Lesson Plan/Learning Guide for AMES Earth Systems
Course:
Unit Theme:
Grade Level:
Date/Time:
- Earth Systems (Academy for Math, Engineering, and Sciences)
- Geology: “Plate Tectonics, Part 1: History of Theory Development”
- Grade 9
- 19-20 Jan 2016 (4 sections @ 90 minutes)
Utah State Core
Standard:
Objective:
USOE S-2: Evaluate the source of Earth’s internal heat and the evidence of
Earth’s internal structure.
USOE S-2, O-2: Describe the development of the current theory of plate
tectonics and the evidence that supports this theory.
Essential
Questions:
1. Understanding how heavy elements are formed, what process (logically)
created the Solar System?
2. What features of our Solar System provide clues to how it formed?
Understanding:
“Earth is an enigma, waiting to be understood.”
Students will
know:
Key Concepts, per USOE standards: (today’s words bolded)
a. Explain Alfred Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis, his evidence (e.g.,
fossil record, ancient climates, geometric fit of continents), and why it was not
accepted in his time. Side note: Include other discoverers and their advances as
well, not solely the ‘old white guy.’
b. Cite examples of how the geologic record preserves evidence of past change.
c. Establish the importance of the discovery of mid-ocean ridges, oceanic
trenches, and magnetic striping of the sea floor to the development of the
modern theory of plate tectonics.
d. Explain how mantle plumes (hot spots) provide evidence for the rate and
direction of tectonic plate motion.
e. Organize and evaluate the evidence for the current theory of plate tectonics: sea
floor spreading, age of sea floor, distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Additional Vocabulary Words:
- radioactive decay
- mantle
- lithosphere
- asthenosphere
- latent heat
- inner core
- outer core
Students will be
able to do:
- Use scientific processes to connect early ideas of continental movement
through the discoverers and their ideas up until the current theory was
widely accepted. Articulate how the lines of evidence support each other.
- Accurately sketch and label a cross-section of continental subduction zone.
How do activities
connect students’
prior knowledge?
- Lecture connects students’ prior knowledge of the differentiated core.
- Their learning styles and intelligences should include some handiness in
video/auditory styles, as well as interest in naturalistic/logical intelligences.
Assessments
1. Pre-Assessment (1 page, 8 questions). Below, Appendix 1.
2. Group Activity (Spider Map, Wave 1): “Tectonics Lines of Evidence”
3. Cloze activity (Earth structure & Plate Tectonics), due next class.
Learning
Activities:
1. Introduction (2 mins): “Leading question: Earth is an Enigma.”
2. Pre-Assessment (10 mins): Earth’s Internal Structure & Plate Tectonics
3. Interest Survey (10 mins): Captures ‘How do I learn? What am I into?’
4. Death by PowerPoint (30-40 mins): Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics.
Includes “gentleman science” in Europe and other advancements
5. Group Activity (15 mins): “Spider Map, (Wave 1)” Ind & Group inquiry.
6. Video (5 mins): “The mystery of Earth’s core revealed” (DNews.)
-- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXTEWQdu3aE
7. Open Discussion (to end of class): Students may opt to do their homework in
class -or- participate in the discussion.)
Accommodations
for struggling and
accelerated
learners (group
patterns, content
strategies, etc.):
IN GENERAL:
For ELLs: All videos selected by subtitle availability. Where possible, bilingual
speakers assist in the classroom.
For accelerated students: Additional video and audio analysis, with crossreferencing in the text; additional time with Astronomy teacher, if possible.
For challenged students: Paired with assistants; advanced students help
challenged students with basic understanding and concept expression.
Resources
Discovery News. (Sep 21, 2013). The mystery of Earth’s core revealed.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXTEWQdu3aE.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (2011). Underwater
microphone captures Honshu, Japan earthquake. Audio file retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rWDrZIucAQ. NOAA Vents Program.
Textbook:
How has the prior
day assessment
shaped your
instruction?
Background: Students’ performance on the Jan 2016 Midterm Test revealed
prior-science school year gaps in their knowledge of the Earth and the Solar
System.
Where possible, reinforce:
- Laws of gravity
- Rocky Planets vs. Gas Giants
- Internal Structure of the Earth (layers)
- Basic scientific historical discoveries
Pre-unit Assessment (Plate Tectonics)
Name: _____________________________
Period: _________ Date: __________2016
Directions: Do your best individual work, writing legibly. (10/10 points for fully participating.)
1. Visualize the entire world: What are the four “spheres” of the Earth System?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mesosphere, Troposphere, and Ionosphere.
Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Geosphere, and Biosphere.
Lithosphere, Mantle, Outer Core, Inner Core.
Earth, Moon, Sun, Mars, and Venus.
Matching: Link up the following rock-forming environments with their descriptions.
2. Crust ____
A. A massive ball of solid spinning iron and nickel
3. Mantle ____
B. Uppermost boundary is the asthenosphere
4. Outer Core ____
C. Uppermost part of the lithosphere
5. Inner Core ____
D. A thick subterranean layer of liquid metal
6. What are the primary differences between Continental Drift Hypothesis and the Theory of
plate Tectonics?
A. The hypothesis was never accepted, but the theory has been proven.
B. The first lacked a ‘mechanism,’ which the second ultimately provided.
C. Both accurately explain the movement of continents.
D. There are no differences between the hypothesis and the theory.
7. Fill in the blanks. Earth’s hot core drives at least three geological processes.
These are: __________________, __________________, and __________________.
Earth’s internal heat is generated by __________________ and __________________.
8. Salt Lake Valley, near future: You’re hanging with friends. Somebody declares a ‘biggest
nerd’ contest, bragging rights to the winner. Oh yeah, it’s all you. You want to win so bad you
can taste it, like the totally legal, non-alcoholic drink in your hand. Good thing your Earth
Systems teachers thought to prep you, weeks before, and arming you for this battle of wits:
What do you not yet know about the Earth that you would like to know? Write a question:
______________________________________________________________________________
Interest & Learning Styles Survey
(No points are assessed for this activity.)
Name: _____________________________
Period: _________ Date: __________2016
1. Check ( ) those methods you learn best with. Mark (X) those that don’t work so well
for you. For those you feel neutral about, leave blank.
2. What motivates you? Check any that apply; don’t overthink it.
___ I motivate myself. Total self-starter.
___ Having a partner in crime helps me – friends are very important.
___ The promise of a reward (grades, respect, academic success).
___ Ideals (integrity, service, excellence).
___ If I do poorly, I’m toast.
___ Someday, I’ll have a car. And more freedom. This is how I get there…
___ The team motivates me! I want my entire class to succeed.
___ Just get me through the week – tick tock, can’t stop the clock.
___ Making something of myself – I’m going be a leader in my field.
___ Honestly, I’m not sure yet. Need some time to find my motivation.
___ Mr. Sandrock, I’m only here because our lovely school system makes me.
___ Or, it’s something different: ______________________________.
3. Science: I feel like it’s ____________________________. (Pick one.)
___ Amazing. This school should offer more science courses.
___ Interesting. I enjoy it, but not all the time.
___ Meh. I could take it or leave it.
___ Not all that! It’s not torture, but I’d rather be somewhere else.
___ Get me outta here!! Like now.
4. Aside from friends or family, I’m really into:
__Video Games
__Travel
__My future job
__TV Series
__Art
__Community Svc
__Music
__Outdoors
__A Hobby
__Conventions
__Sports
__Thrill Seeking
Pick one of these checked items. My favorite of these is _______________________________.
5. Something you should know about me: ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Spider Map, Wave I
Name: _____________________________
Period: _________ Date: __________2016
Directions: Using Chapter 17.1 and 17.2, fill in the blanks below (prompts are shaded in gray).
You will have the opportunity (in future waves) to reproduce this from memory, so put it in
terms you understand best. When prompted, discuss in small groups and copy your neighbor.
In your own words, describe why the academic and religious communities had such a hard time
accepting the continental drift hypothesis, and ultimately the theory of plate tectonics. Be
specific, mentioning at least two notable persons you put above, and what they suggested.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
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Cloze Activity
(Used for content literacy, not assessment.)
Name: _____________________________
Period: _________ Date: __________2016
Directions: Pull vocabulary words from your book, class notes, or other resources.
Turn it in as directed by your instructor.
From class notes: name the key persons involved with the following discoveries/advances.
1. Seafloor Magnetic Lines (a Navy Captain): ______________________________________
2. Flemish cartographer, created the first modern atlas: _____________________________
3. Built the first comprehensive seafloor map: ______________________________________
4. Formulated the integrated Theory of plate Tectonics: ______________________________