Sample Student Work (task and standards) The Course Sixth Grade Earth Science The Task The student will produce a short paper discussing how a rapid change in the rate of continental drift might affect the world. Circumstances of the Assignment The assignment was for an individual, but could be done as a group project. It took more than one class period to get all of the parts completed. Relevant Standards: S6E5: Students will investigate the scientific view of how the earth’s surface is formed. S6E5d: Recognize that lithospheric plates constantly move and cause major geological events on the earth’s surface. S6E5e: Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption, gravity) on geological features including oceans (composition, currents, and tides). Commentary: You have done a good job of organizing your ideas in a logical format. I noticed you have formulated paragraphs that reflect the main ideas of your paper. However, there is little mentioned about how continental drift will impact geological features of the earth. The statements you include about the movement of the continents are not accurate, and you should support any comments you make about continental drift with scientific evidence regarding this movement. You state that increasing the rate of continental drift will result in wars and will have negative effects on the production of agriculture. In your next draft, try to incorporate how this physical process will impact the geological features of the earth. Also, focus less on the societal impact of continental drift and more on how the movement of the lithospheric plates will impact Earth’s characteristics (i.e. oceans, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc.). At the end of your paper, summarize the points you’ve made in a concluding paragraph. Assignment: The student will produce a short paper discussing how a rapid change in the rate of continental drift might affect the world. Student Work If the rate of continental drift were to increase from 1-5 cm per year to 105 miles per day, the geography will change greatly. North America will move northward and be very close to Asia. But the main movement would be with Africa. It would probably connect to Eurasia. Also, Antarctica will move slightly northward. Since all of these movements will occur, the economics of each country will change. Georgia will begin to grow what is the normal crop for people living along the Canadian border. This will probably be wheat. Many places will be forced to change the crops that they normally grow as well. They would also be faced with the problem of selling equipment that they own because it will not be able to harvest, plant, or tend to the new crops. I believe that this will cause many problems. If the continents moved into new locations, it will also effect politics. Eurasia will possibly become Eurafasia. And Hawaii will become closer to Asia, this will probably cause them to change countries. Also, Greenland will join to Canadian country. The piece of land that breaks off of Africa will form a new ocean, and possibly a new country. Also, Antarctica will move into a warmer and more suitable climate. A piece of it will eventually join to South America. This will cause people to want to claim Antarctica, which breaks a law and will spark wars. Many wars will also occur in other places where land moved to a new location. The world may be destroyed by our wars.