Earth: Apple Activity

Consider the Earth as an apple.

With a knife, slice the apple into quarters.

Set aside three of the quarters - these represent the oceans.

You have one quarter remaining - this represents the total land area.

Slice the remaining quarter in half.

Set aside one of those pieces - this represents the land that's inhospitable to people: polar areas, deserts, swamps, very high/rocky mountains.

You have 1/8 of the apple/Earth left - this represents the land area where people live.

Slice this piece into four sections.

Set aside three of those sections - they represent  the areas that are too rocky, too wet, too cold, too steep or with too poor of soil to grow food.  It also contains cities, suburbs, highways, schools, parks, factories, parking lots and other places where people live but don't grow food.

You have 1/32 left of the apple/Earth.  Carefully peel this small piece. 

This tiny bit of peel represents the surface of the Earth's crust, the soil upon which all people depend.  It is less than 5 feet deep and represents the total portion of the Earth suitable for producing food.

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Presented by Audrey H. Brainard (Hands-On-Science) during the 200 Maitland Simmons Life Science Institute.