Plate Tectonics Study Guide

I used to think having a study guide to base your lesson on was a good thing. I don't anymore. There are scads of better ways to introduce material. I use PowerPoints with FollowSheets, Cut-and-Paste FactSheets, or a puzzle of some sort. If you are still wanting to use a Study Guide, click here for my version.

"Show Me the Answer" White Board Game

Review parts of the Study Guide, FactSheet, or PowerPoint by putting students into small teams. (I use six or seven "Color" teams.) Each team uses their white board to answer a teacher question. They keep their white boards hidden until the teachers says, "Show me the Answer!" Then they raise them high. Every team gets a point if correct. Great fun!

Videos on Plate Tectonics

I have recently discovered Teachers' Domain. Sponsored by WGBH, a public television station in Boston. It's free to join. Has many great video clips. Also Flash Animations, lesson plans, images, etc. You can make folders for the things you like and "call them up" whenever you want to project using your Computer Projection System or SMART Board. Very cool!

Continental Drift Lab

Our state achievement test always asks a "Wegener's evidence" question. There are several versions of good Continental Drift Labs available. I would recommend a hands-on lab where the students cut out the continents and assemble Pangaea using the evidence on each plate. Click here for my version, minus the copyrighted plate images. Another way to do this lab is to provide your students with blank continents/plates and have them color in the evidence from textbook/booklets, etc. Then assemble Pangaea using the evidence.

Types of Plate Boundaries Worksheet

Review the three main types of boundaries with your students. Click here for my version. Others are around or make your own!

Types of Plate Boundaries Skit

Divide your students into three groups. Each group is given the task of developing a skit illustrating their assigned boundary: diverging, converging, or transform/sliding. You can add further requirements such as: show movement of magma/lava, show resulting features, show direction of movement. Video tape the presentations.

Crustal (Lithospheric) Plates Worksheet

I use one prepared by my textbook company. Click here for a simple version. I ask my students to color and label the 7 major plates, and label the minor plates. Click here for some "basic" questions to answer.

Plate Tectonics Lab

Click here for my version minus the copyrighted plate images with evidence. This one has students relate type of plate boundaries (diverging, converging, sliding) with the types of features resulting and discusses the expanding/contracting of the Atlantic/Pacific. Wraps up the unit, so to speak.

Plate Tectonics Vocabulary

Click here for a Cut-and-Paste Vocabulary Worksheet.