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Exploring the globe as a model of the world we live in.
Imagine you are an astronaut floating high in space. When you look down at our home, do you see a flat map or a giant, glowing ball?
Even though the ground looks flat when we walk on it, the Earth is actually a giant ball! In science, we call this shape a sphere. Think of a basketball or a soccer ball. If you could fly a rocket ship far away, you would see that our home is round and beautiful. Because the Earth is so big, we use a special tool to look at it all at once.
Quick Check
What is the special name for a shape that is round like a ball?
Answer
A sphere.
A globe is a small model of the Earth. A model is something that represents a real object but is small enough to hold or look at. Just like a toy car is a model of a real car, a globe is a model of our planet. It is round just like the real Earth, and it shows us where everything is located.
1. Hold a small ball in your hand. 2. Imagine this ball is the giant Earth. 3. Spin the ball slowly. 4. You are now using the ball as a model to see all sides of the 'Earth'!
Quick Check
Is a globe the real Earth, or is it a model?
Answer
It is a model.
When you look at a globe, you will see many different colors. The most important color to look for is blue. The blue parts of the globe show us where the water is, like our big oceans. The other colors, like green, brown, or yellow, show us the land. The land is where people live, build houses, and plant gardens.
1. Look at a globe and find a large blue area. This is an ocean. 2. Now find a large green or brown area. This is a continent (land). 3. Notice that there is much more blue than any other color! About of the Earth is covered in water.
Quick Check
What color on the globe usually stands for water?
Answer
Blue.
Because the Earth is a sphere, we can spin the globe to see the other side. On a flat map, some things get stretched out, but a globe shows us the true shape of the land and water. There is a lot more water than land on our planet, which is why Earth is sometimes called the 'Blue Marble'.
1. Find a spot on the globe (like where you live). 2. Slowly spin the globe one full time until you see your spot again. 3. This represents one full day on Earth! You have seen all the land and water pass by.
Which word describes the shape of the Earth?
What is a globe?
On a globe, the green and brown areas usually show where the water is.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the special 'S' word that describes the shape of the Earth and a globe.
Practice Activity
Find a round object at home (like an orange or a ball). Use a marker or sticker to mark one spot for 'land' and leave the rest as 'water'. You've made your own model!