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Modeling Plate Tectonics
Students investigate the four different ways tectonic plates interact at their boundaries. Using simple available materials, they create models to simulate these interactions present at plate boundaries.
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Earth Composition and Plate Tectonics
Students investigate the composition of the interior of the Earth through a teacher lead lesson. They study the theory of plate tectonics before creating a model of the earth's interior. They use a hard boiled egg to synthesize a model...
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Astronomy: Earth/Moon
Students investigate the Earth and the Moon. They select activities from a menu of options including viewing videos, drawing magnetic fields and plate tectonics, creating vocabulary flashcards, observing the phases of the moon over a...
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Volcano!-Thar She Blows!
Students describe how volcanoes are formed. They name the types of boundaries where volcanoes occur. They utilize models to illustrate the occurence of volcanoes and earthquakes along plate boundaries. They compare and constrast the...
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Earth Movers
High schoolers read an online article about an earthquake and follow up with a series of discussion questions about earthquakes. They answer questions in their science journals about continental drift, plate tetonics, and their...
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Plate Tectonics Boundaries
Young scholars discover how to create a model of tectonic plates and study the interactions of these plates as they slowly move on the asthenosphere. They see and experience what happens at each type of plate boundary and why there are...
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Oceans Socratic Questioning
Students participate in a whole class discussion of ocean-floor structures and plate tectonics. They respond to prompts in a structured sequence that lead them to conclusions about the role of plate tectonics in the creation of sea-floor...
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Examing the San Francisco Earthquake
Learners 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...
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Structure of the Earth
Sixth graders investigate earthquakes and volcanoes. They demonstrate fault lines with a folded piece of paper, conduct an erosion experiment, and construct a volcano using clay, baking soda and vinegar.
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Ecology And the Conservation of Natural Resources
Students study Alfred Wegener's theory of continental drift and how the continents were connected in one large land mass called Pangaea. They examine plate tectonics and the theory that the earth's surface is composed of large moving...
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Drifting Continents
Students, through teacher-led demonstration, explore the idea of continental drift. They complete a worksheet involving the calculation of continental drift over time.
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Explosive Ideas!
Young scholars explore the layers of the Earth and the dynamic changes that they cause on Earth's surface. Volcanoes and earthquakes become the focus of the lesson as the Oregon State quarter and its Crater Lake images are linked to the...
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How Does Your Magma Grow?
Students identify the three types of plate boundaries and the Earth's tectonic plates system. They examine how the Galapagos Islands were formed and hydrothermal vents.
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What's the Difference?
Young scholars discover how volcanic processes differ at convergent and divergent tectonic plate boundaries. They identify three geologic features that are associated with most volcanoes on Earth.
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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.
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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.
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PLATE MOVEMENTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Young scholars label three geological maps with continents provided to analyze the relationships between the movement of tectonic plates and the changes in the climate. In small groups, they discuss their findings and form hypotheses...
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The Distance Between Us and Them: Sea Floor Spreading in the Atlantic Ocean
Pupils examine how geologists determine rates of sea floor spreading between two tectonic plates. They apply mathematical concepts such as the calculation and use of velocities and conversion from one set of units to another.
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Earthquake Depth
Students research and locate earthquake epicenters on a map using latitude and longitude. They determine if the depth of an earthquake has any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary.
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Pangea All Lands
Students demonstrate how the earth's land masses were once one huge land mass known as Pangea. They fit continents together forming one large land mass. Describe the processes that cause plate movement.
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A Model of Earth's Tectonic Plates
High schoolers build a model of the Earth showing tectonic plate boundaries. The pattern for the model is provided in the instructional activity. This is a very useful hands-on component for a instructional activity about geology or...
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Formation of Volcanoes
Ninth graders explore the process of different volcanoes and how plate tectonics plays a role. For this volcanic lesson students complete several assignments on plate tectonics.
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Tic-Tac-Toe for Layers of the Earth
Eighth graders identify the different layers of the earth. In this earth science lesson, 8th graders choose a project to do from a given list according to their learning style. They present their finished project in class.
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Continental Drift
Young scholars simulate convection waves using a model. In this earth science lesson, students explain the effect of plate movements to Earth's geography. They use the internet to find answers to graphic organizer questions.