Curated OER
Plotting Earthquakes
High schoolers, after plotting earthquake locations on the map, should correctly; identify the pattern of earthquake locations and identify the ring of fire.
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...
Other
Digital Library for Earth System Education: Teaching Box: Plate Tectonics
A suite of lessons focusing on finding the fossil evidence for lithospheric plate tectonics. Inquiry-based exploration of plate tectonics evidence includes fossil distribution, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
Australian Museum
Australian Museum: Plate Tectonic Processes
A comprehensive site on plate tectonics and the Earth. Read how the oceanic and continental crusts, as well as the heat and the pressure within the Earth affect plate tectonics.
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.
Libre Text
Libre Texts: Understanding Plate Tectonics
Scientists have a fairly good understanding of how the plates of the Earth move and how such movements relate to earthquake activity. Most movement occurs along narrow zones between plates where the results of plate-tectonic forces are...
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Understanding Plate Motions
The U.S. Geological Survey provides descriptions and illustrations for the plate boundaries of the Earth's surface.
Other
Moorland School: Earth Science Zone: Plate Tectonics
A webpage explaining the main features of plate tectonics. Understand what evidence exists for plate tectonics and the theory of Pangea. Also learn about the different types of boundaries. The end of the webpage includes more links that...
Georgia Department of Education
Ga Virtual Learning: Plate Tectonics
In this interactive tutorial you will learn about the theory of continental drift and why it was ultimately rejected. Then learn about the theory of plate tectonics and the evidence to support it. Lastly discover the types of boundaries...
Vision Learning
Visionlearning: Activity at Plate Boundaries
A simulation that demonstrates divergent plate boundaries and seafloor spreading. A focus is on evidence of the Earth's normal and reversed polarity over geologic time in the rock record.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Hawaiian Islands: Volcano Ages, Hotspots and Plate Motion
The ages of volcanic rocks are used to investigate speed of motion of the Pacific plate, to analyze the distinctive bend in the chain, and to consider the age data in the context of a hotspot model of formation.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Archaean Eon
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Archaean Eon that covers topics such as early continents and oceans, first life on Earth, Earth's atmosphere, fossil evidence, and plate tectonics.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Exploring Earth's Seismicity
This sequence is an introduction to plate tectonics using evidence from topographical maps, earthquake location and depth, and volcano location using the Seismic Explorer model to investigate patterns of earthquake data and to infer the...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Magnetic Evidence for Seafloor Spreading
How magnetic reversals on the seafloor provide evidence for seafloor spreading. [Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.]
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Magnetic Evidence for Seafloor Spreading
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How magnetic reversals on the seafloor provide evidence for seafloor spreading.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Magnetic Polarity Evidence for Continental Drift
How magnetic polarity provided more evidence for moving continents.[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.]
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Cambrian Period
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Cambrian Period that covers topics such as the Cambrian Explosion, Burgess Shale fauna, trilobites, fossil evidence, and climate and plate tectonics.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of Natural History: Paleobiology: The Ordovician Period
Journey into the past while reading this comprehensive overview of the Ordovician Period that covers topics such as reef ecosystems, Paleozoic Fauna, fossil evidence, and climate and plate tectonics.
Math Science Nucleus
I. Science Ma Te: Integrating Science, Math and Technology
This site offers a wealth of online textbook-related materials that encourage the discovery of science in the world around us. Enter the site to access material on specific topics. Each section contains reading material (complete with...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Bathymetric Evidence for Seafloor Spreading
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes features of the seafloor and how they are mapped by echo sounding. It touches upon the continental margin as well.
Georgia State University
Georgia State University: Hyper Physics: Fossil Distribution
One of the first lines of evidence suggesting the existence of plate tectonics was the discovery of very similar fossils in rock masses separated by vast distances and by ocean expanses. It suggested that those land areas had in the past...
Columbia University
Columbia University: Evidence for Internal Earth Structure and Composition
College-level research information describes how the movement of Earth's interior causes seismic wave activity.
Science Struck
Science Struck: The Theory of Continental Drift
Explains what is meant by the Theory of Continental Drift, its earliest proponents, the stages of continental drift, the causes related to tectonic plate movement, the evidence that has been found, and how the Himalaya Mountains offer...
National Earth Science Teachers Association
Windows to the Universe: The Andes Mountains
Satellite photography and brief outline information describe the Andes mountains and provide links to specific features within the landscape - Atacama desert, or evidence of volcanic activity for example.