The Plate Tectonics Project

ABSTRACT

The Plate Tectonics Project is a multiday, inquiry-based unit that facilitates students as self-motivated learners. Reliable Web sites are offered to assist with lessons, and a summative rubric is used to facilitate the holistic nature of the project. After each topic (parts of the Earth, continental drift, etc.) is covered, the students will generate a portion of the summative assessment that will be set aside and later compiled into a booklet. This summative assessment creates the circumstance in which each student must develop literacy and organizational skills to master the concept that the Earth is a global, dynamic, lithospheric system.

KEYWORDS:

• Earth and space science
• K–12 science lessons
• plate tectonics
• science literacy
• summative assessment