The purpose of investigation one is to engage students in the historical scientific process that led to our current understanding of plate tectonics.Students are asked to act as paleontologists and geologists, exploring various lines of evidence and drawing conclusions from that evidence.
In investigation two, students explore the driving mechanisms resulting in long term changes in Earth’s geography. Students will explore the sea floor, and how processes occurring there relate to the movements of landmasses, as well as how scientists discovered these processes.
Investigation three is intended to assemble students’ constructed knowledge of volcanoes, earthquakes, and sea floor dynamics together into a holistic picture of plate tectonics. It builds on understandings that students have gained in previous modules and investigations, but presents those concepts in a broader and more integrated context.
