Investigating Plate Tectonics

Investigations include:
• using the known ages of microfossils to help determine ocean floor ages,
• determining the location of an earthquake epicenter,
• showing how the depth and location of earthquakes are related to plate boundary types,
• seeing how hot spots are used to track the speed and direction of plate movement,
• measuring the velocity of plate movement over the Hawaiian hot spot,
• examining how Earth’s internal forces drive the movement of tectonic plates,
• observing how the supercontinent cycle explains the past and future arrangement of Earth’s continents.

Plate tectonics is helpful in explaining the large-scale geologic processes operating on Earth.

Throughout the app, students are encouraged to answer essay questions that involve critical thinking skills. The student’s answers are saved (in a notebook) and these entries may be shared. Quiz questions are used to assess student understanding; quiz answers and scores may also be shared.

NGSS:
ESS2.B Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions
ESS3.B Natural Hazards