Curated OER
The Biggest Plates on Earth
The best part about teaching guides is all the great information you can use to inform your class. They infer what type of boundary exists between two tectonic plates. Then, using given information on earthquakes and volcanism they'll...
Curated OER
Floating Plates on the Earth
Fourth graders construct a concept map about Plate Tectonics. They include types of movement, names and effects of boundaries. They research plate tectonics, describe and name 3 types. They analyze the effect on the earth's surface of...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonic Cycle
Students explore the Earth's movements by completing worksheets. In this plate tectonics lesson, students define such natural disasters as volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis and mudslides and discuss their connections to plate tectonics....
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: An "Eggs"periment
Learners investigate plate tectonics by observing a cracked egg shell. In this Earth science lesson, students draw borders of continents on an egg shell, only to watch it crack in a glass. Learners record the breakup of the...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Surface and Subsurface Processes
Eighth graders explore the geological process of plate tectonics. In this plate tectonic lesson, 8th graders design, construct and present a working model of a plate tectonics concept. This lesson includes a rubric, worksheets, and 2...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students identify the three layers of the earth: core, mantle and crust. They demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of convergent and divergent motions of the earth and an understanding of plate tectonics.
Curated OER
Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Even though volcanoes look alike, they can be very different based on the types of lava that erupts from their surface. Learn about strata volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and the varying viscosity of lava with an engaging hands-on...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 1
How do scientists provide evidence to support the theories they put forth? What clues do they put together to create these theories? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation class members engage in a series of...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 3
How far have California's Channel islands moved? What was the rate of this movement? Class members first examine data that shows the age of the Hawaiian island chain and the average speed of the Pacific Plate. They then watch West...
Curated OER
Active Volcanoes, Plate Tectonics and the "Ring of Fire"
For this volcanoes, plate tectonics and "Ring of Fire" worksheet, students view the location of volcanoes on a map of the Earth, they see the "Ring of Fire" and they locate the major plates of the Earth's crust. They use the map as...
Curated OER
New Zealand Subduction Zone Model
Students explore world geography by creating a model in class. In this tectonic plate lesson, students identify diagrams which discuss the tectonic plates in New Zealand and how they affect everyday life. Students utilize cardboard,...
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Shaky New Zealand
Students explore geography by answering study questions in class. In this plate tectonics lesson, students identify the earthquake data concerning the country of New Zealand and answer questions regarding the data. Students identify...
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Day 4: Plate Tectonics II
Students explore the theory of plate tectonics. In this geology lesson, students conduct a simulation of the crust of the Earth floating on the mantle. Students research plate tectonics and share their findings with the class. Students...
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle: Exploring the Tectonic Forces That Shape the Earth
Sixth graders follow in the footsteps of early scientists as they put the pieces of Pangaea back together and discovered the forces that create the variety of landforms and sea-floor features of our Earth.
EngageNY
TASC Transition Curriculum: Workshop 9
Here's a workshop for teachers that rocks the academic world! Using earthquakes as a medium for instruction, educators learn about crosscutting engineering with science. Fun, hands-on, collaborative exercises encourage participants to...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 2
Why are Torrey pines only found in La Jolla, California and on Santa Rosa Island? Class members examine images of Torrey pines from these two locations, noting the similarities and differences, and then develop a demonstration model that...
Curated OER
Types of Faults
This set of black-line diagrams of the three different types of faults can be used with your upper elementary earth scientists. Simply have them color the layers to show where the land once lined up. Another use for this resource would...
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Station: Earth's Interior
In this earth science instructional activity, students cut out each die pattern and the signs for each station. Then they assemble the dice by folding along lines and taping the edges together. Students also follow the written...
Curated OER
Disaster Cycles
Learners explore what causes natural disasters. For this environmental lesson plan, students will spend four weeks using activities to help in their understanding of the Hydrological Cycle, Hurricanes, Plate Tectonics, and the Recovery...
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Life Along the Ring of Fire
Students research geological forces that create the Ring of Fire and its effects on cultures. They write reports on how natural disasters influence societies.
Curated OER
Examing the San Francisco Earthquake
Students analyze photographic data about the San Francisco earthquake for evidence of its cause and effect. they determine if damage was caused by the earthquake itself or the ensuing fire. They role-play as earthquake survivors and...
Channel Islands Film
Island Rotation: Lesson Plan 4
Foster's Rule? Allopatric speciation? After watching West of the West's documentary Island Rotation, class members use Venn diagrams to compare endemic species on the Channel Islands with mainland related species. They then create a...
Curated OER
Which Boundary Am I?
Sixth graders find 12 statements which describe the characteristics of the three boundary types, arranged in random order. Their task is to read each statement, and then CUT and PASTE it to the the appropriate boundary icon.
Curated OER
Earthquake Machine
Learners explore plate tectonics by conducting a class experiment. In this earthquake lesson, students utilize scrap wood, sandpaper, rubber bands and a sanding belt to create a model earthquake experiment which shakes a nearby building....