8th Grade Earth Science Objectives

ABACUS 01-SC08-45
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PASS Strand:
1. Structures of the Earth

Objectives:

9. The solid crust of the earth consists of separate plates that move very slowly, pressing against one another in some places and pulling apart in other places (i.e., volcanoes, earthquakes and mountain building).

Time Range:
3rd Quarter; Two to three weeks

Suggested Teaching Strategies:

• In sea floor spreading, students calculate the speed of movement of the Pacific plate by measuring the movement of the Hawaiian Islands. Discussion and reading of "hot spots" is also included.
• We, as a class, read and discuss the reason for the existence of the San Andreas Fault as well as how to be safe during an earthquake.
• Pangaea Construction Activity allows students to reconstruct the supercontinent of Pangaea and see how landmasses have changed shape and position over time according to the theory of plate tectonics.
• Notes and diagrams of the mid-ocean ridge and deep-ocean trenches.
• Discuss, diagram, study guide over layers of the earth.

Aligned Resources:

• Core Lab 7: Sea Floor Spreading
• Chapter 4: Plate Tectonics

Revision Date:
June 2005