Optional Activities
Scientist Spotlight: Marie Tharp
Core Concepts

• Marie Tharp was a geologist and mapmaker.
• She helped create the first detailed map of the ocean floor.
• Her work helped support the theory of plate tectonics and continental drift.
• People didn’t believe her at first—because she was a woman—but her maps changed science forever.

Materials Needed

• Globe or ocean floor map (can use Google Earth or printout)
• Image of Marie Tharp (available via web search)
• Crayons or watercolors
• Access to map or topography examples
• Optional: short read-aloud biography (see suggestions below)

Story Time
Read a book about Marie Tharp (more in resources) OR tell one of these stories introducing her:

Tell the story (Level 1):

"Marie Tharp loved maps. She wanted to understand what was under the ocean. But no one had ever made a real map of the sea floor before. People thought it was flat! Marie worked with scientists who used sound to 'see' under the water. She turned that information into beautiful maps. Her maps showed deep valleys and big mountains under the sea. She discovered something called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which helped prove that the Earth’s crust is moving!"

For Level 2, add:
"Marie Tharp used sonar data collected by ships. She wasn’t allowed on the ships herself because she was a woman. But back in the lab, she studied the soundings and turned them into detailed maps. She was the first person to see a long crack in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. That crack was part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a key piece of evidence that supported continental drift and the idea of seafloor spreading."

Visual Exploration

• Show students a simple ocean floor map. Point out:
  • Mountains
  • Valleys
  • The Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• Compare with a flat ocean to show how Marie’s maps changed understanding.

Art / Hands-On Mapping Activity
Level 1:

• Color or watercolor a simplified ocean map
• Draw “bumpy” lines for the ridge. Add ships or sound lines.

Level 2:

• Create a sonar “map” on paper: use a ruler or string to create ocean depth lines.
• Label: Mid-Atlantic Ridge, ocean floor, continents.
• Try a salt dough or modeling clay 3D model of the ocean floor.

Wrap-Up & Reflection Questions

• Why was Marie Tharp’s map so important?
• What did her map show us about the ocean floor?
• Why do you think people didn’t believe her at first?
• What would you like to map?

Optional Extensions
Add Marie Tharp to your science timeline: 1950s–1970s – Marie Tharp maps the ocean floor and supports plate tectonics

Books

• Ocean Speaks: How Marie Tharp Revealed the Ocean's Biggest Secret by Jess Keating (picture book, great for both levels)
• Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea by Robert Burleigh (picture book)
• Marie's Ocean: Marie Tharp Maps the Mountains Under the Sea by Josie James (picture book)
• Soundings: The Story of the Remarkable Woman Who Mapped the Ocean Floor by Hali Felt (adult)

Videos:
https://youtu.be/vE2FK0B7gPo?si=p6rAL9vEwKqRxYuQ 
https://youtu.be/NuugQSaHM7Y?si=9x6F1UsRaPU4PJgj 
https://youtu.be/-mOjsn5UrWM?si=vERo0X73FbPj4b3n 
https://youtu.be/jlXrm6gjGq8?si=622UbWX1IoigyzLi 

What Is a Volcano?
Content Note: Volcanoes

Today’s lesson explores volcanoes — powerful natural events where melted rock (lava) comes out of the Earth. While we’ll focus on the science and how volcanoes shape the land, it’s important to know that real volcanic eruptions can sometimes be dangerous or frightening.

Goals
Level 1:

• Know that volcanoes are openings in the Earth where lava comes out
• Understand that lava is melted rock from deep underground
• Recognize that volcanoes are connected to moving plates

Level 2:

• Describe how volcanoes form at plate boundaries or hotspots
• Understand that magma rises from the mantle and erupts as lava
• Know that volcanoes can form mountains and change landscapes

Materials

• Picture books or images of volcanoes (real and illustrated)
• Volcano video clip (optional, brief and calm!)
• Baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, food coloring (optional eruption demo)
• Playdough or paper for drawing/building volcanoes
• Map or globe to show volcanic regions

Start with the information below, a video, or a book about volcanos
“Most volcanoes form where Earth’s plates meet. Magma (melted rock) pushes up from deep in the mantle and breaks through cracks in the crust. When it reaches the surface, it’s called lava. Volcanoes can erupt suddenly or slowly grow over time. Let’s learn how they work.”
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/volcano  https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zd9cxyc#zv62m39  

• Show real photos or illustrations of volcanoes
• Look at where volcanoes are on a map (Ring of Fire, etc.)
• Point out shield vs. cone volcano shapes (older learners) 

Ask:

• What does lava look like?
• Do all volcanoes look the same?
• Where does the lava come from?

Mini Eruption:

You’ll need:

• Small plastic cup or container
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Dish soap
• Red/orange food coloring (optional)
• Tray or large plate

Steps:

1. Place the container on the tray.
2. Add a spoonful of baking soda and a few drops of dish soap.
3. (Optional) Add food coloring.
4. Pour in vinegar and watch it bubble and erupt like lava!

Discussion:
“What do you see? What does it sound or smell like?”
 “What do you think caused this reaction? How is this like a real volcano?”

Creative Extensions 

• Draw or build a volcano with playdough.
• Label a volcano diagram: magma chamber, vent, lava, crater

Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7Oq9_DU1Mc 
https://youtu.be/LQwZwKS9RPs?si=dgkHU5e5idzA6x0N 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qdYCpSW2eY&t=1s 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR4wtGWK7eE&t=1s 



Earthquake Engineering: Shake It Up with Jell-O
Content Warning: This material might upset children specially is they've been through a natural disaster. Goals

Level 1:

• Understand that earthquakes happen when the Earth shakes
• See how shaking affects buildings
• Try to build something that won’t fall over!

Level 2:

• Describe how earthquakes are caused by movement at transform or convergent plate boundaries
• Understand that seismic waves move through the ground and can damage structures
• Explore how engineers design earthquake-safe buildings

Materials

• 1 tray of prepared Jell-O (firm — a glass or plastic container works best)
• Toothpicks, mini marshmallows, and/or uncooked spaghetti (for building structures)
• Optional: LEGO bricks, gumdrops, foam pieces
• Paper towels and cleanup supplies

Set Up the Demo
Make a tray of Jell-O the day before. You want a firm consistency so the Jell-O doesn’t melt or wobble too quickly.Let the kids build small "buildings" using marshmallows and toothpicks, or small LEGO towers.

Discussion
(you could also watch a video or read about earthquakes)
Level 1:
“Have you ever felt the ground shake? That’s called an earthquake! Let’s see what happens when the ground shakes under a building.”
Level 2:
“Earthquakes happen when tectonic plates suddenly shift. The energy sends out waves that shake the ground — and anything on top of it! Engineers try to build structures that won’t fall over. Let’s test some ideas.”

Build Structures

• Give learners materials to build a simple structure on a small plate
• Challenge them to make it at least 3 stories tall (marshmallow or LEGO levels)

Earthquake Simulation

• Place the structure carefully on the Jell-O
• Gently shake the tray side to side — simulate seismic waves!
• Try different speeds and directions of shaking
• Observe: Does the building fall? Lean? Stay up?

Optional:

• Have them redesign and try again — this models engineering design thinking

Reflect and Compare

• “What helped your building stay up?”
• “What made it fall over?”
• “What could real builders do to make buildings safer?”

Wrap-Up Concepts

• Earthquakes shake the ground — and buildings can break!
• Engineers use strong bases, triangles, and flexible materials to help buildings survive earthquakes
• Earthquakes usually happen at plate boundaries, especially transform boundaries like the San Andreas Fault

Examples of Explorations