dlese.org|1007936
This data tip from Bridge, the Ocean Sciences Education Teacher Resource Center archive, includes a variety of educational sites to visit on plate tectonic theory. Learners can use underwater earthquake data to identify plate boundaries with links to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Acoustic Monitoring Program Ocean Seismicity data. Data from the Northeast Pacific, eastern Equatorial Pacific, and North Atlantic are examined in more detail.
Summary
| Subject keyword(s) | Astronomy, Crust, Earth and space science, Earth processes, Earthquakes, Earth science, Earth system structure, Geology, Geophysics, Geoscience, History of science, Physical sciences, Plate tectonics, Science, Space Science, Space sciences |
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| Grade level | Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Informal Education |
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| Intended audience | Learner |
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| Resource type | Dataset, Instructional Material |
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| Resource format | text, text/html |
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| Rights | Copyright Sea Grant Marine Advisory Services, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, College of William and Mary. Unless otherwise noted, Bridge webpages may be reproduced for non-profit educational use provided Virginia Sea Grant, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the National Marine Educators Association are credited. |
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Found in collection(s)
Click on the logo to get more information about the collection.
| Title | DLESE Community Collection |
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| Link | http://www.dlese.org/ |
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| Description | The Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE) mission is to improve the quality, quantity, and efficiency of teaching and learning about the Earth System, by developing, managing, and providing access to high-quality educational resources and supporting services through a community-based, distributed digital library. Intended users include students, educators and citizens of all ages, in both formal and informal learning environments. The collection favors resources that convey linkages and connections; the general with the specific, theory with evidence, global with local, and that demonstrate the application of science to solving real world problems. This includes providing access to Earth data sets and imagery, and the tools and interfaces that enable their effective use. DLESE resources are community-contributed, by individuals, organizations, and formal collection efforts. |
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| Title | Middle School Portal: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2) |
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| Link | http://msteacher2.org/ |
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| Description | The Middle School Portal 2: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2) supports middle grades educators with high-quality, standards-based resources and promotes collaboration and knowledge-sharing among its users. Educators use MSP2 to increase content knowledge in science, mathematics, and appropriate pedagogy for youth ages 10 to 15. MSP2 employs social networking and digital tools to foster dynamic experiences that promote creation, modification, and sharing of resources, facilitate professional development, and support the integration of technology into practice. MSP2 is a project of the Ohio State University College of Education and Human Ecology, National Middle School Association, and Education Development Center, Inc., and is funded by the National Science Foundation. The partners integrate resources, tools, and services across projects, and support multiple methods of resource discovery to meet the needs of this audience. |
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Content contained within the resource
NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS CORRELATIONS Science as Inquiry Ability to do scientific inquiry (5-8, 9-12) Understanding of scientific inquiry (5-8, 9-12) Physical Science Motions and forces (5-8, 9-12) Transfer of energy (5-8) Earth and Space Science Structure of the earth system (5-8) Earth's history (5-8) Energy in the earth system (9-12) Origin and evolution of the earth system (9-12) Science in Personal and Social Perspectives Natural and human-induced hazards (5-8, 9-12) Natural resources (9-12) History and Nature of Science History of science (5-8, 9-12) Image courtesy of the NOAA Accoustics Monitoring Program. Since the days of Leonardo da Vinci, people have pondered over the fact that the continents' edges seem to fit together like puzzle pieces. Over the centuries, scientists and naturalists speculated on this and in 1912 German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed his theory of continental drift. Supported by the fit of the continents and the presence of matching fossils and geologic structures on different continents, the continental drift theory contends that all the continents were connected in one supercontinent called Pangea, which split apart into Laurasia and Gondwanaland 200 million years ago. Over time, these continents split and drifted apart forming the earth as we know it today. With advances in technology especially during World War II, more clues to the earth's geologic history were unearthed. Scientists were better able to map and study the ocean floor and discovered the presence of an underwater mountain range chain called the mid-ocean ridge system and deep-sea trenches. They also discovered that the ocean floor is not as old as expected and that the magnetic properties of the ocean sediment alternate in a matching pattern on either side of a mid-ocean ridge. These discoveries led geologist Harry Hess to develop his seafloor spreading theory. According to this theory, the mid-ocean ridges are spots where the earth's crust is weak allowing magma from the earth's mantle to come up to the surface and create new seafloor. Deep-sea trenches are areas where old seafloor is being driven back into the mantle. Further research found that earthquakes and volcanic activity are concentrated near ridges and trenches. The clues all led to the modern day theory of plate tectonics. To understand plate tectonics, we must first look at the make-up of the earth. The earth is divided into three main layers: core - made of dense metals, the inner core is solid and the outer core is liquid mantle - a thick layer of semi-solid molten rock surrounding the core crust - the thin, hard outer layer broken into different slabs or plates The semi-solid mantle moves in a circular motion, pulling the overlying crustal plates with it. The mantle's circular motion comes from two sources. First, heat from within the earth warms the mantle material, causing it to rise toward the crust. Near the crust, the mantle material cools and sinks down toward the core. The second force impacts the mantle at deep sea trenches. The heavy crustal plate is pulled by gravity down into the mantle dragging mantle material with it (this is called "slab pull"). Due to this convection motion in the mantle, the large plates covering the earth's surface are constantly moving. The boundaries between these moving plates are very active areas. The plate boundaries can be one of four types: divergent - moving away from one another (mid-ocean ridges) convergent - moving toward one another (trenches) transform - slipping past one another (faults) boundary zones - complex areas with several interacting plates Data Activity In this activity students will use data from underwater earthquakes to outline the location of plate boundaries. Divide class into pairs or small groups. Print a copy of the world map for each group. Access the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Accoustic Monitoring Program's Ocean Seismicity data. In the lower left corner, click on and print out the following (to enlarge maps click directly on the image): Northeastern Pacific quarterly map Eastern equatorial Pacific regional map North Atlantic regional map Using the location of seismic activity (underwater earthquakes) from the NOAA data, have your students outline on the world map where they believe the plate boundaries are and infer the areas of the map that don't have data. When they are finished, compare to the USGS's map of the plates and discuss. Did the students' plate boundaries align with those of the USGS? Were there areas with earthquakes but no plate boundaries? For related information and activities, check out the USGS's This Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics, K-6 Plate Tectonic Cycle, and the Bridge's Marine Geology, Deep Sea, and Virtual Expedition pages. If you have questions about the Data Tip of the Month or have suggestions for a future data tip, contact Lisa Lawrence, Bridge Webkeeper. Current Data Tip Data Tip of the Month Archives On-Line Data Resources Tips & Tools Other Bridge pages with related information: Marine Geology Deep Sea Virtual Expeditions Data Tip Archives Online Data The Bridge is supported by the National Sea Grant Office, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, and the National Marine Educators Association. , Webkeeper © Sea Grant Marine Advisory Services Virginia Institute of Marine Science College of William and Mary Gloucester Point, VA 23062
