Peer Teaching
4/Clinic 2
Sara Yerger smy126@psu.edu
Ron Capurso AreC9@psu.edu
Grades 5-6: The
Standards Assessed:
PaASST: 3.2.7B – Apply process knowledge to make and interpret observations.
3.5.7A – Describe earth features and processes: Describe the processes involved in the creation of geologic features
NSES: 6.1 – Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.
6.4 – Structure of the Earth System
Instructional Goals:
a. Interpret a topographic profile
b. Identify geologic characteristics that lead to volcanism
c. Identify different tectonic settings, i.e. plate boundaries
The “Big Idea”:
We are teaching to students at a middle school level (grades
6-8). We will be teaching the students the fundamentals of a topographic
profile. We will be using this information to relate the importance of
topography to the
What the teacher must
know:
In order to teach this lesson plan, as teachers, we need to know the characteristics of a subduction zone, i.e. the trench, mountain building, location of magma chambers, density differences between oceanic and continental crust, etc. It is crucial to know how the process of subduction works in order to fully explain it to the students, i.e. that the ocean crust subducts under the continental crust because it is denser; the friction of the plates causes heating and volcanism; and the ocean crust pushes up the more buoyant continental crust to form mountains. Also, we must know how a topographic profile is created and how to interpret it in order to help the students with their understanding. We must also have sufficient knowledge of the technology that we plan to use to engage the students.
Administrative Concerns:
A classroom management issue that we must be careful of is
to make sure that the students do not fight over the computer when the program
is being run. To avoid this issue, we will make sure that we give each student
an opportunity to use the computer model. This lesson plan was designed to be a
very visual-oriented lesson. We plan on using models on the computer, on paper,
and in 3D. This heavy amount of visual aids should help students overcome
language barriers.
Required Materials:
We will need a computer with the program “Our Dynamic
Planet” installed and ready to use on it, preferably one of the computers with
larger screens so that all of the students can see the program. Also, we will
be providing a 3D model cut out of Styrofoam of the area from
Body of the Lesson
A. Engagement (3-5 mins):
→ On
the map, can you locate the general area where the path of the
→ What are the highest points that the travelers had to encounter on their path?
→ Why do you think the mountains are on the coast?
→ Do you think there is any topography on the ocean floor, too?
B. Exploration (5-8 mins):
→ How would you explain the topographic features that you see on the profile?
→ We
will have the students create a profile of the area from
→ After this, we will look at the 3D model to compare what the side of the model looks like compare to the profile that they found using “Our Dynamic Planet.”
→ We will then have the students plot data points (which will be given to them) on a blank graph (with scales and data axis already labeled for them), after which they will smoothly connect the dots to make the finished profile. This will help put a more practical scale to the models.
C. Explanation (5-8 mins):
→ We will then have a discussion with the students about why the topographic features exist, primarily asking them to give us any and all possible solutions. After this, we will introduce the students to various computer animations of plate boundaries and have them explain to us what is occurring in each animation.
D. Evaluation (2-3 mins):
→ By the end, the students should be able to tell us which is the correct plate boundary animation of the given options that would explain the topographic features seen around the Cascades and the nearby trench in the Pacific. They will also explain in their own words the actual interaction that is going on between the two plates (i.e. one plate is subducting under the other, pushing up the mountains, and causing volcanism). If the students give a different response, we will guide them towards the correct response or ask their classmates to help them find the correct explanation.
E. Elaboration (0-5 mins):
→ After viewing the four different animations and fitting the subducting animation with the formation of the Cascades, we will ask them to try to explain what is occurring in the other two animations. Also, we will ask them where they think the other processes seen in the animations might be occurring in the world using “Our Dynamic Planet” as a map. We can then test their hypothesis by taking more profiles of the regions where they think these processes occur.
Data Points: Elevation
(km) Distance
(km) -1.3 -300 -2.5 -200 -1.8 -150 -1.4 -100 0 0 0 100 1.0 175 3.43 212 1.0 225
