5.4.12.D.1.a Page 1 of 3 Sample Lesson Plan for Ninth through Twelfth Grade Goal: The student will develop earth system science skills in the area of tectonics. CPI: Explain the mechanisms for plate motions (tectonics) using earthquake data, mathematics, and conceptual models. 5.4.12.D.1 ACSSSD Objective: Demonstrate an understanding of the Earth’s levels (core, mantle, crust). 5.4.12.D.1.a Activity: Working in pairs, students will research the concept of plate tectonics using earthquake data and the Earth’s levels (core, mantle, crust). Students will construct models of the Earth’s levels (illustration, computer based drawing, or three dimensional). Students will create a PowerPoint presentation that explains the construction of their model along with an explanation of the mechanisms for plate tectonics. Earthquake data will be obtained using http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/. Modifications Materials Assessment Cross Content Areas 1. Students will work independently on each of 1. Computer 1. Rubric the BrainPOP activities. A teacher created Smartboard Quiz worksheet based on BrainPOP’s provided BrainPOP discussion list will be given to students. Students will list characteristics of earthquakes, the Earth’s levels, and plate tectonics. A quiz will be taken independently and online at the end of the lesson as an assessment. A hard copy 2. Rubric will be printed out for teacher to keep for their Quiz records. http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/platetectonics/ http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/earthquakes/preview.weml http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/earthsstructure/preview.weml 5.4.12.D.1.a Page 2 of 3 2. Students will work together to complete the following BrainPOP activities. Students will list characteristics of earthquakes, the Earth’s levels, and plate tectonics. After watching each short video, students can be divided into two teams and take the quizzes together as a class, set up in a game-like format. http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/platetectonics/ http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/earthquakes/preview.weml http://www.brainpop.com/science/ earthsystem/earthsstructure/preview.weml 2. Computer Smartboard BrainPOP 3. This conceptual model activity will acquaint the student with the concept of plate tectonics. With assistance (full physical prompt, partial physical prompt, verbal prompt, positional prompt, gestural prompt, visual prompt, natural prompt, modeling), have the students peel the orange without the use of a knife and in as few pieces as possible. This peel represents the earth’s crust and the crust is in pieces just like the orange peel. Have the students lay the orange peel on their work surface and record their observations. Tell the students to replace the peel on the orange, securing the peel with toothpicks. The earth is spherical like the orange although it is difficult to see the roundness of the earth except from space. What did the students observe when the orange peel 3. Oranges Clay or play dough Toothpicks 3. Rubric 5.4.12.D.1.a was laying on their work surface? Did they notice that the pieces flattened out? The pieces didn’t appear to be as round as they were when attached to the orange. Now that the peel is back on the orange, this better represents the earth’s crust. The cracks are called faults and it is the shifting of the plates (orange peel) that causes earthquakes and volcanic activity. Since most of the fault lines on the earth’s crust are not visible, the students may wish to roll out a thin piece of clay (or play dough) and cover the orange. Page 3 of 3