Topics and Tools

I chose the topic of plate tectonics to focus on in the physical science curriculum. Within this topic, students must learn about earthquakes. Since this has been a hot topic in the news, I decided to look for websites that would be engaging for students and useful for the teacher, as well. The best site that I found was http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/. This site is provided by the U.S. Geological Survey and has wonderful activities, learning tools, project ideas, and even career resources for students.
This site could be used as a great introductory activity for students on the topic of plate tectonics. I would allow students time to explore the site on the computer. I would also supply them with a list of important terminology associated with the topic and have them hunt for definitions on the website. After completing this introductory activity, I would gather students together for an opportunity to share thoughts, ideas, and questions regarding earthquakes. I would record some of our most pressing questions or concerns on the board. From this list, I would assign students to small groups to research and present their findings. Ideas might include how to become a geophysicist, creating a seismograph to measure earthquakes and their magnitude, and locating the epicenter of an earthquake based on calculations from recording stations.
When students come together as a group to share their research, they must present to their classmates. Students will record questions and comments while the presentations are occurring. When all presentations are complete, students will be required to research and answer their questions from the presentations.
A major limitation to this lesson would be the usage of computer. My school has laptops that can be used in individual classrooms, but the speed of the connection is sometimes so poor that it takes and entire class period to get the whole class logged in! Reserving a computer lab at school is an option as well. If students have limited web access at home, the work will have to be done entirely at school.
Overall, I think the activity will engage students by giving them the opportunity to ask questions, design experiments, and answer some of their own questions about how the earth works.