Dustie Gallinger

4/13/10

Layers of the Atmosphere

Standard: E.FE.07.12 Compare and contrast the composition of the atmosphere at different levels.

Grade Level: 7th

Engage:The class will be split into at least four groups (depending on the size). Each group will then be given one layer of the atmosphere along with some facts about their layer. From these facts they will then have to write a haiku about their layer of the atmosphere. They can use any or all of the facts about their layer of the atmosphere. One group will write a Haiku on the atmosphere in general. Once each group is finished, they will choose a spokesperson to read their poem to the class.

**A Haiku is a type of poem. There are only three lines in the poem. The first line has 5 syllables, the second line has 7 syllables, and the third line also has 5 syllables.

  • Troposphere:
  • Earth up to about 10 km
  • Weather
  • Most of the gas in the atmosphere
  • Lowest layer
  • Stratosphere
  • About 10-50 km
  • Contains the Ozone layer
  • Absorbs UV radiation
  • Second lowest layer
  • Mesosphere
  • About 50-80 km
  • Coldest layer
  • Where most meteoroids burn up
  • Third layer from Earth
  • Thermosphere
  • 80 km and up
  • Hottest layer
  • 2 parts: Thermosphere and Exosphere
  • Contains Auroras
  • Where the space shuttle orbits
  • Highest layer
  • Atmosphere
  • Layer of gases surrounding Earth
  • Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Argon are the most common gases throughout
  • Water vapor is also present all throughout

Explore: For this portion of the lesson the students will stay in their groups and complete a Venn diagram for all the layers of the atmosphere. The students will be given different facts about the atmosphere and they must place these facts into the proper circle. They will write the number of each fact in the correct section.

  • Venn Diagram Facts
  1. Highest Layer (80 km and above)
  2. Third from the Earth (50-80 km)
  3. Second from the Earth (10-50 km)
  4. Closest to Earth (Earth up to 10 km)
  5. Coldest layer
  6. Hottest layer
  7. Contains Weather
  8. Contains Ozone layer
  9. Contains most of the gas
  10. Contains the exosphere
  11. Contains Nitrogen
  12. Contains Oxygen
  13. Contains water vapor
  14. Contains Auroras

Explain: I will draw a Venn diagram on the board and as a class we will fill it in. This will give me a chance to not only see where everyone is at in their understanding, but to make some corrections. This is where I would give the students some vocabulary and we would also discuss the small layers in between each layer.

  • Some vocabulary:
  • Tropopause: area between the troposphere and stratosphere
  • Stratopause: area between the stratosphere and the mesosphere
  • Mesopause: area between the mesosphere and the thermosphere

Elaborate: The students will use all the information they have acquired to draw a diagram of the atmosphere.

  • The Diagram will Include:
  • Troposphere
  • Tropopause
  • Stratosphere
  • Stratopause
  • Mesosphere
  • Mesopause
  • Exosphere
  • Heights of each layer

Evaluate: Since this would be taught in a 7th grade classroom, I would give the students a test on the information. I would ask the students to draw a diagram of the atmosphere from memory, including the heights. I would also ask the students to write down at least one unique fact about each layer.