Curated OER
Explosive Ideas!
Students 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 topic.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students simulate the three types of plate boundaries using robots. In this earth science instructional activity, students explain how earthquakes and volcanoes are formed. They collect real-world earthquake data and plot them on the map.
Curated OER
A Moving Experience
Students visit Time Machine's San Francisco Earthquake Era. They understand how the Earth's layers interact to cause changes in the Earth's surface. They review information about earthquakes and Earth's layers.
Curated OER
Earth's Plate Tectonics
Students identify the different layers of the Earth. In this earth science activity, students create a model of the crusts and continents. They explain how plates movement cause earthquakes and volcanoes.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Wegener and the Continental Drift Hypothesis
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How Wegener's hypothesis of continental drift was refined.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Continental Drift: What's the Big Idea?
Students learn how the theory that explains the position of Earth's continents was established and later modified.
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Earth Science: Plate Tectonics I: Geologic Revolution
Instructional module focusing on the development of plate tectonic theory. Discussion includes the evidence of Pangaea, and the processes of seafloor topography and seafloor spreading. Site also includes an interactive practice quiz and...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Plate Tectonics: The Origin of Plate Tectonic Theory
Discover Alfred Wegner's ideas relating to continental drift and seafloor spreading which are both evidence to the concept of plate tectonics.
Other
Paleomap Project: Earth History
The PALEOMAP Project illustrates the plate tectonic development of the ocean basins and continents, as well as the changing distribution of land and sea during the past 1100 million years. Includes virtual 3D paeloglobes.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Pangaea Pop Up
Michael Molina discusses the catalysts and consequences of continental drift. [4:25]
Science Struck
Science Struck: Theory of Plate Tectonics
A detailed discussion of plate tectonics. Looks at continental drift, types of tectonic plates and plate boundaries, and primary and secondary tectonic plates.
Other
Nevada Seismological Laboratory: Plate Tectonics, the Cause of Earthquakes
This site contains an in-depth explanation of the causes of earthquakes as they relate to plate tectonics, and also has many nice and easy to read pictures, maps, and diagrams of plate tectonics and earthquakes.
Other
Rockhounding Arkansas: Your Fault, My Fault, and the New Madrid Fault
Text and diagrams regarding tectonic forces, the new Madrid Fault, and earthquakes.
University of California
Ucmp: Plate Tectonics
Provides hyperlinks to the history behind and the mechanisms driving plate tectonics. Be sure to click on the globe icons for animations of plate tectonics.
![Libre Text: Historical Perspective [Of Plate Tectonics] eBook](https://content.lessonplanet.com/knovation/original/234103-98d4b1b1275bce5d294f078f4912dc14.jpg?1661815153 "Libre Text: Historical Perspective [Of Plate Tectonics] eBook")
Libre Text
Libre Text: Historical Perspective [Of Plate Tectonics]
Read here about the historical perspective of plate tectonics.
Other
Pangea: Alfred L. Wegener Biography
Two biographies of Wegener and his work including his theory on how raindrops form.
Enchanted Learning
Enchanted Learning: All About Plate Tectonics
Simple discussion of plate tectonics and Pangaea. Includes maps and interactives.
Other
Plate Tectonic Theory [Pdf]
Check out this slideshow on Plate Tectonics-The unifying theory for all other theories in the Earth sciences-Has resulted in a more detailed understanding of Earth history-Has enabled geologists to more precisely(and cheaply) discover...
Other
Hartao: An Introduction to Plate Tectonics
Introduces South African Alexander Toit as naming Gondwanaland and Laurasia.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: The Earth's Plates
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart introduces students to the theory of plate tectonics. Continental drift theory and Pangaea are also discussed.
Soft Schools
Soft Schools: Plate Tectonics Quiz
The internal and external processes of Earth are related through the movement of Earth's plates, called Plate Tectonics. Find out how much you know about Plate Tectonics by taking this quiz.
US Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey: Alfred Lothar Wegner
This site from the United States Geological Survey provides a description of the scientist and his accomplishments.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How North America Got Its Shape
Peter J. Haproff explains how it took millions of years and some incredible plate tectonics to forge the continent we know today. [4:57]