MS-ESS2-3 Continental Drift Theory Lab Activity | Printable, Digital & Editable

About SNAPs Lab Stations Activities

SNAPs Lab Stations Activities require students to use science, math, literacy, problem-solving and engineering skills. They are designed to enhance students' understanding of scientific concepts and help students apply scientific ideas to the real world. Each station activity promotes skills so to develop students into proficient and competent scientific thinkers.

SNAPs lab activities have five components:

• Science Skills Station to develop science skill proficiency

• Narrative Station to build science literacy

• Assessment Station to evaluate learning and understanding

• Problem-Solving Station to foster engineering design

• Synthesis Station and Project to inspire higher-order learning

Important Notes:

• Download the FREE SNAPs Setup Guide for best practices, signage and editable rubrics

• Download a FREE SNAPs Lab Stations Activity to learn more about my SNAPs labs

• Save $$ with the NGSS Science Lab Stations Bundle ($500 for 200+ labs)

• Save $$$ with the Earth Science Complete Curriculum

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DIGITAL LABORATORY – DISTANCE LEARNING & DIGITAL CLASSROOMS

• This lab is offered in a digital format to support digital classrooms & distance learning.

• The digital lab activity is designed to work with Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint

• The digital lab activity CANNOT be edited. However:

- Students can manipulate text boxes

- Students can create tables, graphs and diagrams

- Students can insert images and drawings

GOOGLE FORM ASSESSMENT STATION

• The assessment station is offered as a self-grading Google Form.

• Questions are all short answer and are 100% editable.

• Suggestions for use are included in the download.

DISTANCE LEARNING COMPATIBILITY

SNAPs lab activities are rated for their ease with distance – independent learning. Refer to the preview for more information about how well this laboratory works in a fully digital classroom and with distance learning.

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EDITABLE DOCUMENTS

This download includes an editable word document (docx file) of all lab components:

• Pre-Lab and Post-Lab Activities

• The Lab Overview

• Lab Station Activities and Questions

• Directed Synthesis Project (when applicable)

Important Notes:

• Diagrams, illustrations, tables and graphs essential to lab activities are included

• Illustrative clipart is NOT included

• Editable documents and rubrics are included with the FREE SNAPs Setup Guide

Editable files allow you to:

• Edit the scope of the activities so to suit your students’ needs

• Edit the materials required based on resource availability

• Create single-period “mini-labs” using activities at the individual skills stations

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The activities at each station in this lab are detailed below.

Continental Drift Theory Lab Stations Activity Learning Objectives

1. Use the Continental Drift Theory to describe how tectonic plates have moved over hundreds of millions of years.

2. Analyze and interpret evidence that supports the Continental Drift Theory.

3. Infer how the continents were positioned in the past and how they might be positioned in the future.

Science Skills Station

Students will analyze and interpret data that supports the Continental Drift Theory. Students will consider the shape of the continents and landforms and the distribution of fossils and rocks on distant continents. From this data, students will infer how the continents were positioned to form the supercontinent, Pangaea.

Narrative Station

Students will read about the Continental Drift Theory and the evidence that supports the theory. Students will also watch a video about seafloor spreading and how its discovery was important to the Continental Drift Theory. If time allows, students will also watch a video about how the motion of tectonic plates impacts living things and theclimate on Earth.

Assessment Station

At this station, students will answer questions about key terms and ideas relating to the Continental Drift Theory and evidence for tectonic plate motion. Students must employ lower, mid and higher order thinking skills to answer these questions.

Problem-Solving Station

Students will use problem-solving skills to determine how the continents of a newly discovered planet may have been positioned millions of years ago. Students will analyze data from the continents to help determine how they were arranged as one supercontinent.

Synthesis Station

Students will compose a CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) report to summarize the lab. Students are provided the claim statement and must support the claim with observations, data and other information gathered in the lab. Students will explain how the evidence supports the claim using scientific reasoning.

Synthesis Project

Students will have a choice of 11 projects. Refer to the SNAPs Lab Stations Best Practices and Setup Guide for directions and suggestions on how to conduct the project.

This download includes:

• A pre-lab assignment and post-lab reflection

• Directions and questions for each lab station

• Student recording sheets

• Teacher Key

Additional Materials Required:

Scissors (at least 4 pairs)

Glue sticks (at least 4 glue sticks)

Computer or tablet

LINKS TO VIDEOS

This laboratory requires internet to access videos. Videos are hosted on SafeShare.TV so to safely watch and share educational YouTube videos without ads, comments and other distractions. Shortened and full link(s) to SafeShare.TV included. Full link to original YouTube video(s) included.

NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS

This laboratory satisfies NGSS MS-ESS2-3. It combines the three dimensions of science learning - science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts - to meet the standard. This lab also makes interdisciplinary connections to STEM, Math CCSS and ELA CCSS to build the appropriate skills.

TERMS OF USE

• All rights reserved by Stephanie Elkowitz.

• This product is to be used by the original purchaser only.

• Intended for classroom and personal use only.

• Copying for more than one teacher, classroom, department, school, or school system is prohibited.

• This product may not be distributed or displayed digitally for public view.

• Failure to comply is a copyright infringement and a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).