This course introduces the structure, composition, and physical processes governing the terrestrial planets, including their formation and basic orbital properties. Topics include plate tectonics, earthquakes, seismic waves, rheology, impact cratering, gravity and magnetic fields, heat flux, thermal structure, mantle convection, deep interiors, planetary magnetism, and core dynamics. Suitable for majors and non-majors seeking general background in geophysics and planetary structure.

This course introduces the structure, composition, and physical processes governing the terrestrial planets, including their formation and basic orbital properties. Topics include plate tectonics, earthquakes, seismic waves, rheology, impact cratering, gravity and magnetic fields, heat flux, thermal structure, mantle convection, deep interiors, planetary magnetism, and core dynamics. Suitable for majors and non-majors seeking general background in geophysics and planetary structure.

This lab uses graham crackers and whipped cream to illustrate divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

The lesson plan will provide a general description and understanding earth's tectonic plates and the effects of movement on continents.

Students preparing for the ACT, GED or other college prep equivalency exams or college entrance need to know the basics of science. Geology is one area that is included on most of these types of exams.  The study of continental drift forces involved and effect of the movement combine several science disciplines that will help students on those exams. In this unit, learners will illustrate, describe and demonstrate a basic knowledge of plate tectonics and the effect of shifts on seismic activity. This unit follows the WIPPEA model for lesson planning, and implements open-classroom strategies, where students will not only use OER but also modify and republish their content.

This video segment adapted from NOVA uses animation to show the relationship between the movement of a tectonic plate and whether volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands are active or dormant.

The purpose of this activity is to bring you back to the original discovery and original data of DSDP Leg 3 in the South Atlantic. It is scientific data in its original context.

In this course we will explore topics from disciplines within the solid Earth sciences. In each lesson, we'll also touch on some ways the topic links to other scientific disciplines. Each unit is designed to present both the cutting-edge science as well as the background a secondary-school student (or her teacher) would need to place the research in context. Gaining an appreciation of how scientists choose the subjects they study is as fundamental to Earth science as the discovery of the facts themselves. You will learn appropriate state-of-the-art scientific content relevant to each topic by performing basic data analysis using publicly available data so that you will be able to use the data and lessons in any courses you teach.

This fun Web article is part of OLogy, where kids can collect virtual trading cards and create projects with them. Here, they learn about the Earth's outer shell and its constant movement. It begins with an overview that explains tectonic plates. There is an animation that shows recent earthquakes and their relationship to plate boundaries. Students can click to explore 12 individual volcanoes, mountains, hotspots, and earthquakes. For each of the geological formations or events, they will see a map that shows how the plates are moving, an animation about plate interaction, stats, and a story about that particular formation or event.

Plate Tectonics Introduction and Difference between crust and lithosphere. Created by Sal Khan.

Plate Tectonics -- Geological Features of Divergent Plate Boundaries. Created by Sal Khan.

A module that uses Euler poles to describe the relative motion between the Baja Microplate and North American Plate, highlighting how the obliquity of rifting changes along strike in the Gulf of California.

Travel to the Pacific Northwest, home to some of the most seismically active areas in the U.S. Learn from experts about tectonic activity and find out if they know when the "big one” will hit.

In this video adapted from KUAC-TV and the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, learn how tectonic plate movement is responsible for building mountains, such as the Wrangell and St. Elias Mountains.

A successful unit on plate tectonics begins with engaging learners about the puzzle of the continents. Using "torn pieces of a newspaper" (Wegener's actual words), students recreate the newspaper page torn up by their classmates to launch into discussion about puzzle solving, changing views of the Earth and the nature of science, and Wegener himself.

A successful unit on plate tectonics begins with engaging learners about the puzzle of the continents. Using "torn pieces of a newspaper" (Wegener's actual words), students recreate the newspaper page torn up by their classmates to launch into discussion about puzzle solving, changing views of the Earth and the nature of science, and Wegener himself.

This activity is a guided investigation into the process of plate tectonics and resulting features. It's a look at the resulting effects which we see as volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountains.