Lesson Plan 1 Plate Tectonics – Metts

Grade Level/Subject: 6th Grade Science

STANDARDS:

TEKS:
(10C) identify the major tectonic plates, including Eurasian, African, Indo-
Australian, Pacific, North American, and South American; and

(10D) describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events such as ocean
basin formation, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building.
ELPS: 3E
CCRS: A1, A4

OBJECTIVE:

1. Students will label/color and describe the major tectonic plates on a worksheet with 80%
accuracy.
2. Students will write ½ page describing how a major geological event of their choosing
occurred and what tectonic plates caused the event.

FOCUS:

Puzzle activity. Students will get in groups of 4-6 and attempt tectonic plate puzzle for 2
minutes. Students will then take 1 minute to describe to me their findings. Remind
students about what the earth’s crust is made of and what materials they find every day to
help them understand how these parts all fit together.
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
 Do they slide together? Overlap?
 Refer to previous knowledge.
 Who remembers what the crust, core and mantle are?
 Who remembers what the asthenosphere is?
 Lithosphere?

MODIFICATION: Student with Autism will be allowed to work independently during

focus and guided practice to ensure student is not overly stressed with such large group.

INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY:

Students will take notes on provided worksheet. Power Point showing major tectonic
plates and describing how geological events are formed. Basins and ridges formed by
convection current pushing apart/together earths’ crust. Volcanos and mountains formed
by plates coming together with one folding underneath. Earthquakes are caused by all of
these forces as well as plates sliding past one another. Differentiation strategy 1: have a
model showing each geological event of tectonic plates and present a demonstration of
the event after it is explained. Have students stand in circle elbow length apart and move
 side to side. Demonstrate how each student (tectonic plate) bump into/rub against one
another. Go through geological events and how they formed. Give examples of events
students are assigned to describe on their independent practice
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
 What is a tectonic plate?
 What are the largest plates?
 What causes plates to move?
 Ask for examples of volcanos?
 Ask for examples of mountains?
ACCOMMODATION: student who are visually impaired can move closer during
instructional delivery to ensure they can see diagrams well.

 Reteach: Students will get in groups of 4 and look up informational videos on the
internet describing Plate tectonics. Students will watch videos, then explain to
teacher in their own words plate tectonics. Teacher will monitor students to make
sure they are on task. Best videos will be shown to class as a whole.

GUIDED PRACTICE:

Student will get in groups of 3, each group has a white board and dry erase. Go through
PowerPoint pointing to various plates and ask what one it is, ask several facts about plate
tectonics, and how different formations students talk as a group and write their answer on
white board. Differentiation strategy 2: Play jeopardy music while students determine
their answers with their group. Everyone will show white board at the same time and
answers will be discussed as a class.
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
 Teacher will ask for clarification questions.
 Incorrect answers will be addressed as a class.

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:

Fill in and color worksheet with unmarked tectonic plates. Students will then describe a
chosen geological event and write ½ page describing how the event led to geographical
change. Differentiation strategy 3: Students will get in groups of 3 and act out the
forming of geological events without talking. This should demonstrate the event and the
formations that follow.
CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING
 Teacher will actively observe students completing color worksheet
and will answer questions as needed.
 Teacher will clarify how geological events happen to students who
need further explanation.

ACCOMMODATION: students who have difficulty writing neatly will be allowed to

print/type the assignment.
  Enrichment: Students will use plate tectonic knowledge to create and describe an
event (of their own imagination) and describe the effect that it will have on the
environment around it.
 Enrichment: Have students create a timeline of a specific type of geological event.
In this timeline should be specific occurrences of, for example, earthquakes.

CLOSURE:

Students will write on a notecard and answer the 3 questions:

1. When someone asks me what I did in science today, I can say…
2. I enjoyed…
3. One thing I just don’t understand is…
Students will turn in notecards and questions will be answered at the beginning of next
class.

STUDENT WORKSHEET: