NOAA
Plate Tectonics I
Young geologists get a glimpse beneath the earth's surface in this plate tectonics investigation. After first learning about the different layers of the earth and the constant movement of its plates, young...
Oregon State
World Map of Plate Boundaries
Young geologists piece together the puzzle of plate tectonics in an earth science lesson. Given a physical map of the world, they search for land formations that indicate the location of different types of plate boundaries.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Help young scientists piece together the theory of plate tectonics with this comprehensive collection of materials. Whether your are looking for worksheets, hands-on activities, or assessments, this resource has everything...
It's About Time
Taking a Ride on a Lithospheric Plate
Assist your pupils and broaden their horizons with several activities that determine the exact positioning of various communities over the globe. Pupils use data from the Global Positioning System to determine the position and rate of...
It's About Time
What Drives the Plates?
It's getting hot in here! Lead your emerging geoscientists on a thrilling journey as they calculate liquid densities to determine forces that stimulate thermal plates from within the earth's crust. They explore effects of temperature on...
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
Roots of the Mariana Arc
Plumb the depths of the Submarine Ring of Fire and explore seismic waves with this instructional activity. Junior geologists simulate s-waves and p-waves, calculate their speeds, and then apply the data to discover the material that...
Curated OER
Stressed to a Fault!
Eighth graders describe how stress builds up in the Earth's crust by the movement of tectonic plates. In groups, they relate the three types of stresses to the types of plate movements and explain how the stress causes faults to form. ...
Curated OER
Friendly Volcanoes
Students discuss the benefits of volcanic activity on marine life. They explain the process of tectonic plates.
Curated OER
The Volcano Factory
Learners examine the process of tectonic plates and why the Mariana Arc is active with volcanoes. They create a model of the Mariana Arc out of clay.
Curated OER
The Earth Moves Under My Feet
Students study earthquakes, monitor seismic activity using the Web, and plot real-time activity. They examine movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. They create an earthquake preparedness project.
Curated OER
Plate Tectonics
Learners identify that most of mountain ranges found on all major land masses and in the oceans are external reflections of tectonic movements within the earth. They identify that earthquakes and related phenomena are caused by the...
Curated OER
Converging Earthquake!
Students identify the fault lines and tectonic plates on the map. In this earth science lesson, students simulate landscape formation using robots. They take a quiz at the end of the lesson to demonstrate mastery.
Curated OER
What's the Difference?
Students 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.
Curated OER
Striking Earthquake!
Students simulate strike slip faults using CEENBoTs. In this earth science lesson, students identify the fault lines and tectonic plates on a world map. They label the different parts of a fault line.
Curated OER
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.
Curated OER
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...
Curated OER
Mystery of the Megaplume
Read through the extensive background information and then lead your geology or physical oceanography class through an investigation of actual temperature anomaly data from the Juan de Fuca ridge. They translate the data onto a plot,...
Curated OER
Cruising the Mantle
Students explore the plate boundaries of the earth. Through the use of video, internet and hands-on activities, students examine the types of plate boundaries. They create a model to illustrate the movement and interaction of the...
Curated OER
Mastering the Keyboard
Sixth graders view an animated program showing how the continents fit together millions of years ago. In groups, they compare and contrast the distribution of rocks and fossils based on how the continents fit together. After reading a...
Curated OER
Volcano! Is That a Volcano on Your Plate?
Students investigate where volcanos come from. For this volcano lesson, students watch videos do Internet research and participate in experiments to discover the cause of volcanos.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Action at Plate Boundaries
Students diagram the spreading of the ocean floor. In this earth science lesson plan, students read an article on plate boundaries of the ocean. Students are expected to diagram the oceanic convergent boundary, and...
Curated OER
The Moving Continents from Pangaea to the Future
Eighth graders examine how the movements of the Earth contribute to fossil distribution. In this fossils lesson students make maps of the placement of the continents.
Curated OER
Pangaea Puzzle
Students explore plate tectonics and the formations of the Earth's surface and why maps are distorted. In this Earth's surface instructional activity students complete a lab and answer questions.