This document provides instructions on how to make a foldable to illustrate the five layers of Earth's atmosphere - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. It includes key details about each layer such as its distance from Earth's surface, distinguishing characteristics, and objects found within that layer. Students are directed to additional resources to obtain information to include on their foldable.

1. Layers of the Atmosphere

2. How to Make Atmosphere Foldable:
1) Obtain 1 sheet of copy paper
2) Fold in half (hamburger-style)
3) Evenly divide the paper into 5
sections
4) Draw lines to divide each section
5) Label each section (the
troposphere show be on bottom)
6) Cut (one side) of the folded paper
along the drawn lines
7) Draw any objects found in each
section on the outside
8) Write any information about each
layer inside the foldable
9) Be sure to include info like:
- Meaning of the beginning of
word
- Distance from Earth’s surface
- Objects found in the layer’
- Any other distinguishing
characteristics
* Foldable should look like this
when it is closed*
EXOSPHERE
THERMOSPHERE
MESOSPHERE
STRATOSPHERE
TROPOSPHERE

3. How to Obtain your Information:
• Go to:
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atm
osphere/layers.html
OR
• Scan this QR Code:
AND
• Go to:
– Pages 516-517 in TB

5. Troposphere
• Meaning “change”
• Nearest to the Earth
• The weather layer (clouds, etc.)
• Commercial aircraft fly at very top of this layer
– Some actually cruise in the lower Stratosphere
• Summit of Mount Everest is at top of this layer
• 0–10 kilometers (0–6 miles)

6. Stratosphere
• Meaning “stretched out layers”
• Atmosphere’s second layer
• Contains the ozone (O3) layer
– Absorbs solar radiation that is harmful
• Weather balloons can be found in this layer
– atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity and
wind speed
• 10–50 kilometers (6–31 miles)

7. Mesosphere
• Meaning “middle” or “intermediate”
• 3rd or middle layer of the atmosphere
• Most meteors burn up in this layer
• 50–90 kilometers (31–56 miles)

8. Thermosphere
• Meaning “heat”
• Temperatures can range from about 500° C (932° F) to
2,000° C (3,632° F) or higher
– Would actually feel extremely cold because the air is
extremely thin in this layer
• Contains the Ionosphere
– Charged particles (electrons, protons, and other ions) from
space collide with atoms and molecules
• Auroras (Southern and Northern Lights) occur in this layer
• 90 kilometers (56 miles) and up to the Exosphere

9. Exosphere
• Meaning “exit” or “outer”
• Outer limits of our atmosphere
• Since there is no clear boundary between outer
space and the exosphere, the exosphere is
sometimes considered a part of outer space
• Gas particles extremely spread out and often
escape into space
• Starting at about 500–750 km (300-460 miles)