Plate Tectonic Activity (Hands-On)
Seth Rojello
11 Followers
Grade Levels
6th - 12th, Higher Education, Adult Education, Homeschool
Subjects
Resource Type
Standards
NGSSHS-ESS2-3
NGSSMS-ESS3-1
NGSSMS-ESS2-2
NGSSMS-ESS2-1
NGSSHS-ESS3-1
Formats Included
- PDF
Pages
22 pages
Seth Rojello
11 Followers
Description
Unlock the mysteries of plate tectonics through this hands-on activity, designed for advanced placement levels and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Students delve into the intricate dance of Earth's lithospheric plates, exploring convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries. The activity involves drawing and labeling tectonic plates and continents, analyzing factors contributing to the Ring of Fire's heightened volatility, and formulating hypotheses on geological consequences.
Safety Measures: Gloves are provided for handling potential skin irritants. Adult supervision ensures a secure environment. Safety precautions, including emergency procedures, are detailed for responsible material usage.
Procedure Highlights:
- Explore plate boundaries through engaging trials: divergence, convergence, transform fault movement, and island chain formation.
- Encourage critical thinking with analysis questions, such as understanding the geological principles behind continents "floating" above the ocean.
- Foster deeper comprehension with real-world applications, like estimating energy released during earthquakes.
Learning Objectives:
- Plate Tectonic Knowledge: Students will acquire a detailed understanding of plate tectonics, including the characteristics of different types of plate boundaries (convergent, divergent, transform) and the geological features associated with them.
- Critical Analysis Skills: Through analysis questions and hands-on activities, students will develop the ability to critically analyze geological processes, consider the factors contributing to the Ring of Fire's volatility, and formulate hypotheses about potential geological consequences.
- Application of Geological Principles: Students will apply geological principles to explain phenomena such as the "floating" of continents, the influence of plate boundaries on ocean life, and the formation of islands. This involves synthesizing knowledge to understand complex Earth processes.
This NGSS-aligned plate tectonic activity transforms learning into an exciting intellectual journey, encouraging students to synthesize a holistic understanding of Earth's dynamic crust and mantle. Get ready for an educational adventure that propels students towards a sophisticated grasp of Earth's interconnected processes.
Total Pages
22 pages
Answer Key
Included
Teaching Duration
N/A
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Standards
to see state-specific standards (only available in the US).
NGSSHS-ESS2-3
Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection. Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by density, and a three-dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate tectonics. Examples of evidence include maps of Earth’s three-dimensional structure obtained from seismic waves, records of the rate of change of Earth’s magnetic field (as constraints on convection in the outer core), and identification of the composition of Earth’s layers from high-pressure laboratory experiments.
NGSSMS-ESS3-1
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes. Emphasis is on how these resources are limited and typically non-renewable, and how their distributions are significantly changing as a result of removal by humans. Examples of uneven distributions of resources as a result of past processes include but are not limited to petroleum (locations of the burial of organic marine sediments and subsequent geologic traps), metal ores (locations of past volcanic and hydrothermal activity associated with subduction zones), and soil (locations of active weathering and/or deposition of rock).
NGSSMS-ESS2-2
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales. Emphasis is on how processes change Earth’s surface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such as slow plate motions or the uplift of large mountain ranges) or small (such as rapid landslides or microscopic geochemical reactions), and how many geoscience processes (such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and meteor impacts) usually behave gradually but are punctuated by catastrophic events. Examples of geoscience processes include surface weathering and deposition by the movements of water, ice, and wind. Emphasis is on geoscience processes that shape local geographic features, where appropriate.
NGSSMS-ESS2-1
Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process. Emphasis is on the processes of melting, crystallization, weathering, deformation, and sedimentation, which act together to form minerals and rocks through the cycling of Earth’s materials. Assessment does not include the identification and naming of minerals.
NGSSHS-ESS3-1
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.
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11 Followers
