Earth science
Earth science is about our world. It looks at rocks and water. It looks at the air too. It even looks at life. This helps us learn. Do you like to explore?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleEarth Science articles
Explore rocks, volcanoes, weather, oceans and the processes that shape Earth. Choose an article below; its reading controls let you move between the available levels.
1,427 public articles · Page 1 of 30
Atmosphere of Earth
The air is all around us. It wraps the Earth like a blanket. It keeps us warm and safe. The air helps us live. It is very important. Do you like to breathe the fresh air?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleGeology
Rocks tell a story. They show how our world changes. Some rocks come from hot, melted stone. Others come from sand. We study them to learn about the past. It is like being a detective! Do you like rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleLand
Land is the dry part of Earth. It is not under the sea. It has rocks and soil. You can walk on it. It has mountains and trees. Do you like to play on the land?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleOcean
The ocean is big salt water. It covers most of our Earth. It is home to many animals. The ocean helps us live. It is very cool. Do you like the sea?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleWater
Water is all around us. It is in the big blue sea. It is in the rain. We need it to live. It helps all living things. Do you like to swim in water?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleAmazon rainforest
The Amazon is a big forest. It is in South America. Many trees grow there. It is very wet and green. This forest helps our world. Do you like big forests?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleArctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is very cold. It is the smallest ocean. Much of it is covered in ice. This ice helps the world. It is a very big place. Can you imagine the cold ice?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic is a big ocean. It sits between many lands. It is very deep and wide. Ships use it to move things. It is a huge part of our world. Do you like the sea?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleClimate change
The Earth is getting warmer. This happens because of how we live. Some things we do add gases to the air. These gases trap heat. This makes the world hot. It changes our weather. Can you help us care for our home?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleCloud
Clouds are in the sky. They are made of tiny water drops. They can also be made of ice. Clouds can help keep our world cool. They can also keep it warm. Do you like to look at clouds?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleDesert
A desert is a very dry place. It does not get much rain. Some deserts are hot. Some are very cold. Plants and animals live there too. They must be very tough. Can you find a desert on a map?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleEarthquake
The ground can shake. This is called an earthquake. It happens when energy is let go. Sometimes it is small. Sometimes it is very big. It can even move the sea. Have you ever felt the ground move?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleErosion
Wind and water move the earth. Rain can wash soil away. Wind can blow it too. This moves dirt to a new place. It helps us learn about our world. Can you see dirt moving?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleFlood
A flood is too much water. It covers land that is usually dry. Rain or melting snow can cause it. It can change where we live. Water can move very fast. We must stay safe near water. Have you ever seen a flood?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleFossil fuel
Some fuel comes from long ago. It comes from dead plants and animals. They were buried deep in the ground. We dig it up to make heat. It helps us drive cars. We use it every day. Do you use it too?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleHistory of Earth
Our Earth is very old. It started as hot dust. Then it cooled down. Soon, water and life came. Life is all around us now. Do you like our world?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleIndian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is a big sea. It is very warm. It sits near Asia and Africa. Many fish live in its blue water. It helps the world stay warm. Can you swim in the warm water?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleInternal structure of Earth
Our Earth has many layers. It is like a big ball. The outside is hard rock. Deep inside, some parts are liquid. The very center is a solid ball. This helps keep us safe. Do you want to go deep inside?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleIsland
An island is land in water. It is all around the land. Some islands are made by hot volcanoes. Some are made by people. Many animals live there. Do you like the sea?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleLake
A lake is a big pool of water. It sits on the land. It is not the ocean. Most lakes have fresh water. Some lakes have salt water. They are very pretty to see. Have you ever seen a lake?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleLightning
Lightning is a bright flash in the sky. It happens during a big storm. The flash is very hot. It makes a loud boom called thunder. It can even start a fire. Have you seen a flash in the sky?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMediterranean Sea
The sea is in the middle of land. It is between many places. Many people live near its blue water. It helps people travel and trade. It is a very big sea. Do you like the water?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleMineral
A mineral is a solid. It is made by nature. It has a special shape. Many rocks are made of minerals. They can be pretty colors. Do you like shiny rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNatural disaster
Big things in nature can be hard. A storm or a shake can hurt homes. It can also hurt people. Strong buildings help us stay safe. We can learn to be ready. Do you know about big storms?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNatural gas
Some gas comes from deep underground. It can make a blue flame. We use it to cook food. It also helps make heat. It can be hard to smell. We add a smell so we stay safe. Can you see the blue flame?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleNature
Nature is the world around us. It has wild animals and tall trees. It has big rocks and deep oceans. Nature helps us live. It is a very big and busy place. Do you like to see nature?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePetroleum
Oil is a dark liquid. It comes from deep in the ground. Tiny plants made it long ago. We use it to make fuel. It helps us move and work. Can you find oil in your house?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePlate tectonics
The Earth's skin is in pieces. These big pieces move very slowly. They slide and push against each other. This can make mountains or volcanoes. It even makes the ground shake. Can you feel the Earth move?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articlePollution
Pollution can hurt our world. It can be in the air or water. It can be trash on the ground. This can make people sick. We must keep our Earth clean. Can you help keep the Earth clean?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRain
Rain falls from the clouds. It is made of water. This water helps plants grow. It also gives us fresh water to use. Rain is very helpful. Do you like the rain?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRiver
A river is a stream of water. It flows downhill on land. It can go to a lake or the ocean. Rivers help plants and animals live. They give us water to drink. Do you like to see rivers?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleRock (geology)
Rocks are hard things on the ground. They make up the Earth. Some rocks come from hot fire. Some come from sand and mud. People use rocks to build houses. Do you like to collect rocks?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSalt
Salt is a white mineral. It comes from the sea or the ground. We use it to make food taste good. It helps our bodies stay healthy. Do you like salty food?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSea
The sea is a big body of salt water. It covers most of our Earth. Many fish and plants live there. The sea helps our world stay just right. It is a very big place. Do you like the sea?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSeason
The year has different parts. These parts are called seasons. The weather changes in each one. The sun stays up for different times. This helps plants and animals grow. Do you like the sun or the snow?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSnow
Snow is made of tiny ice bits. They grow in cold clouds. Then they fall to the ground. Snow keeps plants and animals warm. It is very pretty! Do you like to play in the snow?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleSoil
Soil is the earth under our feet. It helps plants grow big. It holds water and air for them. Tiny living things live in it too. Soil is very important to us. Do you like to dig in the dirt?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleStorm
A storm is big weather. It can have strong wind. It can have heavy rain or snow. Storms can also have loud thunder. Some storms help plants grow. They bring water to dry land. Have you ever seen a storm?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleTropical cyclone
Big storms spin in circles. They form over warm water. These storms bring much rain. They can blow very hard. The wind moves in a ring. This can cause big floods. Have you seen a big storm?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleVolcano
A volcano is a hole in the ground. Hot liquid comes out. It can be hot rock. It can be ash. It can be gas. This helps us learn about our world. Do you like to see hot lava?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleWeather
Weather is what happens outside. It can be sun or rain. Sometimes it is windy too. Weather changes every day. It helps us know what to wear. Do you like the rain?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the articleWind
Wind is moving air. It moves from one place to another. It can be a soft breeze. It can also be a big storm. Wind helps plants grow by moving seeds. Can you feel the wind on your face?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article1556 Shaanxi earthquake
A long time ago, the earth shook. It was a very big shake. Many homes in the hills fell down. This was a sad time for many. It was a very big event. Have you ever felt the ground shake?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article1755 Lisbon earthquake
A big shake hit a city. It was in a place called Lisbon. Then big waves came from the sea. Fires also started in the streets. This was a very hard time. We can learn from it today. Did you know the earth can shake?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article1970 Bhola cyclone
A big storm hit the coast. It brought much water. The water flooded the land. Many people lost their homes. It was a very hard time. Do you know about big storms?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article1976 Tangshan earthquake
A big shake hit a city in China. It happened a long time ago. Many buildings fell down. It was a very hard day for the people. We must learn from it. Have you ever felt the ground shake?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
A big shake happened in the ocean. It moved the ground under the sea. This made huge waves. The waves hit many lands. People all over the world helped. Can you imagine a wave that big?
Early Reader · Change the reading level on the article