Plate Tectonic 
SIXTH GRADE
4 week unit

SCIENCE STANDARDS

1. Students should be able to define composite, shield, and cinder cone volcanoes.
2. Students should understand that plotting data can derive information. This information is then interpreted in the form of a conclusion.
3. Students should develop researching skills.
4. Students will learn that there are many different types of energy waves that occur when an earthquake occurs. Seismic waves are generated from earthquakes.
5. Students should be able to distinguish earthquake and volcanoes as defining plate boundaries.
6. Students should begin to understand the three types of plate boundaries: converging, diverging, and transform.
7. Students should interpret the position and number of plates that can be found on the Earth's crust.
8. Students should be able to design structures that can withstand different earthquake intensities.
9. Students should be able to compare earthquake damage in different locations.
10. Students should understand fault movements during an earthquake.

WEEK 1.
PRE: Comparing the structure of different types of volcanoes.
LAB: Plotting 3 different types of volcanoes on a globe.
POST: Researching where volcanoes occur around the world.

EARTHQUAKES

WEEK 2.
PRE: Comparing energy waves from earthquakes.
LAB: Experimenting with energy waves through different substances.
POST: Observing fault movements.

PLATE TECTONICS

WEEK 3.
PRE: Locating different plates.
LAB: Illustrating the difficulty in defining and counting plates.
POST: Observing the movement of the Earth's crust.

HAZARDS

WEEK 4.
PRE: Comparing earthquakes in Alaska and Hawaii.
LAB: Designing structures that withstand different earthquakes intensities.
POST: Comparing earthquake dangers in different areas.