Get ready to move, shake, slip, and slide with a well-rounded plate tectonics unit! The engaging resource includes everything you need to inspire eighth grade science scholars, from worksheets to demonstrations. Assess their progress using evidence and observations analysis.

Concepts

plate tectonics, continental drift, convection, plate movement, properties of rocks, data analysis, textual evidence

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Check prior knowledge before beginning; some concepts to dig into include basic knowledge of energy and heat, basic knowledge of forces and movement, and how a rock's origin relates to its characteristics
• Consider pairing students for reading exercises to allow for some collaboration time

Classroom Considerations

• Requires scheduling time in the computer lab for the class to complete GIZMO-related assignments
• Ensure you have subscriptions to both Discovery Education and GIZMO to access a good deal of the content in the unit; check with your school's media director to ensure access

 

 

Pros

• The directions and pacing are very clear, as are expectations for teachers and learners
• Learning objectives are written concisely and in such a way that students can keep track of their own progress toward mastery

Cons

 

 

Common Core

RST.6-8.3 RST.6-8.7 RST.6-8.8