Engaging Young Minds: Introducing Earth's Inner Structure Through Geophysical Education (INGE)

This project, INGE – The Earth’s Interior Through Geophysics, introduces students to the Earth's internal structure, fostering curiosity and providing a foundation for understanding geophysical concepts across educational stages. Initially designed for younger students before they reach upper secondary education, the project highlights a scalable approach to ensure its future relevance for diverse age groups.

The project’s core objective is to deliver engaging lessons about the Earth’s layers—crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core—focusing on their composition, physical states, and discovery through seismic methods. Activities include creative tasks such as coloring cross-sections of the Earth and exploring the contributions of key scientists. These resources aim to build a gradual understanding of geophysical concepts, fostering curiosity and engagement at an early stage.

The future development of the project includes adapting its content for older students, incorporating more advanced concepts such as the role of geophysics in understanding Earth's processes. This flexibility is intended to align the project with the needs of upper secondary education, supporting a continuum of Earth Science learning and contributing to its relevance in addressing global challenges.

As part of this submission, we will present examples of the educational materials prepared for school and library visits and share the experiences gathered from the project’s initial outreach activities. These visits provided valuable insights into the engagement and learning outcomes of younger students, offering a basis for refining and expanding the project’s approach to broader audiences.

Evaluation methods include feedback from students and teachers during these visits. Visual scales measure student satisfaction, while teacher insights help refine activities and resources. Student-created models of the Earth serve as tangible representations of learning outcomes, highlighting the effectiveness of the project in fostering understanding.

By introducing geophysical concepts early and planning for their adaptation to advanced levels, INGE demonstrates how innovative teaching strategies can inspire sustained interest in Earth Sciences. This submission aligns with the session’s goals by showcasing an adaptable initiative designed to enhance engagement with Earth Sciences, sharing best practices from the project’s early stages, and contributing to a stronger support network for Earth Science education.

Note: All authors contributed equally to the development of this work. The order of authorship was determined with the first author designated as the presenter and the remaining authors listed alphabetically by first name.