Hands-on learning will get your students more engaged with plate tectonics, and potentially increase their excitement about science.
Plate tectonics, the study of movements of the Earth's crust over thousands of years, is an exciting topic in science class. Help your students learn about plate tectonics in an even more in-depth way, by giving them projects in plate tectonics that enable them to take a hands-on approach to their learning.
Plate tectonics puzzle
Have students cut a world map out of the tectonic boundaries. Show students images of the continents during various tectonic shifts, and have them put together their "puzzle pieces" in a way that depicts tectonic shifts, thus helping them to understand the extent to which the continents shifted around.
Plate tectonics scientists
Have students research a prominent scientist involved with plate tectonics. Have them prepare a multimedia presentation with images and trivia of that scientist's life. Then, appeal to students' competitive side by having them prepare a game of Jeopardy or a crossword puzzle to test their classmates' comprehension of their presentation. Reward the winning student or team.
Plate tectonics in the classroom
Have students use classroom materials to illustrate the spreading-floor tectonics that created the Atlantic Ocean. A potential method aligns two desks with their edges touching, to symbolize two ocean plates. Place two sheets of paper between the two desks, then have students slowly pull them out. As they pull the papers out, have them draw stripes of different colors on the papers, to symbolize the spreading of the new ocean floor from the ridge.
Instruments to study plate tectonics
Have students prepare a presentation on an instrument used to study the shifting of tectonic plates. Have them interview an expert in the use of the instrument, and bring in contact information of the interviewee. Students should provide pictures of the instrument, and tell the class about when the instrument was invented, what advances the instrument has been used to make, what it is currently used for, and use it.
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