Illinois Grade 5 Science

Explain what down means at different places on Earth

Use an original Earth model to explain local down, distinguish a drawing’s orientation from gravity, and study an Illinois Grade 5 science reference.

The Illinois science standards directory identifies NGSS as the science standards and links the standards publisher. Use the Illinois Learning Standards for Science document for the selected performance expectations and their examples and boundaries. This activity selects a Grade 5 expectation. It is one part of a science course, not a complete curriculum.

Do people on the opposite side of Earth fall off?

Students draw Earth as a circle and place three small figures around its edge: one at the top, one on the right, and one at the bottom of the page. Each figure stands on the surface in the model. They add an arrow showing the local direction down for each figure. The drawing represents a spherical Earth in a simplified cross-section; page position is not a privileged direction in space.

Explain the evidence or model

Each down arrow points from the figure toward Earth’s center. For the figure at the top of the drawing, the arrow points down the page. For the figure on the right, it points left across the page. For the bottom figure, it points up the page. All three arrows represent the same relationship to Earth even though their page directions differ. The bottom figure is not outside the reach of gravity because it is drawn below the circle. A familiar observation, such as a safely released soft object moving toward the floor, supplies local evidence that can be connected to this model.

What to check in the explanation

The circle and arrows are a model, not direct measurements of gravity around the whole planet. Explain what the model represents and what local observations contribute to the argument. Do not use the drawing to claim that gravity is an external force pushing from the top of a page, or that Earth has a physically preferred upper side. The selected Grade 5 expectation concerns the direction of Earth’s gravitational force; its assessment boundary excludes mathematical representations of gravitational force.

Plan the next activity

1. Mark the center and surface of the Earth model.
2. Draw each figure’s down arrow toward the center.
3. Connect a local observation with the model and state its limitation.

Rotate the paper while keeping the figures attached to their places on the drawn Earth. Check whether the arrows still point toward the center, and explain why rotating a page changes page directions without changing the model’s relationships. Then ask what down means for a fourth figure placed on the left. The answer should use the center rather than a memorized arrow direction. Compare the model with a globe and describe why a flat cross-section leaves out part of Earth’s shape. This selected argument does not replace the course’s other physical, life, and Earth science investigations.