Haley Mooney

Mini Lesson on Plate Tectonics

(1) Standards:

A.
HS- Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and
ESS1-5 oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal
rocks. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to
explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages oceanic
crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading)
and the ages of North American continental crust decreasing with distance away
from a central ancient core of the continental plate (a result of past plate
interactions).]

CCS: English Language Arts Standards >> Science & Technical

Subjects>> Grade 9-10>>1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of
science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations or
description.

B. www.iste.org
 Knowledge Constructor (3c)
 Creative Communicator (6b-d)
 Global Collaborator (7c)
 Empowered Learner (1c-d)

(2) Lesson Objectives: https://volcano.si.axismaps.io/

A. Content Area: High School Earth Science

B. Technology:
 Continental Drift and Earthquake web quest.
 Smithsonian Emissions simulator (Earthquakes, Volcanic eruptions, and SO2)
 Brief Earthquake video
 Student PowerPoint Presentation

(3) Introduce the Learning Activity

A. Describe how you will communicate the lesson objective to the students. How
will you tell them what they will learn in this lesson?
 I will list the objectives on the board for them and go over them at the beginning
of class. The objectives are listed below.
 1) Students will evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of
continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the
ages of crustal rocks
2) Students will understand how earthquakes and volcanoes are evidence of plate
tectonics.
3) Students will further explore earthquakes by choosing a historical earthquake
that has taken place and identify the factors that may have lead up to it along
with supporting details.

B. Describe how you will provide a motivator. How will you get students interested
in this lesson?
 I will get students interested in the lesson by showing a brief video of a historic
Earthquake. Then they will be actively engaged in an interactive web quest about
Continental Drift and earthquakes. Students will try and piece together Pangea in
an online puzzle game. After that activity the students will observe a simulation
of all the earthquakes, volcanoes and their corresponding emissions that have
taken place from 1960 to 2017. Then students will begin working on their
earthquake PowerPoint presentation with a partner.

(4) Provide Information

A. Describe how you will provide any definitions, explanations, descriptions,
procedures, examples, and/or samples needed for this lesson.
 Students will be provided information through their web quest activity and have a
worksheet to go along with it. The interactive website provides definitions,
explanations, and descriptions.

(5) Provide Practice

A. Describe how you will give students an opportunity to practice the exact task
stated in the objective.

 Students will practice the tasks stated in the objective by evaluating evidence of
the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of
plate tectonics through the interactive website, Pangea puzzle activity and
Earthquake/Volcano eruption simulator.

 Students will understand how earthquakes and volcanoes are evidence of plate
tectonics through the websites they visit and the map of tectonic plate boundaries.
  The students will further explore earthquakes and plate tectonics through their
group project PowerPoint presentation where they will choose a historic
earthquake and provide significant details about the event.

B. Describe how you will give students an opportunity to practice the exact task
stated in the objective individually, as well as in groups. (You may have only individual
practice, but not solely group practice.)
 The students will practice the objectives independently through their web quest
activity and also with the group PowerPoint presentation.

(6) Provide Knowledge of Results

A. Describe how you will provide verbal feedback to the students on their practice
efforts.
 I will provide verbal feedback as I am walking around the room observing the
students efforts during the web quest activity.
B. Describe how you will provide written feedback to the students on their practice
efforts.
 I will provide written feedback when the students turn their web quest worksheets
in and also after they have completed their PowerPoint presentation.

(7) Review
A. Describe how you will, or how you will have students, summarize the important points
in this lesson.
 I will have students summarize the important points of the lesson through their
worksheet.
 I will wrap the lesson up by explaining the importance earthquakes and volcanoes
are to our understanding of plate tectonics.

(8) Methods of Assessment

A. Describe how you will assess whether or not the students have learned the skills
outlined in the learning objective. Provide a sample test, rubric, scoring guide, etc.
 I will assess whether the students have learned the skills outlines in the learning
objectives by grading their worksheets and PowerPoint presentation. The
 PowerPoint presentation will have a sheet that explains to students the criteria that
must be included.

B. How would you assess Tech Skills?

 I will assess tech skills by walking around the room and observing how students
are doing with the activities. If students need assistance I will provide them with
additional information or help them along through the lesson.