Plate Tectonics

Exploration
Work in groups of four students to write a newspaper article that describes how plate tectonics cause the earth's crust to move and how this causes earthquakes to happen around the world. First, view the newspaper article activity to determine how to write a newspaper article.  Then use the other links to see how plate tectonic movement caused earthquakes, so that you will have research material to use to write your article.

This link is to the information on how to write a newspaper article and Microsoft template to use, with instructions on how to write the article.

http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.children_teenagers/vhc_how_newspaper.htm
 

Watch a video from the National Geographic about earthquake basics.

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/environment-natural-disasters/earthquakes/earthquake-101.html

 Plate tectonic activity, that shows how the plates move.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/shockwave.html

Watch the animation to see how an earthquake in one area of the world can be felt in other places on the earth.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/animations/earthquakes/index.html

Explanation
Now use the template from the previous link to create your newspaper article to turn in. Here is the link again of information on how to write a newspaper article and a Microsoft template to use, with instructions on how to write the article.

http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.children_teenagers/vhc_how_newspaper.htm
 

Elaboration
Once you have written your newspaper article you will match plate tectonic terms with their definitions to review the meaning of the basic plate tectonic terms.

Matching activity for plate tectonic terms

http://www.quia.com/mc/262313.html

Evaluation
Complete the short quiz to reveal a tectonic plate picture.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/radiobuttonquiz/Tectonicspz.shtml