Intended Learners: The TPT activity is intended for use in an Earth Science course. The students are predominantly 9th-graders.
Objectives: SOL ES.7
The student will investigate and understand that plate tectonic theory explains Earth’s internal and external geologic processes. Key ideas include
a) convection currents in Earth’s interior lead to the movement of plates and influence the distribution of materials in Earth’s layers, and may impact the magnetic field -(Cognitive Strategy)
b) features and processes occur within plates and at plate boundaries - (Cognitive Strategy)
c) interaction between tectonic plates causes the development of mountain ranges and ocean basins - (Cognitive Strategy)
TPT Activity Summary:
In the Plate Tectonics in Motion Activity, the students will be simulating the effect of mantle convection on each type of plate boundary (Convergent: mountain-building), Divergent: sea-floor spreading, and Transform: large side-by-side faults). This activity will provide context definition to the plate coundary definitions they will have learned about as well as provide an activity where they are able to simulate the movement of the plate and the types of landforms that are produced. The movements of the plates and the landforms are a set of complex interactions that the students need to be able to understand the cause and effects. Thia actitivity could provide a means for them to manipulate the plate directions and describe the resulting outcomes. Those outcomes are then linked to the landform features they produce.
TPT Link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Plate-Tectonics-in-Motion-Activity-1266913?st=127878cd2122d1d4ac45490792c172b0
Objectives: SOL ES.7
The student will investigate and understand that plate tectonic theory explains Earth’s internal and external geologic processes. Key ideas include
a) convection currents in Earth’s interior lead to the movement of plates and influence the distribution of materials in Earth’s layers, and may impact the magnetic field -(Cognitive Strategy)
b) features and processes occur within plates and at plate boundaries - (Cognitive Strategy)
c) interaction between tectonic plates causes the development of mountain ranges and ocean basins - (Cognitive Strategy)
TPT Activity Summary:
In the Plate Tectonics in Motion Activity, the students will be simulating the effect of mantle convection on each type of plate boundary (Convergent: mountain-building), Divergent: sea-floor spreading, and Transform: large side-by-side faults). This activity will provide context definition to the plate coundary definitions they will have learned about as well as provide an activity where they are able to simulate the movement of the plate and the types of landforms that are produced. The movements of the plates and the landforms are a set of complex interactions that the students need to be able to understand the cause and effects. Thia actitivity could provide a means for them to manipulate the plate directions and describe the resulting outcomes. Those outcomes are then linked to the landform features they produce.
TPT Link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Plate-Tectonics-in-Motion-Activity-1266913?st=127878cd2122d1d4ac45490792c172b0
platetectonicsinmotionactivity.pptx |
Evaluation
This activity has the ability to allow the students to simulate plate motion and see resulting geologic features form at the boundaries. My main concern is that this uses chocolate pudding as the proxy for the mantle. This could get messy! The positive is that this is a difficult simulation, regardless of the medium. The activity helps reinforce verbal information and provide a means of facilitating the cognitive stragetgies inherent in the objectives of the unit.
In terms of the activity from TPT, it is already in a very usable format. The student worksheet page is clear, contains visuals, as well as definition reminders. The main thing for to do would be buying the supplies. I would need to go through this by myself before letting the students do the exercise for the first time.
In terms of the activity from TPT, it is already in a very usable format. The student worksheet page is clear, contains visuals, as well as definition reminders. The main thing for to do would be buying the supplies. I would need to go through this by myself before letting the students do the exercise for the first time.