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Status: Published
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Resource ID#: 17106
7th Grade Plate Tectonics
This lesson plan uses recent earthquakes as a learning opportunity. Students will learn what causes earthquakes to happen by going through a
series of activities that allow them to explore the structure of Earth's interior, convection currents in the mantle, motion of tectonic plates, and the
relationship between plate tectonics and earthquakes.
Subject(s): Science
Grade Level(s): 7
Intended Audience: Educators
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter,
Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD
Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Flash Player,
Adobe Acrobat Reader, Java Plugin
Instructional Time: 3 Hour(s)
Resource supports reading in content area: Yes
Freely Available: Yes
Keywords: Plate tectonics, convection, earthquakes, volcanoes, subduction, models, scientific theory
Resource Collection: iCPALMS
LESSON CONTENT
Lesson Plan Template: Learning Cycle (5E Model)
Learning Objectives: What will students know and be able to do as a result of this lesson?
After completing this lesson, students will be able to
1. describe the internal structure of the Earth,
2. understand the process of thermal convection and recognize that mantle convection drives the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates,
3. explain the theory of plate tectonics,
4. understand that plate tectonics creates earthquakes and volcanoes and shapes the Earth's surface.
Prior Knowledge: What prior knowledge should students have for this lesson?
Students should have had some prior practice making scientific observations and be comfortable using the Internet.
Guiding Questions: What are the guiding questions for this lesson?
1. What causes earthquakes and volcanoes?
2. What is the theory of plate tectonics?
3. What is the internal structure of the Earth?
4. What are convection currents and how do they influence earthquakes and volcanoes?
Engage: What object, event, or questions will the teacher use to trigger the students' curiosity and engage them in the concepts?
This lesson plan is intended to take 2 - 3 class periods. A time structure is suggested below but may be modified to meet the needs of individual classrooms.
Engage for Day 1
Have copies of Earthquakenews.pdf displayed prominently around the room before class starts.
Ask the students to take a few minutes to walk around the room and look at the headlines.
Have a class discussion (5 – 10 minutes) about earthquakes
Ask the students to share what they know about the 2010 earthquakes in Haiti and Chile or more recent earthquakes. What have they heard on the news or
page 1 of 3 first hand? Have any students ever been in an earthquake? Are any students familiar with earthquakes other than the recent Haiti and Chile earthquakes?
Tell the students that for the next few class periods they will be learning about the Earth processes responsible for earthquakes.
Engage for Day 2
Begin class by showing the CNN news video, Science of Earthquakes and Time, that explains how the recent Chile Earthquake shifted the Earth's axis. The video is
available online at http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/03/02/chile.quake/index.html, last accessed 3/3/10.
Explore: What will the students do to explore the concepts and skills being developed through the lesson?
This lesson plan is intended to take 2 - 3 class periods. A time structure is suggested below but may be modified to meet the needs of individual classrooms.
Explore for Day 1
Tell the students that they will begin learning about earthquakes by learning about the interior of the Earth.
Prior knowledge writing assignment. Put the following assignment on the board or overhead and give the students about 5 minutes to write their answer. Tell them
that you will be grading this assignment based on the clarity of their writing and depth of thought rather than on their understanding of the structure of the Earth.
Emphasize that you want them to try to include an explanation of why they think the interior of the Earth is the way they describe it or alternatively explain that their
answer is solely creative and not based on prior knowledge. Use the PKRubric.pdf to evaluate this assignment.
Assignment: "You have just returned from an adventurous journey to the center of the Earth. Take a few minutes to write a description of your journey. Describe what
the temperatures were (hot, cold, moderate) and what materials (liquids, gases, solids) you passed through"
Put the following web page, http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure.html (last accessed 3/4/11), on the screen and use the animation to help
illustrate the concepts you explain in this part of the lesson. Now that the students have expressed their individual ideas of what the center of the Earth is like they
will now explore what scientists know about the structure of the Earth. Explain the following to the students: The Earth has three distinct layers. We know that the
layers differ from each other primarily by the way earthquake (seismic) waves travel through the Earth. The core is as the center of the Earth and is divided into the
inner core and outer core. The inner core is solid, and is very dense. The outer core is liquid. The mantle is the layer above the core. In the lower part of the
mantle, temperatures are hot enough to cause rock to partially melt (the rock is thick but flows similarly to silly putty). Temperature is not as high in the upper
mantle so the rocks there are solid and brittle. The lower mantle where rocks are partially molten is called the asthenosphere. The outermost layer of the Earth is
called the crust. The solid rocks of the crust and upper mantle together make up the lithosphere. The lithosphere is broken into large slabs called tectonic (or
lithospheric) plates. Because the crust is less dense than the underlying mantle and because the asthenosphere is partially molten, these tectonic plates "float" on
the asthenosphere and are constantly in motion. Faults are cracks in the Earth's crust that typically occur at boundaries between tectonic plates. Sometimes these
plates get "stuck" as they slide past each other or collide. When the plates "break free" after getting stuck a tremendous amount of energy is released causing
earthquakes to occur. In addition to earthquakes, the movement of these tectonic plates is responsible for volcanoes, mountains, and tsunamis and therefore has
very clearly played an integral role in shaping our planet.
Hands-on activity (modified from http://explorationworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Geology-Layers-of-the-Earth-Lesson-plan-grades-2351.pdf, last accessed
3/4/11).
Point to a globe and ask students what it represents. Explain that the globe is a model used to represent the Earth and that today they will use a different model
(an egg) to represent the Earth.
Distribute 1 hard boiled egg, 1 paper plate, 1 napkin, 1 plastic knife, and 1 Egg Earth worksheet(StudentEggEarthWorksheet.pdf
TeacherEarthEggWorksheet.pdf) to each student in the class
Have the students lightly tap the egg to crack the shell in several places.
Tell the students to think about question 1 on the Egg Earth worksheet. "What part of the Earth do you think the egg shell represents?"
Have the students move the pieces of shell around on the egg.
Tell the students to think about questions 2 and 3 on the Egg Earth worksheet. "What part of the Earth do you think the cracks in the egg shell represent?"
"Where do you think the majority of earthquakes would occur on your egg? Why?"
Have the students cut through the center of their egg.
1. Tell the students to think about questions 4 and 5 on the Egg Earth worksheet. "What parts of the Earth do the yolk and white represent?" "No model is a
perfect representation of the natural world. What parts of the Earth do you think the egg is not a good model for?"
Have the students complete the Egg Earth worksheet as homework.
Explore for Day 2
Conduct the convection convectioncurrentdemonstration.pdf and have students complete the Convection Current and Plate Tectonics Worksheet
(Studentconvectioncurrent.pdf Teacher_ConvectionCurrent.pdf and platetectonicsonline.pdf
Explain: What will the students and teacher do so students have opportunities to clarify their ideas, reach a conclusion or
generalization, and communicate what they know to others?
Tell the student that they are now going to watch a short video lecture explaining how the shell of the egg is similar to the Earth's lithosphere. Emphasize that as
they watch the video you want them to try to visualize how the lithosphere is a thin, brittle layer on the outside of the Earth. Tell the students that in tomorrow's
class you will focusmoreontheasthenosphere.
Show the Egg vs Earth video (2 min 38 sec) available online at
http://www.iris.edu/hq/files/programs/education_and_outreach/seismographs_in_schools/docs/1.EggVsEarth_Butler.mov, last accessed 2/28/10.
Elaborate: What will the students do to apply their conceptual understanding and skills to solve a problem, make a decision,
perform a task, or make sense of new knowledge?
Have the students look over the news headlines about recent earthquakes again.
Have a short class discussion about how the recent earthquakes relate to what they have learned about plate tectonics. Do they have a better understanding of why
the Haiti and Chile earthquakes happened than they did before this lesson? Was there one thing in particular that they learned that really stands out or peaked their
interest?
Tell the students that you will wrap up the plate tectonics lesson by listening to short a NPR story that summarizes the science behind the Haiti and
Chile earthquakes.
Play the NPR story, Chile's Buckling Part of the Earthquake Belt. The story is available to play or download at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=124170318&ps=rs, last accessed 3/3/10.
Summative Assessment
Students will take the attached post test (blank, key).
Formative Assessment
page 2 of 3 The teacher will put the following assignment on the board or overhead and give the students about 5 minutes to write their answer. That students should know that
this assignment will be graded based on the clarity of their writing and depth of thought rather than on their understanding of the structure of the Earth. The teacher
should encourage the students to try to include an explanation of why they think the interior of the Earth is the way they describe it or alternatively explain that their
answer is solely creative and not based on prior knowledge. Use the attached rubric to grade this exercise.
Assignment:You have just returned from an adventurous journey to the center of the Earth. Take a few minutes to write a description of your journey. Describe
what the temperatures were (hot, cold, moderate) and what materials (liquids, gases, solids) you passed through.
The teacher can use the information gained from this prior knowledge assignment to determine what topics to emphasize during explanations and class discussions.
Feedback to Students
Students will complete two worksheets during this lesson plan, the Earth Egg Worksheet (student version, teacher version) and the Convection Current Worksheet
(student version, teacher version). Throughout the lesson there will be explanations given by the teacher, and the students will watch a video and complete an online
exercise; all of these activities will provide the students with feedback about their understanding and will reinforce the key concepts.
(Optional) Universal Design for Learning (UDL): How will the teacher structure this lesson to include the concepts of universal
design for learning?
PlateTectonicsMaterialspd.pdf
ACCOMMODATIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Suggested Technology: Computer for Presenter, Computers for Students, Internet Connection, LCD Projector, Speakers/Headphones, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe
Acrobat Reader, Java Plugin
Special Materials Needed:
See the attached file, Plate Tectonics Materials.pdf.
Further Recommendations:
Prior to presenting this lesson in class, teachers should do a dry run with the convection current demonstration to familiarize themselves with the procedure. Only the
teacher should use the sterno cans.
SOURCE AND ACCESS INFORMATION
Name of Author/Source: Anonymously Submitted
Is this Resource freely Available? Yes
Access Privileges: Public
License: CPALMS License - no distribution - non commercial
Related Standards
Name
SC.7.E.6.1:
SC.7.E.6.5:
SC.7.E.6.7:
SC.7.N.3.2:
Description
Describe the layers of the solid Earth, including the lithosphere, the hot convecting mantle, and the dense metallic liquid
and solid cores.
Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth's crustal plates causes both
slow and rapid changes in Earth's surface, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building.
Recognize that heat flow and movement of material within Earth causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and
creates mountains and ocean basins.
Identify the benefits and limitations of the use of scientific models.
Remarks/Examples:
Florida Standards Connections: MAFS.K12.MP.4: Model with mathematics.
Related Access Points
Access Point Number
SC.7.E.6.In.1:
SC.7.E.6.Su.1:
SC.7.E.6.Pa.1:
SC.7.E.6.In.2:
SC.7.E.6.Su.4:
Access Point Title
Identify that Earth has three layers (crust, mantle, and core) and describe the inside (core) as the hottest layer.
Recognize that the surface of Earth is called the crust.
Recognize the ground as the outer surface (crust) of Earth.
Recognize that slow changes, such as mountain-building, and fast changes, such as volcanic eruptions, are caused by
shifts below Earth’s surface.
Recognize the effects of earthquakes and volcanoes.
page 3 of 3