "Debate on Theories of Earth Formation" (7 - 10 minutes):

   • Materials needed: Articles, videos, or short texts that present the three main theories of Earth formation: Big Bang, accretion, and cooling.

   • Description of the activity: Each group of students will receive a set of materials that explain one of the theories of Earth formation. They will have a set time to read and discuss the material among themselves. After the time is up, the groups should briefly present the theory they studied, highlighting the key points and the evidence that supports it. Then, all students should participate in a class discussion, comparing the three theories and reflecting on which one they consider more likely and why.

   • Objective of the activity: This activity aims to develop students' research, synthesis, argumentation, and critical thinking skills. By debating the different theories, students should be able to analyze and evaluate the evidence presented, and to formulate arguments based on their own interpretations.

3. Activity "The Earth and Life" (3 - 5 minutes):

   • Materials needed: Images or illustrations representing different forms of life (plants, animals, microorganisms, etc.), cardboard, colored pens, glue.

   • Description of the activity: Each group of students will receive a set of images/illustrations representing different forms of life. They should choose one image and then draw and write on the cardboard a brief story imagining how that form of life could have arisen and evolved on Earth, taking into account the geological processes that were discussed in class. After completing the stories, each group should share theirs with the class.

   • Objective of the activity: This activity aims to reinforce the connection between the formation of the Earth and the existence and evolution of life. By imagining and discussing the origin and evolution of life forms, students should be able to relate these processes to the geological events that have occurred throughout the history of the Earth.

Feedback (8 - 10 minutes)

1. Group discussion (3 - 4 minutes): The teacher should promote a group discussion, allowing each group to share their solutions or conclusions to the activities carried out. Each group will have a time limit to present their findings. During the presentations, the teacher should encourage students to ask questions and make comments, thereby fostering a collaborative learning environment. The teacher, in turn, should make connections between the groups' presentations and the theoretical concepts covered in class, reinforcing the applicability of the knowledge acquired.

2. Learning verification (2 - 3 minutes): After the presentations, the teacher should make a brief review of the main points covered during the lesson, checking if the learning objectives were achieved. The teacher may, for example, ask students what they understood about the origin of the oceans, the formation of the atmosphere, the internal structure of the Earth, and how these elements are related to the existence and evolution of life. In addition, the teacher may ask more open-ended questions, asking students to share their opinions and reflections on the subject.

3. Connections with the real world (2 - 3 minutes): To close the lesson, the teacher should reinforce the importance of the subject studied, relating it to everyday situations or to other disciplines. For example, the teacher may explain how the study of Earth formation is fundamental to understanding natural phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes, or how it contributes to research in areas such as astrophysics and astrobiology. In addition, the teacher may suggest that students do more research on the subject, indicating reliable and interesting sources of information.

4. Final reflection (1 minute): The teacher should encourage students to reflect on what they have learned in class. To do this, the teacher may ask questions such as: "What was the most important concept you learned today?" and "What questions have not yet been answered?" Students should have a minute to think and, if they wish, can share their answers with the class. This final reflection serves not only to consolidate learning, but also to identify possible gaps in students' understanding, which can be addressed in future lessons.

Conclusion (5 - 7 minutes)

1. Summary of Contents (2 - 3 minutes): The teacher should summarize the main points covered during the lesson, recalling the different theories of Earth formation (Big Bang, accretion, and cooling), the internal structure of the planet, the formation of the atmosphere and the oceans, and the relationship between the formation of the Earth and the existence and evolution of life. The teacher should emphasize the most important concepts and the connections between them, reinforcing students' understanding.

2. Connections between Theory and Practice (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher should explain how the practical activities carried out during the lesson (building the Earth model and discussing the formation theories) helped to illustrate and deepen the theoretical concepts discussed. The teacher should highlight the skills and competencies developed by students during the activities, such as research, synthesis, argumentation, and critical thinking skills.

3. Supplementary Materials (1 - 2 minutes): The teacher should suggest supplementary study materials for students who wish to deepen their knowledge on the subject. These materials may include books, articles, documentaries, websites of scientific institutions, and educational games. The teacher should emphasize that autonomous study is an important part of the learning process and that exploring these materials can enrich students' understanding of the formation of the Earth.

4. Relevance of the Subject (1 minute): To conclude the lesson, the teacher should recall the importance of the study of the formation of the Earth, emphasizing how this knowledge is fundamental not only for the discipline of Geography, but also for various other areas of knowledge, such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Geology. The teacher should also reinforce the relevance of the subject for understanding the world we live in, including the occurrence of natural phenomena, the existence and evolution of life, and the possibility of life existing on other planets.