Curated OER
the biggest Plates on Earth
Students understand the movement of tectonic plates. In this tectonic plates activity, students access prior knowledge of convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries. Students discuss energy transfer involved in plate...
Curated OER
Convection in a Pan
Learners explore convection. In this lesson on heat and energy, students investigate how heat moves in convection currents. They use their finding to better understand how convection currents effect the movement of tectonic plates.
Curated OER
Continents Adrift
Students examine how tectonic plates change the Earth's land. In this geology lesson, students are divided into small groups to construct a continent puzzle. Students use transparency pieces to demonstrate how Africa and South America...
Curated OER
Islands, Reefs, and a Hotspot
Students describe eight stages in the formation of islands in the Hawaiian archipelago. They examine the movement of tectonic plates in the Hawaiian archipelago region, and describe how plate movement produced the Hawaiian archipelago.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Analyzing Plate Motion Using Earth Scope Gps Data
In this chapter, you will access Global Positioning System (GPS) data from the Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) and analyze the data in a spreadsheet to measure the motion of GPS stations in the Pacific Northwest. From your analyses, you...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Earth Science: The Rock Cycle: Uniformitarianism and Recycling
Instructional module focusing on the rock cycle. Discussion includes the concept of uniformitarianism and how earth materials change from one form to another. The site also includes an interactive practice quiz and links relating to the...
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: Snack Tectonics
Students create a model using food that simulates the layering and movement of tectonic plates. Overheads are provided that demonstrate different ways to position the graham crackers, frosting, and fruit roll-ups to emulate how the...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: Tsunamis
Excellent site exploring the mysterious and destructive tsunamis. Explore this scientific marvel and learn about the causes and dangers.
NASA
Nasa: Slr and Gps (And Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes) [Pdf]
This slideshow explains how satellites are used to measure the movement of tectonic plates.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Savage Earth: Waves of Destruction, a Tsunami Animation
View a brief animation that explains the science behind a tsunami.
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
Usra: Lunar and Planetary Institute: Hot Spot Activity [Pdf]
In this lesson, students will measure the distances between Hawaiian islands, and convert and graph their data to determine the speed of the Pacific Plate.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions
Explains what earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are and how they are related.
Science Struck
Science Struck: Underwater Volcano Facts
Provides information about underwater volcanoes.