Title: The Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonics, and You
PLANNING:
Topic: Physical Science, Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonics
Time: This lesson is planned for 2 to 4 days depending on student need and availability of resources.
Class: 7th Grade Science
Content Standards addressed:
Grade 7: Standard 7: The Earth
GLE 0707.7.2 Summarize the basic events that occur during the rock cycle.
Check for Understanding: 0707.7.2
Label a diagram that depicts the major processes of the rock cycle
Check for Understating: 0707.7.3
Distinguish among sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic rocks and relate these to a simple diagram of
the rock cycle.
SPI 0707.7.2: Label a diagram that depicts the three major rock types.
SPI 0707.7.3 Identify the major processes that drive the rock cycle
Grade 7: Standard 7: The Earth
GLE 0707.7.4 Explain how earthquakes, mountain building, volcanoes, and sea floor spreading are
associated with movements of the earth’s major plates.
Check of Understanding: 0707.7.5
Analyze the relationship between plate movement and areas of earthquake activity.
Check of Understanding: 0707.7.6
Analyze the relationship between plate movement and mountain building.
Check of Understanding: 0707.7.7
Analyze the relationship between plate movement and volcanoes, and sea floor spreading.
SPI 0707.7.6 Describe the relationship between plate movements and earthquakes, mountain building,
volcanoes, and sea floor spreading.
Technology Standards addressed:
NETS for Students: Standard 4 Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
NETS for Students: Standard 6 –
Technology Operations and Concepts
Materials:
Textbook
Computer with PowerPoint
Computer with word processing application
Pencil
Objectives:
1. Explain the Rock Cycle
2. Explain the various elements
of Plate Tectonics
Google (www.gooogle.com)
Yahoo (www.yahoo.com)
Think Sheet
Journal
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Knowledge, Understanding
Knowledge, Understanding
Assessment:
The students will create a
double-entry journal,
documenting their progress
through the development of
their understanding of the rock
cycle and plate tectonics. On
the left side of the page, they
will be required to list the
element of the assignment
3. Use their understanding of the
rock cycle and plate tectonics
to develop a multimedia
tutorial about plate tectonic
and seismic areas.
Application, Analysis, Synthesis,
Evaluation
they are researching (igneous
rock development); as well as,
the website they used to learn
about the element. On the
right side of the page, they
will list what they learned
from the website, any personal
reflections on information
they just learned; including,
how it connects to prior
knowledge.
The students will be required
develop a multimedia tutorial,
detailing how life would differ
if they were to live in a
different seismic area
(mountain range with an
active volcano vs. the
Mississippi river valley with
underground fault lines) or
how seismic activities could
alter their local region. The
students will be required to
include details about the
geological formations in the
area and what seismic
activities might naturally
occur in the region. This will
require the student to reflect
on the information learned
during their research about the
rock cycle and tectonic
formations and to consider
how the geographic regions
are developed and changed by
plate tectonics and the rock
cycle.
TEACHING:
Motivation:
As a time filling activity, during the first few minutes of class, I plan to have the student grouped together and
make observations about a set of rocks, physical description, coloring, differences in weight, etc. This
information will be entered in a daily “Science Log” this will be part of a year-long portfolio, used to document
their growth in knowledge and understanding.
To begin the lesson, I propose starting a classroom discussion with interesting, yet possible unknown facts and
questions, about rocks and land formations. I expect the discussion to begin something like this: What is the
most “solid” thing you can think of; a door, a diamond, how about the ground its self? The ground beneath our
feet is solid, right? What if I told you the earth’s crust was nothing but pieces of land, floating on a liquid and in
a constant state of pressure, ready to move at any moment; trapped in a perpetual cycle of heating and cooling;
continuously recycling itself? Would you believe me? What if I told you rocks could float? Would you believe
that?
This discussion would be followed with the students participating in a group exercise in which they attempt to
discover why some rocks vary in; different rocks of the same size weigh different amounts, why some rocks
float, and how rocks are formed. The exercise will consist of various stations, in which; students will be able to
weigh different rocks on a scale, immerse waters in water, and a computer station for recording and researching
various topics.
Teacher Procedures:
Prior to the Computer
1. Setup student stations for physical observation
of rock samples.
2. Guide Group Discussion
3. Provide students with Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonic Worksheet
At the Computer
1. Guide students through researching the Rock
Cycle and Plate Tectonics
2. Answer questions
After the Computer
1. Guide second Group Discussion focusing on
the topic and methods of research.
2. Answer additional questions regarding topic
Student Procedures:
1. Exploration and observation of physical rock
samples with notation of observations in a
journal
2. Participate in Group Discussion
1. Complete the provided worksheets by
researching the Rock Cycle and Plate
Tectonics on the Internet.
2. Notate researching information in Journal for
later review.
1. Participate in Group Discussion
2. Develop and creation of multimedia tutorial
Reflection & Transfer:
After the students have had time to research the topic, a second class discussion will occur; in which, we will
discuss the rocks from the opening activity. I plan to guide the conversation to various points of the rock cycle,
plate tectonics, and information regarding seismic regions in the United States. Students will be expected to
participant in the discussion by providing their initial finding regarding the rocks and their understanding after
having researched the topic. I plan to continue the conversation into plate tectonics and seismic regions until I
feel that the topic has been thoroughly discussed and all immediate questions have been answered.
During this discussion, I will also make a point to have the students explain their thoughts and reasoning behind
the topics they choice to research; as well as, their research method, through the use of open-ended questions.
Through this discussion, the students will be able to hear, discuss, and reflection upon the research methods of
their peers; thereby, restructuring their capacity to analyze information and refine their understanding of any
topic being researched. Through the process of research and refinement, the students will develop the ability to
learn any topic they choose.
Resources:
1. Tennessee Department of Education – Curriculum -
http://www.tn.gov/education/ci/sci/doc/SCI_Grade_7.pdf
2. ISTE Standards – http://iste.org
ASSESSMENT:
Objective or
Beginning
Performance
1
Student will
The student did
Developing
2
The student
Accomplished
3
The student did
Exemplary
4
The student
Score
create a
multimedia
tutorial
explaining the
rock cycle and
its processes
and explaining
the association
of earthquakes,
mountain
building,
volcanoes, and
sea floor
spreading in
relation to plate
tectonics.
not create
enough slides
to concisely
and accurately
provide
information
regarding the
rock cycle and
its processes
and how plate
tectonics relate
to earthquakes,
mountain
building,
volcanoes, and
sea floor
spreading
Use their
understanding of
the rock cycle
and plate
tectonics to
explain the local
seismic area and
how life in the
area would
differ if a
seismic change
were to occur or
about life in a
different seismic
area
Student failed
to provide any
details
regarding the
type of tectonic
formation and
how it would or
does affect
those who live
near it.
created the
not create the
created the
required
required
request 10-15
number of
number of
slides and
slides, yet the
slide, but
provided
information
displayed a
concise and
could have
good
accurate
been better
understanding
information
organized and
of the material
regarding the
arranged. The
and provided
rock cycle and
basic
enough detail to
its processes
information
explain the rock and how plate
was provided,
cycle and it
tectonics relate
but needed
processes and
to earthquakes,
more detail
explain plate
mountain
regarding the
tectonics
building,
rock cycle and
relation to
volcanoes, and
it processes and
earthquakes,
sea floor
explain plate
mountain
spreading.
tectonics
building,
relation to
volcanoes, and
earthquakes,
sea floor
mountain
spreading.
building,
volcanoes, and
sea floor
spreading.
Student did not
Student
Student
provide enough provided a few
provided
detail regarding
details
several details
the type of
regarding the
on the type of
tectonic
type of tectonic
tectonic
formation and
formation and
formation and
how it would or how it would or how it would or
does affect
does affect
does affect
those who live
those who live
those who live
near it or did
near it.
near it.
not correctly
associate
tectonic
formation with
seismic region.
Overall Score
Name: James Martin
Date: 7/11/2013
Multimedia Planning Sheet
Directions: Complete this information before you develop your project.
Title of Project: The Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonics, and You
Purpose of Project: Interactive Multimedia Tutorial
Target Audience: Anyone
Resources needed to complete this project:
Information Sources:
Wikipedia.org
NASA.gov
Images:
Image of igneous rock
Image of metamorphic rock
Image of sedimentary rock
Image of the rock cycle (complete)
Image for subduction
Image for spreading ridges
Image for continental collision
Image of seismograph - Maybe
Audio/Video/etc.:
Video or animation of rock cycle formations
Video of plate tectonic (earthquake, volcano, etc.)
Notes:
Make connection between plate tectonic and the rock cycle. Might include water cycle as method of
creating sedimentary rocks.
Multimedia Field Test Report
Reviewer:
Morgan Byrd
Project Title: The Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonic, and You
animations”
Creator: James Martin Jamartn1@memphis.edu.
Comments
Screen
“Click on X to see
Date: July 13, 2013
Is there anyway to include the actual videos from this website
on to the PPT? I found keepvid.com to include a YouTube video
in mine. If you could include the video on the PPT, it wouldn’t
take the student out of the tutorial for the animation.
Nasa Clip
Same comment as above.
Quiz
The Q & A pages are missing the “next” button. …I just went
through again and realized maybe this is so the students cannot
skip to the answer?
Conclusion
I really like the way you wrapped it up! I know nothing about
tectonics and after this tutorial I was able to answer all the
questions correctly.
Best Feature(s) of this project:
Ways to improve this project:
Other Comments:
Student Name: James Martin ______________________________________________
Title of Project: The Rock Cycle, Plate Tectonics, and You
Lessons Learned: Reflecting on My Project
1. What was good or effective in your project?
Although I have received a very limited amount of feedback regarding my tutorial, I feel that I
have done a good job in developing a tutorial that is functional, provides a sufficient amount of
information about the topic, and does not overwhelming the reader with useless information.
Since I developed the navigation buttons and toolbar using the Slide Masters, it was easy for me
to insure consist placement for these elements and provide a smooth flow through the tutorial.
2. How would you improve your project?
If I were to improve my tutorial, I would likely try to incorporate additional resources to further
explain the concept; as well as, work on embedding the videos. Doing so would provide the
reader with differential instruction regarding the topic and keep the reader from having to go
outside the tutorial for instruction.
Also, in the future, I would probably develop this tutorial in prezi or some other web-based
software as this would facilitate the embedding of videos and other resources; as well as, allow
the presentation to run on any system or OS.
3. What did you learn from creating this project (not about software), and how can you use what
you learned in the future?
I’ve learned that I enjoy creating presentations/tutorials about topics that I enjoy or feel
comfortable with; however, I still believe that I would hesitant or feel somewhat nerves about
developing a tutorial about an unknown topic. To do so, would require an outside resource
familiar with the topic that would be responsible for insuring accurate content.