Plate Tectonics Jigsaw
The Task
The task of the group as a whole is to outline what is meant by the "Theory of Plate Tectonics", outline the development of the theory and provide
evidence to support or reject the theory.
The task of each individual in the group is to supply the evidence that would be provided by a particular geologist or scientist. A "job description" for the
assumed profession should also be included
The Process and Resources
Sites for everyone: glossaries, background and general information
Volcano and Hydrologic Hazards, Features, and Terminology - from United States Geological Survey
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/
This Dynamic Earth: the Story of Plate Tectonics - from United States Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html
Evidence in support of the Theory of Plate Tectonics: - from Georgia Perimeter College
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/geo101/plateb.htm
Paleomap Project - animations and other graphics
http://www.scotese.com/
An Introduction to Plate Tectonics - from Volcano World
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/education/vwlessons/lessons/lesson1.html
Geol 456/656 - The Mechanism of Plate Tectonics - from Nevada Seismological Laboratory
http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/plate/mechanisms.html
Earth Like A Puzzle - from Scripps Institution of Oceanography
http://scripps.ucsd.edu/voyager/earth_puzzle/recycling_plates.html
Plate Tectonics - from University of Alabama
http://www.geo.ua.edu/intro03/Plate.html
Evidence Supporting Continental Drift - from For Kids Only Earth Science Enterprise, NASA
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/pangaea/evidence.html
Plate Tectonics - from St Vincents College
http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Resources/EarthSci/Tectonics/
Scientific historian
Use the Internet information linked below to compile a timeline of events and people who have helped formulate the theories of Continental Drift and Plate
Tectonics such as:
Alfred Wegener;
Arthur Holmes;
Harry Hess;
Edward Seuss;
J. Tuzo Wilson;
Hess proposes sea-floor spreading 1960 - from A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/do62se.html
Harry Hess 1906 - 1969 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bohess.html
Harry Hammond Hess: Spreading the seafloor - from This Dynamic Earth, United States Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/HHH.html
Alfred Wegener 1880 - 1930 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bowege.html
Wegener proposes idea of continental drift 1912 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/do12we.html
Alfred Lothar Wegener: Moving continents - from This Dynamic Earth, United States Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/wegener.html
The Meteorologist Who Started a Revolution - from The Plate Tectonics web site
http://pangaea.org/wegener.htm
Arthur Holmes 1890 - 1965 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/boholm.html
Magnetic bands provide evidence of sea-floor spreading 1963 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/do63ma.html
Life is found near deep ocean vents 1977 - from People and Discoveries, A Science Odyssey
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/do77li.html
Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) - from the Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/history/wegener.html
Historical perspective - from This Dynamic Earth, USGS
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/historical.html
Fred Vines;
and
Drummond Matthews.
Palaeonotolgist
Use the Internet information linked below to compile evidence that palaeontologists might contribute to the Theory of Plate Tectonics such as:
unique Australian megafauna;
Mesosaurus and other vertebrate fossils;
and plant fossils such as Glossopteris and Gangamopteris.
Luck and Persistence: a scientific career - career profile of a palaeontologist
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/rich/story.htm
Polar dinosaurs in Australia? - from This Dynamic Earth, United States Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/polar.html
Historical perspective - from This Dynamic Earth, USGS
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/historical.html
Reptile - from Palaeontological Museum, University of Oslo
http://www.toyen.uio.no/palmus/galleri/montre/english/162_883.htm
The Great Continental Drift Mystery - from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1991/6/91.06.05.x.html
Fossil sites of Australia - from Australian Museum
http://www.austmus.gov.au/fossil_sites/
Common questions: Gondwana and continental drift - from Dinosaur Dreaming, Monash University
http://www.earth.monash.edu.au/dinodream/faq/faqgond.htm
Turning of the Fagus - about the Australian Beech from Scribbly Gum, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
http://abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/April2000/default.htm
Antarctic Garden - from Gardening Australia, ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s131392.htm
Introduction to the Glossopteridales - from University of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/seedplants/pteridosperms/glossopterids.html
Gondwana: A Dinosaur Eden? - from Dann's Dinosaurs
http://www.geocities.com/dannsdinosaurs/eden.html
Volcanologist/Seismologist
Use the Internet information linked below to compile evidence that volcanologists might contribute to the Theory of Plate Tectonics such as:
distribution of volcanoes;
types of volcanoes; and
black smokers.
KiwiCareers - Volcanologist - from Career Service, NZ
http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/jobs/6a_phy/j80204a.htm
Questions about Volcanologists or Volcanology - from Volcano World
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/volcanologist/index.html
"Ring of Fire", Plate Tectonics, Sea-Floor Spreading, Subduction Zones, "Hot Spots" - from United States Geological Survey
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/description_plate_tectonics.html
Volcano World
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/
The Volcano Information Center - from University of California at Santa Barbara, Department of Geological Sciences
http://volcanology.geol.ucsb.edu/
Volcanoes of Australia - from Volcano Live, web site of John Seach, Volcanologist
http://www.volcanolive.com/australia.html
Use the Internet information linked below to compile evidence that seismologists might contribute to the Theory of Plate Tectonics such as:
distribution of earthquakes;
distribution of shallow earthquakes;
and
distribution of deep earthquakes.
Structure of the Oceanic Lithosphere, Plate Tectonics and Seafloor Spreading, Composition of the Mantle and Ocean Crust - School of Oceanography, University
of Washington
http://www2.ocean.washington.edu/oc540/lec01-1/
Plate Tectonics, the Cause of Earthquakes - from Nevada Seismological Laboratory
http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/plate-tectonics.html
Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics - from United States Geological Survey
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/topics/plate_tectonics/rift_man.php
Geologist
Use the Internet information linked below to compile evidence that geologists they might contribute to the Theory of Plate Tectonics such as:
distribution of coal seams;
distribution of mountains chains;
distribution of cratons and rocks of similar age; and
distribution and direction of glaciation.
KiwiCareers - Geologist - from Career Service, NZ
http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/jobs/6a_phy/j26141a.htm
Geologist/Geophysicist - an online interview with a geolgist from Faces of Science, UniServe Science
http://science.uniserve.edu.au/faces/hackney/hackney.html
palaeomagnetism;
polar wandering; and
magnetic striping.
KiwiCareers - Geophysicist - from Career Service, NZ
http://www.kiwicareers.govt.nz/jobs/6a_phy/j26142a.htm
Evolving Earth: Plate Tectonics - from University of Michigan
http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/evolving_earth/evolving_earth.html
Developing the theory - from This Dynamic Earth, USGS
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/developing.html
Structure of the Oceanic Lithosphere, Plate Tectonics and Seafloor Spreading, Composition of the Mantle and Ocean Crust - School of Oceanography, University
of Washington
http://www2.ocean.washington.edu/oc540/lec01-1/
Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus
You have all investigated a different line of evidence used by geologists to support The Theory of Plate Tectonics. Now group members come back to the larger
WebQuest team with evidence gained by searching from the perspective of your chosen scientist.
You must all now collaborate to justify whether you accept or reject the Theory of Plate Tectonics. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some
of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the web pages you explored to convince your team mates that
your viewpoint is important and the evidence relevant and should be part of your team's answer to the Task. Your WebQuest team should write out an answer
that everyone on the team can live with.
Conclusion
You and your team mates have learned a lot by dividing up to address different issues and points of view. Now's the time to put your learning into a format that
can be shared with other interested people.
As a group, prepare evidence to support or reject the theory of Plate Tectonics. What do most geologists consider to be the cause of Plate Tectonics? Will the
continents come together again some time in the future? Has there only been one episode of plate movement?
Your group may decide to present their evidence and arguments in written format, as a brochure or as a poster, in electronic format, as a presentation or web
site, or through an oral presentation or debate.
Each member of the group should also provide:
a job description for their assumed role; and
a list of new words (with explanations) that were necessary to understand this topic