Unit Plan

Plate Tectonics: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities

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This Plate Tectonics: First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities unit plan also includes:

A set of first grade geology lessons focuses on plate tectonics and movement of plate boundaries. During the pre-lab, learners experience three types of plate movement through a kinesthetic demonstration. The lab demonstrates stresses that happen at plate boundaries in a water and flour experiment. Lastly, the post-lab introduces first graders to continental drift and the idea that plate motions allow the continents to move.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Include terms such as continents, converge, crust, diverge, plate boundaries, transform, slip, and slide to a word wall
  • Have class members use maps to find other patterns that show continents that once fit together
Classroom Considerations
  • The third lesson in a series of four about the plate tectonics cycle
  • Have class members refer to page 4 in the workbook for this portion
  • Set up materials for the experiment prior to implementing in the class
Pros
  • Includes a student workbook for the entire unit
  • Each activity is engaging and hands-on
Cons
  • Some of the concepts may be too advanced for first graders