Leo Zaczkowski, Robert Beese, Patricia Flowers, Linda Mamassian, Randy Isley, Troy Voeller, Rod Martin, David Fish, Joe Parana

General Discussion: I thought this might be a good assignment for my earth system science class or any geology class. Our discussion here about the development of scientific theories triggered this assignment. Some of us old timers talking about continental drift made me see how far the idea of plate tectonics has come. I am thinking of this as a particular example of the development of a theory that students could apply to the development of other theories in any field of science. I have not tried this out. I might make it a collaborative assignment with students working in groups of 3 or 4. I think that would work. It is probably a fairly time-intensive assignment - maybe the major drawback. I am sure it is doable in my course. 

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Assignment: Research the history of the development of the theory of plate tectonics.

Write a 5-page paper on this topic showing how this theory has evolved from its origin to its current status. Discuss why this is such an important theory and how it illustrates the process of the development of theories in science.

 Some Sources on the web:

An Introduction to The ABC's of Plate Tectonics by Donald L. Blanchard

http://home.earthlink.net/~dlblanc/tectonic/ptABCs.html

Relative Plate Motion Calculator

http://manbow.ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp/tamaki-html/nuvel1a.html

Tectonic Plate Motion

http://cddis.gsfc.nasa.gov/926/slrtecto.html

Tectonics of the Eurasian Plate

http://wcuvax1.wcu.edu/~cm900/sam.html

Active Tectonics

http://www.muohio.edu/tectonics/ActiveTectonics.html

  Standards Addressed: I think this activity addresses the following areas in the National Science Education Standards

I see plate tectonics as one of the big ideas in science that affects many fields. It is a unifying principle that is extremely important.

This activity provides a basis for understanding something about the process and nature of science.

This addresses such things as the structure of the earth system and earth’s history which are included in the content standards

This is a quote from the NSES "In learning science, students need to understand that science reflects its history and is an ongoing, changing enterprise. The standards for the history and nature of science recommend the use of history in school science programs to clarify different aspects of scientific inquiry, the human aspects of science, and the role that science has played in the development of various cultures."

EPA Global Warming site: http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/

United Nations Environment Programme: http://www.unep.ch/

Global Warming Central: http://www.law.pace.edu/env/energy/globalwarming.html

Global Warming Update: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ol/climate/research/papers/globalwarming/global.html

Global Warming: Focus on the Future: http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/edf/

Global Warming: Understanding the Forecast: http://www.edf.org/pubs/Brochures/GlobalWarming/

The U.S. Global Change Research Information Exchange Office: http://gcrio.ciesin.org/

What is the Greenhouse Effect: http://www.marin.k12.ca.us/~kenthtp/kentms.htp/warming/greenhs_ref.html

Public Perceptions of Global Warming: http://www.gcrio.org/ASPEN/science/eoc94/EOC2/EOC2-2.html

Sierra Club Global Warming and Energy Program: http://www.sierraclub.org/global-warming/

Natural Resources Defense Council--Countdown to Kyoto: http://www.nrdc.org/field/gwact.html

World Climate Report: http://www.nhes.com/

World Wildlife Fund Climate Change Campaign: http://www.panda.org/climate/

IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme: http://www.ieagreen.org.uk/

Global Warming Games: http://www.envirolink.org/orgs/edf/games/index.html

Evidence for Global Warming: http://web.syr.edu/~slperill/wrt205/evidence.html

Global Warming and Climate Change: http://www.gcrio.org/gwcc/toc.html

Global Warming: Myth vs. fact: http://www.edf.org/pubs/FactSheets/e_GWFact2.html

20 Simple Steps to Reduce Global Warming: http://www.edf.org/Want2Help/b_gw20steps.html

Evidence For and Against Global Warming: http://krusty.eecs.umich.edu/people/jreed/GWLetter/node7.html

A Collection of Links on Global Warming: http://www.astro.washington.edu/silber/global.html

Global Warming FAQ: http://riscman.jsums.edu/~stanford/JSU/FAQ/Global_Warm.html

Global Warming, Lessons from the Past?: http://energy.usgs.gov/factsheets/cret.coals/cret.coals.html

Global Warming Workshop: http://www.middlebury.edu/~rosenber/DR-personal-homepage/globalwarming/globwar.html

Yahoo Search using "Global Warming": http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=%22Global+Warming%22

Chemistry 110 CHEMISTRY AND ISSUES IN THE ENVIRONMENT (Elmhurst College):

http://elmhcx9.elmhurst.edu/~chm/onlcourse/chm110/issues/issue197.html

Earthquake Depth

Problem:

Does the depth of an earthquake have any relationship to the distance from a plate boundary? In this activity you will check resources and make comparisons to find the relationship - if any.

Materials:

Computer with internet access

MSExcel (or other spreadsheet)

LView (or other graphic converter)

Colored pencils

Procedure:

Geologists say that as an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, the oceanic plate will be pushed under the continental one.

Like this one 

How did they learn about this movement?  Let's find out...

1.  Use the computer and internet, or an atlas, or this map to find an area where an oceanic plate is moving toward a continental plate.  One such place is along the west coast of South America, but any area should be OK.

2.  Look at the direction of plate movement and write the longitude and latitude of a 20^o rectangle from the boundary in the direction of movement.

3.  Use the XeroxPARC Viewer to draw a map that includes the area you want.  You will have to click and zoom in on the area that you want to look at.  Save this map in your folder as "quakemap".

4.  Use LView to print a copy of the map.  Use an atlas to label the lines of longitude and latitude on your map.

5.  Find information about the earthquakes in your area of study by look at NEIC Earthquake Search.  You can search in any area of the earth with this valuable tool.  When you have found data for at least 50 quakes, save the information to your folder as "quakinfo".

6.  Start MS Excel and load your "quakinfo" as a new spreadsheet.  You can easily align the columns so that the information is accessible.  You will want to plot the information so that you have at least 15 shallow, 15 medium, and 15 deep quakes to plot.

7.  Plot the locations of the earthquakes on your map using a green pencil for the shallow quakes, yellow pencil for the medium quakes, and red pencil for the deep quakes. (Use 0-50 as shallow, 51-100 as medium and >100 as deep)

Questions:  (answer on separate paper)

1.  Does there seem to be any relationship between the distance from a plate boundary and the depth of earthquakes?  Does your map look like this one?

2.  Does this information support the theory of Plate Tectonics or not?      Explain your answer.

3. Why do you think the plates move as they do?

4. Are there any volcanos in the area you studied?   Name them.  Are they active today?  Check here to find out.

Comments?  e-mail me

(Here is David's Emailed Discussion concerning this extension)

I did the page attached (the above html extension) using AOLPress and was impressed with the ease of use and versatility of the program. It is freeware and has been mentioned in earlier discussions. Get it at: http://www.aolpress.com

TECTONICS ON OTHER PLANETS

Rod Martin
Washington County Planetarium

A lesson intended for middle or high school students as part of the Internet-Based Earth Systems Science class.

IDEA -- INTRODUCTION

The mechanism of plate tectonics drives the crustal formation processes of the Earth. Volcanism, mountain building, earthquakes, and the like depend on circulation in the Earth's mantle and its effects on the thin crust.

In this lesson, the students will investigate whether or not these processes occur on other terrestrial planets of our solar system.

DEVELOPMENT -- PROCEDURE

1. The students will prepare a report comparing the landforms of the larger terrestrial planets, namely Venus, Earth, and Mars. The report will be developed using software such as Power Point or Resolve.

2. The students will use internet sources to gather the following information:
types of landforms on each planet, volcanic landforms on each planet, fault related landforms on each planet.

3. Information is available from a variety of sources including:

Tectonics on Venus at
http://zircon.geology.union.edu/tectonics/Holt/Venus.intro

Active Tectonics on Venus: Evidence from Corona and Chasmata at
http://www.geo.umn.edu/docs/Jurdy-abs.html

Tectonic Features on Mars at
http://www.planetary.brown.edu/planetary/geo5/outline/mars/MarsTectLect.html

The Martian Northern Plains Did Not Result From PlateTectonics at
http://www.ocean.washington.edu/people/grads/mpruis/research/mars95.html

What instruments could scientists use to see if there is plate tectonics on Mars?

http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/mars/ask/terraingeo/How_do_we_look_for_plate_tectonics_on_Mars_.txt

Does Mars Show Evidence of Plate Tectonics?
http://www.cs.rice.edu/~dawsonm/Lessons/mars3.html

Volcanism and Tectonics on Earth, Venus and Mars: A Planetological Approach at
http://www.carleton.edu/curricular/GEOL/resource/keck/planets.html

4. The students will summarize their research by hypothesizing and supporting their hypothesis as to whether or not plate tectonics has occurred on other planets or whether or not tectonic activity has occurred.

APPLICABILITY

This extension should be appropriate for the middle to high school students. In Washington County, geology and planets of the solar system are discussed in the eighth grade curricula. It is repeated in the high school Earth and Space Science classes. This would be an excellent cross topic bridge to integrate the two areas of geology and astronomy.

DISCUSSION OF TEACHING STANDARDS

Based on the National Science Education Standards funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, U.S. Department of Education, and others, I believe that the following standards are addressed by this extension:

Standard A: Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students. The planning identifies topics and activities appropriate to the level and maturity of the students. Considered are materials that the students need as well as appropriateness of the topic. This extension fits this standard very well.

Standard B: Teachers of science guide and facilitate learning. The resources needed to complete this activity are brought together in this standard. The activity is adapted to the students so that they may successfully complete it. This extension fits this standard very well.

Standard D: Teachers of science design and manage learning environments that provide students with the time, space, and resources needed for learning science. To meet this standard, there need to be adequate resources available. Sufficient internet connections, software, and time to complete need to be provided. This extension fits this standard very well.

GENERAL DISCUSSION

This extension promotes the use of the internet and software to gather data on a topic which joins together two areas of the earth sciences, geology and astronomy. Students will become familiar with some of the presentation software and internet resources. Their knowledge of plate tectonics and tectonics will be enhanced through their research. By learning how the processes do or do not work on other planets, their useful knowledge of tectonics on the Earth will be enhanced.

I think this will be a successful topic. I will try to have one of my teaching colleagues try it and report its effectiveness back to me.

EARTHQUAKES

- Study-hall with computers connected to the internet; knowledgeable librarian to help students with internet problems. All computers bookmarked for the website for recent earthquakes

1. The first phase of this extension will involve students working in pairs during their study halls to help the class collect information on current earthquakes. Students will be assigned a half-week time period which they are responsible for the collecting the data by checking a database of recent earthquakes. In the class notebook kept in the study hall, they will record the location's name, latitude and longitude, the earth quake's date, time, depth, and Richter scale magnitude. They will then be responsible for placing pins in the appropriate locations on the bulletin board world map found in the classroom, using the color scheme:

2. After procedure 1, the class will discuss various terminology and concepts that were encountered during the previous weeks. (Undoubtely, some students will have "linked" to other sites and learned - whether they realize it or not.) Discussion should include, but will not be limited to, standard Greenwich Mean Time, epicenter, depth, and plate tectonics. Conclusions will be made about the most common locations for earthquakes, and students will be assigned relevant reading from their text and will surf a site on Earthquake causes

3. After becoming acquainted with plate tectonics from their text, students will notice that not all of the class-recorded earthquakes did not occur at major plate boundaries (although the majority will). This point will be further emphasized by examining Earthquakes in Yellowstone in the Last 30 Days together using an Averkey presentation unit and TV. The causes of these quakes will be discussed.

4. Students will learn about the location and magnitude determination of earthquakes by working together in groups of three or four on the Virtual Earthquake Tutorial. This could be enjoyed as a contest - where the groups which best locate the epicenter and determine the most accurate magnitude receive prizes.

Teachers of science plan an inquiry-based science program for their students. In doing this, teachers:

Teachers of science guide and facilitate learning. In doing this, Teachers:

Teachers of science design and manage learning environments that provide students with the time, space, and resources needed for learning science. In doing this, teachers:

Teachers of science develop communities of science learners that reflect the intellectual rigor of scientific inquiry and the attitudes and social values conducive to science learning. In doing this, teachers:

While visiting several web sites the students will plot recent earthquakes and all volcanic action of 1996 using longitude and latitude points. They will compare the location of earthquakes and volcanoes to a map of the Tectonic Plates. The students will recognize a corresponding pattern while determining Plate boundaries.

(Students will become detectives.) Your Dad leads a team of scientists that investigates earthquakes. He has taken a few days off to work on a research project.

The phone rings. You answer it. A major earthquake has just occurred in Northeast Arkansas and your dad is needed!

The only clues to where he might be are found on a torn sheet of paper on his desk. They are:

http://civeng.carleton.ca/cgi-bin2/quakes

Recent Quakes

A Map of Tectonic Plates and a longitude/latitude World Map

Mammoth Inn

You must find him:

1. By going to the website you find a list of all the earthquakes that have recently occurred. After looking at the data carefully you notice that a latitude and longitude are given for earthquake site.

2. You decide to chart the earthquakes that have recently occurred.

Your work is nicely done, but your chart leads to no new clues. You notice an address at the bottom of the page advertising a better map. You click on the address hoping to find a clue. Hey, what a nice map with which to compare your earthquake plot! Still no way to know where Dad is.

You decide to compare your map to the map of the Tectonic Plates.

1. Do you see a pattern?

2. Do the earthquakes correspond to the plates in anyway?

Dead End!

Noticing the full trash basket next to the computer table, you start going through it one piece of paper at a time. BINGO! The bottom half of the paper! On it you find the following clues:

1996

Are volcanoes and earthquakes related?

4 days 2 ago 4-2

http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/current_volcs/current.html

You sit down at the computer and enter in the website address. You find yourself looking a data for current volcanoes. Thinking there must be a clue in the relationship between volcanoes and earthquakes you:

1. Plot the volcanoes by dates from the year 1996 (the date on Dad's paper). You will use the same World Map that already has the earthquakes plotted.

From your map can you tell if volcanoes have anything to do with Plate Boundaries?

Looking closer at the dates you notice volcanic activity took place in Long Valley Caldera, California on April 2, 1996. The activity lasted 4 days. It was 2 days before the date on the top half of the paper, but what is Mammoth Inn?

You investigate further by clicking on Long Valley Caldera, California again. The map shows a Mammoth Mountain, California.

Dad is only a phone call away!

This extension will be used after the students have completed a lesson on the location and names of the major Tectonic Plates. The extension will be a lead-in activity for the study of volcanoes and earthquakes. Playing detective will help hold the interest of the academically at-risk students in the Alternative Classroom. Going between computer and hands-on activities will allow time for movement which these special needs students demand.

Based on the Arkansas Science Curriculum Framework, the students will follow written instructions by virtue of successfully completing the extension. They will be able to understand the connection between science, language, and math. They will examine the techniques of scientific inquiry: problem solving, questioning, reasoning, creative decision making. They will be introduced to the world of work and a science related career. The students will identify physiographic regions of the world.

Our class has just started this extension. They have enjoyed playing detective. Moving from written instructions to computer to map has indeed helped hold the attention of this small group of students (most have been identified ADD or ADHD). There were almost too many earthquake sites for this type of student to plot before becoming bored but they did finish. We are looking forward to trying to solve the mystery next week. Several students expressed the desire for more pictures on the website. They should be pleased with the volcano portion of the extension.

Unit 3 Extension

Linda Mamassian

This extension is appropriate for a high school Earth Science class.

In this activity, students will use online resources to study the history and development of the Plate Tectonics Theory.

Plate Tectonics:  The Growth of a Theory

As recently as the 1960's few scientists believed that continents could move.  Today the theory of plate tectonics is widely accepted.  It is used to explain many different phenomena in earth science.  Why did it take so long for the theory to be accepted?
 

Assignment:

Investigate the development of the Continental Drift Theory, known now as Plate Tectonics.  Write a paper (3 page minimum) in which you discuss the history of the theory and show how the theory evolved and became more complete.  Explain why it was not accepted in its earlier form, but why it is a useful theory today.  You may use the Plate Tectonics Links provided or additional information you find on your own.
 

Extra Credit:

After doing the assignment and handing it in, you may wish to look at other theories.  Study the information presented at one of the web sites listed and write a brief description of the theory and the evidence that supports it.  Is the evidence convincing?  Does the theory explain the facts adequately?  Can predictions be made and tested using the theory?  You do not have to evaluate the truth of a theory.  Rather, you should judge as a scientist whether it is useful scientific tool.

Plate Tectonics Links

Continental Drift Theory

Plate Tectonics
      http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~soper/Earth/tectonics.html

Tectonic Plates
     http://puzzle.stvital.winnipeg.mb.ca/tectonics/kc.html

GEOLOGY
      http://visearth.ucsd.edu/VisE_Int/platetectonics/platetect.html

Structure of the Earth
     http://www.educ.uvic.ca/Faculty/jtinney/earth%20science/StrEar.html#ContinentalDrift

Continental Drift
      http://duke.usask.ca/~reeves/prog/geoe118/geoe118.056.html

Continental Drift
     http://www.hartwick.edu/geology/courses/109/109week2_97/CONTDR.HTML

Continental drift and plate tectonics
     http://science.smsu.edu/~mantei/glg110/Cdrift-plates.html

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
     http://www.chem.wsu.edu/phs298/298-ContPlate.html

CONTINENTAL DRIFT
      http://www.nathimus.ku.dk/geol/contieng.htm

Continental Drift: Completing the jigsaw
      http://www.nerc-bas.ac.uk/public/schools/condrift.html

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
       http://www.chem.wsu.edu/phs298/298-ContPlate.html#resistance
 

Extra Credit:  (Check these links out after you have finished the regular assignment.)

Center for Scientific Creation
       http://www.creationscience.com/

The Expanded Earth
        http://www.wincom.net/earthexp/navmain.htm

MOM and Atlantis, Mammoths, and Crustal Shift
        http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/mom/atlantis.html

Discussion:

I would like to use this extension in a high school earth science class to teach about plate tectonics and to illustrate that science is a process as well as a body of knowledge.  The early continental drift theory was not accepted because there was not strong enough evidence for it and because the theory was incomplete.  When the concept of tectonic plates was developed the theory was accepted.

The idea itself is doable in a high school setting.  I think the analysis of theories that I ask for might be too abstract for middle school students.  The extra credit assignment should be assigned with caution.  It might be too controversial for some student populations, and too challenging for some.
 
This activity addresses  several areas of the NSES standards:

This extension is intended for middle school students studyingplate tectonics and volcanoes. It is designed for the students towork in groups of two or three in order to facilitate the acquiringand recording of information and to allow for a sharing of ideas. Thegroups are also necessary due to limited computers with Internetaccess (our computer lab is equipped with six computers with Internetaccess). The conference on FirstClass Intranet Client would behelpful because it would save time for the students (they would justclick on the links) and they could do this activity with limitedknowledge of the Internet. Two class periods should be enough time tocomplete this activity.

• be exposed to some of the types of information presented on the Internet (QuickTime movies, slide shows, images and written information).
• do research using the Internet
• look at images of volcanoes and determine type of volcano and type of eruption.
• use latitude and longitude to plot location of volcanoes.
• identify plates on which volcanoes are located and determine whether the nearest boundary is convergent, divergent, or neither (hot spot).
• predict the cause of the volcanic activity based on its location.
• analyze data to determine if there is a relationship between type of volcano and its location relative to plate boundaries.

• Set up a conference using FirstClass Intranet Client for the class to access.
• Place all the URL's used in this extension in a folder, labeled Volcano Info, so the students will just have to click on them to visit the site.
• Load these QuickTime movies to another folder in the conference, labeled Volcano Movies. This will reduce the amount of time needed for students to download this information themselves.

• FirstClass Intranet Client access
• Computer with Internet access for every two or three students
• World map with lines of latitude and longitude
• Worksheet to record information

1. Record information, as it is obtained, in aneatly organized data table with the following headings:

I think the students would enjoy using the Internet toresearch information concerning volcanoes. The pictures and movies ofthe different types of volcanoes are interesting and should encouragethem to want to find out more. Any extra time in class, or evenoutside of class, could be used by the students to further explorethe sites listed in the "Volcano Info" folder because of the easyaccess. The Volcano World site has an "Ask a Volcanologist" page thatis very informative and interesting. The use of small groups (mostgroups will consist of only 2 students) does solve the problem oflimited computers with Internet access and the students will benefitfrom sharing information with each other. I have not used thisactivity before, but will probably try it out with my seventh graderswhen we start studying volcanoes and plate tectonics. I am at noviceat this, and as such, I am not sure that the URL's I have chosen arethe best sites that can be found. I enjoyed exploring them and theyprovided the information I wanted the students to learn. I would liketo have a better site to use for step 8 above. Variations of thisactivity could include groups working on a different list ofvolcanoes (information could be found at these same sites for othervolcanoes). This would allow the students to share information as aclass and find out if all groups came to the same conclusions.

Web sites: http://www.geo.arizona. edu/saso

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/seismosurfing.html

Web Sites continued: http://www.markov.mtech.edu/quake.html

The Question:

file:///A:\Final Versions\www.seismo.unr.edu\ftp\pub\louie\class\100\plate-tectonics.html

file:///A:\Final Versions\www.hartwick.edu\geology\work\VFT-so-far\orogeny\conveerge.html

file:///A:\Final Versions\www.geodyn.psu.edu\

file:///A:\Final Versions\www.leland.stanford.edu\~wgs

file:///A:\Final Versions\www.westworld.com\~shorose\mpglobrl.gif

This activity is an extended investigation which depends upon the availability of the technological resources for it’s success.