Description
Students use different types of evidence to support the idea of seafloor spreading and to explain the relative ages of oceanic and crustal rocks. In this series of 4 investigations, they explain how the age of crustal rocks provides evidence of seafloor spreading. Students will model core sampling, identify patterns in data on the age of the ocean floor, use magnetic data to model seafloor spreading, and explore the density of oceanic and continental crust.
Curriculum Connection
While designed for a stand-alone earth science course, this series of activities could be incorporated into a high school chemistry course during a unit on density or following a unit on radiometric dating.
Time Requirements
Teacher prep, 60 minutes. Completing the activities, approximately 1 week (210 minutes).
Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support 3-dimensional instruction for NGSS. Digital resources may include a teacher manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.
Performance Expectation(s)
HS-ESS1-5. Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns
Disciplinary Core Ideas
ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth
Science and Engineering Practices
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Modeling
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Students should be familiar with formation of rocks, parts of earth, and radiometric dating.