Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Second Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Second graders explore convection currents and how they relate to the movement of tectonic plates. Then, young geologists reconstruct Pangaea with a worksheet and pinpoint plate boundaries on a map using locations of earthquakes and...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Third Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
Third graders examine plate movements and boundaries with a lab that demonstrates how volcanoes and earthquakes are formed. It presents different types of stresses an object can withstand through a hands-on experiment with clay to...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Fourth Grade Lesson Plans and Activities
The pre-lab portion of the lesson introduces emerging geologists to the various layers that make up Earth. After completing a sheet on the identification of the layers, class members simulate plate boundaries and their...
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...
Curated OER
Exploring Plate Tectonics
In this plate tectonics worksheet, students answer questions about plate movement, the types of boundaries, the history of Earth's crusts and plate tectonics. They use an on line source to get their answers.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics: Movin' and Shakin'
Students are introduced to the causes of plate movements and the hazards they present. They plot the location of 50 earthquakes and 50 volcanic eruptions on a map and explore the relationships between plate tectonics, earthquakes, and...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students participate in a series of experiments to learn about plate tectonics and the different materials of the Earth. For this plate tectonics lesson plan, students use eggs, water, beakers, paper, and more materials to learn about...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics Study Guide
In this plate tectonics worksheet, students answer questions about plate tectonics including topics such as the lithosphere, the asthenosphere, rising and sinking convection currents, continental drift and the types of boundaries.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics Writing Assignment
Students complete a writing assignment focused on the use of data to support the theory of plate tectonics. They access data using the "Our Dynamic Planet" CDROM, capture images of the data plots, and incorporate them into their writing. T
California Academy of Science
Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates
Here is a comprehensive package in which middle schoolers learn about types of seismic waves, triangulation, and tectonic plate boundaries. Complete vocabulary, colorful maps, and a worksheet are included via links on the webpage. You...
Curated OER
Snack Tectonics
Yum! Using graham crackers, dried fruit sheets, and frosting, tectonics technicians demonstrate the different types of plate boundaries. If you want to encourage youngsters with an activity that is both educational and edible, then this...
Curated OER
Natural Disaster
Describe how plate tectonics account for various land formations. Learners discuss different marine sanctuaries and create a poster about tectonic activity in these areas. They share their posters with the class.
Curated OER
Deforming Earth's Crust
A short and straightforward slideshow presentation is a great addition to your lesson on plate tectonics. With demonstrative diagrams and helpful facts, the presentation helps to reinforce a concept that can be a little tricky for...
PBS
Lessons - Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!
Volcanoes are among the most spectacular geological features on the planet. Jump into an exploration of these amazing phenomenon with this multimedia lesson series. Working collaboratively in small groups, young scientists view videos...
STEM for Teachers
Tsunami!
How does the depth of an ocean affect the speed of a tsunami's waves? Use Jell-o, graham crackers, and marshmallows to model the effects of an underwater earthquake and its resulting tsunami. The lesson includes hands-on activities,...
Curated OER
Layers of the Earth: Plate Tectonics
Sixth graders participate in a lesson that is about investigating the different layers of the earth and defining how the plates move over the mantle. They engage in a variety of activities and use mathematics to create projects to...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics & Land Forms
Fourth graders discuss the different interactions of plates and the ways mountains are created. For this plate tectonics lesson students complete an activity in groups.
NOAA
A Moving Crust
Young scientists piece together the geological puzzle that is the earth in the third and final instructional activity of this earth science series. With the help of numerous multimedia resources and a series of engaging hands-on...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics - Electronic Scavenger Hunt
Students explore the attributes of plate tectonics. In this plate tectonics activity, students use computers to access a plate tectonics scavenger hunt file and complete the required activities using their textbooks.
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
Learners 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
Students watch a video about plate tectonics. in this Earth Science lesson, students watch a video clip from Bill Nye about Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics. They make a slight crack in a hard boiled egg and manipulate the egg to...
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Students examine plate tectonics and landforms. In this plate tectonics lesson plan students complete an activity. Students practice drawing maps that show different fault lines and the land formations that were caused.
NorthEast Ohio Geoscience Education Outreach
Investigation of Plate Boundaries
Demonstrate the movement of lithospheric plates due to convection in Earth's mantle. Learners then model the movements that occur along plate boundaries using colored clay.