Introduction

When we asked middle school science teachers which topics are important to them, plate tectonics was among the most popular answers. And why not? It is a rich topic that opens students' minds to changes occurring through time. It challenges the students to exercise their critical thinking skills as they consider Earth movements they rarely feel. It also gives students insight into the changes typical in scientists' thinking. Students see how ideas were rejected and accepted as the plate tectonics theory developed.

This publication offers a sampling of exciting activities and animations to support students as they piece together the plate tectonics puzzle. In some activities, students examine different sources of evidence to try to figure out where and how the Earth has changed. They will experience those cherished "aha!" moments when natural phenomena start to make sense. We have also included excellent reading resources to fill the gaps in students' and teachers' understanding of plate tectonics.

National Science Education Standards (1996) describes the concepts involved in plate tectonics as they relate to the structure of the Earth system, the Earth's history, and the history of science. (Here's more about national standards.)

We purposely chose to hold off deeper explorations of earthquakes, mountain building, and volcanoes. No doubt you will see them featured in future issues of this publication. If your junior Earth scientists are yearning for more about those topics, please follow the hyperlinks to browse digital resources that address those terms. In the meantime, enjoy the Earth's moves!

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by Judy Ridgway and Carolee Barber, formerly of ENC Instructional Resources

Judy Ridgway was ENC's Assistant Director of Instructional Resources. She is a veteran educator in the biological sciences.

Carolee Barber was a science education resource specialist at ENC. She has science teaching experience at the high school and college levels.

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Copyright November 2004 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.