I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel that in traditional school, we learned very little about the layers of the Earth and even less about the layers of the atmosphere. This lack of education is probably one of the contributing factors to the confusion around climate change. We were taught that the atmosphere contained the oxygen we breathe, and somehow we were depleting something called the “ozone,” which was terrible for the planet. I learned how the atmosphere protects life by destroying meteors through watching movies like Apollo 13 and realizing that the spaceships had to be protected from the heat of leaving that layer of the atmosphere. I’m so glad our students are exposed to the vocabulary and concepts of the layers of the atmosphere much earlier than I was taught them. These foundational concepts make them much more informed about the planet and their choices for themselves and future generations.

In this lesson, the students will play a game that helps them remember the different layers of the atmosphere and how they contribute to the health of the living things on the planet.

Materials: 

·      A large play area (a gym works best, but can be played outside)

o   If the game is a gym, the lines of the gym can be used to dictate the different layers of the atmosphere

o   If the game is being played outside, cones or rubber disc dots may need to be used to show the different levels of the atmosphere

·      Four small goals that can be used for soccer or hockey

·      Depending on the sports skill that the teacher wants to practice, various equipment can be used for shooting at the goals

o   Four hockey sticks with four tennis balls or plastic hockey pucks (to work on stick implement handling and striking)

o   Four soccer balls (to work on kicking and soccer-related skills)

o   Four dodgeballs (to work on throwing at a target)

·      Four to six large yoga balls

Minimum Number of Students Needed: This game needs at least sixteen players to be played as intended.

Age: Lower Elementary