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