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 activities that model the movement of the Pacific and North American plates. The activities are designed to explain the east west orientation of the Santa Barbara coastline and the location of the Channel Islands.

Concepts

plate tectonics, continental drift, california history, subduction, geology

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Ask groups to research plate movement and tectonic activity in their area

Classroom Considerations

• Requires extra time to collect and set up materials
• The teacher directed activities are most appropriate for younger learners

Pros

• The four-page packet includes a detailed plan, a link to the Educational Multimedia Visualization Center of the Department of Earth Science at the University of California Santa Barbara, and to animated simulations of plate tectonic movements

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.4.3