Examine geological evidence found in fossils, rock deposits, and ancient mountains that supports the theory of continental drift in this interactive activity adapted from the Exploratorium.
A depiction of the movement and rotation (but not deformation) of Africa and South America due to continental drift
This lithograph introduces the Digital Tectonic Activity Map (DTAM) to the classroom utilizing the map with online activities. The DTAM is a digital atlas of tectonism and volcanism of the last one million years. It is a compilation of field, geophysical, and satellite measurements and is a unique tool for understanding the physiographic nature of the Earth.
This activity is a teacher-led demonstration of continental drift and includes a math worksheet for students involving the calculation of continental drift over time. Students will understand what continental drift is, why it occurs, and how earthquakes occur because of it.
Students learn about the structure of the earth and how an earthquake happens. In one activity, students make a model of the earth including all of its layers. In a teacher-led demonstration, students learn about continental drift. In another activity, students create models demonstrating the different types of faults.
This course is designed specifically for science teachers who seek to enrich their knowledge of oceanography and contemporary principles of the fluid Earth
In this activity, students are introduced to faults. They will learn about different kinds of faults and understand their relationship to earthquakes. The students will build cardboard models of the three different types of faults as they learn about how earthquakes are formed.
Why are the Rocky Mountains so far inland? How do we preserve the changing Amazon rain forest? When will the Sun fling parts of itself towards Earth? The video magazine "Journeys through Earth and Space" follows three NASA research teams tackling these questions with supercomputers. "Journeys" begins with a short introduction that explains what supercomputers do and how scientists tap their power to recreate the universe mathematically. The three stories then show how the teams are using their software to better understand, and perhaps one day predict, nature. Researcher interviews mix with scientific imagery (observations, visualizations, animations), and stunning nature footage. An accompanying Video Resource Guide provides background material and classroom activities for Grades 9-12 (length: 18:00 minutes).
This course covers a mix of fundamental topics in solid Earth science such as plate tectonic theory as well as current research being conducted here at Penn State.
