Search results

Plate tectonics animation

This animated video demonstrates plate tectonics, illustrating how the continents may have acquired their present configuration.

Format: video/video

Evaluate forces: Earthquakes

In CareerStart lessons: Grade six, page 3.3

This lesson for grade six will help students to gain an understanding of geological processes including plate tectonics, faulting, and earthquakes. Students will explore careers related to earthquake analysis, measurement, and disaster management.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

By April Galloway and Christine Scott.

Map of the contentents through geologic time

Sequence of five globes show positions of the continents and oceans in Permian (225 million years ago), Triassic (200 million years ago), Jurassic (135 million years ago), Cretaceous (65 million years ago), and present periods, as the single landmass of Pangaea...

Format: image/illustration

Building a stratovolcano

Students will review the three types of volcanoes. Students will construct a stratovolcano and determine the composition of each type of volcano. Students will research examples of stratovolcanoes using internet resources.

Format: lesson plan (grade 8–12 Science)

By Jessica Bohn.

Catawba Science Center

Students will enjoy visiting the Catawba Science Center, a hands-on museum, where learning is fun!

Format: article/field trip opportunity

The natural history of North Carolina

In Prehistory, contact, and the Lost Colony, page 1.2

If the five billion years of the earth's history were condensed into a single day, humans would have arrived in North Carolina just two tenths of a second before midnight! This article summarizes the major biological and geological events in North Carolina's history and explains how the land and environment of today came to be.

Format: article

By David Walbert.

Resources on the web

How are islands formed?

This Xpeditions lesson provides students with information about how islands are formed, including a basic knowledge of plate tectonics. Using the islands of Hawaii as an example, students learn about the Earth processes that cause the formation of islands. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

The Educational Multimedia Visualization Center

This site provides animations and other visualization tools for earth science topics such as plate tectonics and the ice age. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: Univcersity of California Santa Barbara

Earth movers

In this Science NetLinks lesson, students explore plate tectonics and come to understand how mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes are related to the movements of plates. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

This Dynamic Earth

A hypertext version of a U.S. Geological Survey print publication about plate tectonics, complete with images and clear diagrams. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: U.S. Geological Survey

The Life Cycle of a Mineral Deposit—A Teacher’s Guide for Hands-On Mineral Education Activities

Download this publication from the USGS for guides and activities to use in teaching students about geology, plate tectonics, and mineral resources. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: United States Geological Survey

Earthquakes and volcanoes

Students compare maps of plate tectonics with population density maps and analyze what these maps imply about the relationship between population and seismic hazards. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

The Ring of Fire

In this lesson from the National Geographic Xpeditions website, students improve their understanding of the plate tectonics theory and the Earth's geological history as they investigate the region known as the Ring of Fire. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 6 and 9–12 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

Geologic Time - The Story of a Changing Earth

Learn about the formation of Earth, dating the age of rocks, geologic time, plate tectonics, climate change, ocean circulation, evolution, extinction, ecology, and topics related to paleobiology. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History

USGS Geology in the Parks

This site includes information on plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, geologic time, caves, glaciers, and sand dunes, as well as a glossary of geologic terms and animations. You can see the wonders of many National Parks on this site. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: US Geological Survey

We're in hot water now: Hydrothermal vents

In this Xpeditions lesson, students learn about the process that drives geysers, which are hydrothermal vents, by using the National Geographic “Fantastic Journeys: Yellowstone”. Activities in this lesson engage... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Science)

Provided by: National Geographic

Fossils and geologic time

This Science NetLinks lesson helps students understand the development of the geologic time scale. It also introduces students to the major time periods in Earth's history, as well as to the role fossils play in helping us understand this history. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 8 Science)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Extreme 2000: Voyage to the Deep

An interactive learning journey to the hydrothermal vents in the Sea of Cortex that utilizes video, audio, and images to make this information about the deep sea and underwater discoveries and technology exciting. (Learn more)

Format: website/general

Provided by: University of Delaware

Earthquake Hazards Program: Current World Seismicity

Teachers and students can access animations, graphics and maps describing the most current earthquakes in the world, as well as activities, PowerPoints, lesson plans and science fair projects related to earthquakes. (Learn more)

Format: website/activity

Provided by: United States Geologic Survey

Exploring the Environment

Promotes science-literate and reflective students who are knowledgeable of the earth's processes and their responsibilities for stewardship using these instructional resources. Find activities and learning modules for coral reefs, global climate change, the... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: NASA