Flipped Classroom: The Structure of the Earths internal layers and Plate Tectonics

Teacher: Harry McDonald Jr

Lesson Title: The Structure of the Earth and Plate Tectonics
Subject Area(s): Life Science
Grade Level: 7TH Grade
Time Span: Three-50 minutes class periods
State Framework: 2010 Mississippi Science Framework
Benchmark/Competency: Earth and Space Science Standards
Lesson Description: Students will learn what causes earthquakes to happen by going through a
series of activities that allow them to explore the structure of Earth's interior, convection currents
in the mantle, motion of tectonic plates, and the relationship between plate tectonics and
earthquakes.
Learning Objectives (including cognitive and behavioral objectives)

Be able to describe the internal structure of the Earth

Be able to understand the process of thermal convection and recognize that mantle
convection drives the movement of the Earth's tectonic plate
Be able to explain the theory of plate tectonics
Be able to understand that plate tectonics creates earthquakes and volcanoes and shapes
the Earth's surface

Guiding Questions:

What causes earthquakes and volcanoes?

What is the theory of plate tectonics?
What is the internal structure of the Earth?
What are convection currents and how do they influence earthquakes and volcanoes?

Materials:

Boiled Eggs-Enough for each student to have two (2)

Student Worksheets
Colored pencils
Computer with internet

Student Learning Resources

Watch YouTube videos: The Structure of the Earth and Plate tectonics, Egg vs Earth
video, CNN news video (Science of Earthquakes and Time)

Student Homework Activities

Students complete the Egg Earth Worksheet to identify layers and understand consistence
and formation of each layer
Students complete Convection Current and Plate Tectonics Worksheet to understand
volcanoes, earthquakes and continental plates movement
Students will watch video tutorial on each lesson located on each teacher website to
become familiar with earths internal layers and plate tectonics (ThingLink, Scoopit).
Students will complete all assignments and online quizzes to assess formative assessment
Students will join the Google forum listed on each teacher website.
Students will ask questions to the teacher online on the Google forum regarding Earths
Internal Layers
Students will respond to classmates questions in the forum online.

Classroom Activities

Learning Games/Worksheets
o Prior Knowledge Assignment Rubric is used to understand students
misconceptions and ideas about Earths Internal Layers and Plate Tectonics
o Videos and Website are used to demonstrate Earths Structure, Earthquakes,
Volcanoes and Convection Currents
o Egg Earth-Student and Student M&M Worksheets are used to described and
compare Earths Internal Layers, Each Layer chemical and physical makeup, and
depth/temperature of each layer
o Hands on inquiry activities that requires creating pictorial drawings using colors
pencils, and the handling of Eggs and M&Ms Models that give students a true
graphical presentation of the Earths Layer
o On-line websites and forums that allow students to pose questions, collaborate on
the topic, and come up with ideas to create new models in exploring Earths
internal layers and Plate Tectonics (ThingLink, Scoopit).
o Students PowerPoint presentations to introduce course content and expectations
of topic
Informal quiz used to assess knowledge gain, and evaluate lesson plan

Assessment

Challenging questions
Interactive quizzes

Scoopit
ThingLink
Summative Assessment

Tentative Schedule
Day
Objective
Day 1 -Describe internal structure
of earth
-Be able to explain the
theory of plate tectonics

Day 2 - Understand the process of

thermal convection and
recognize that mantle
convection drives the
movement of the Earth's
tectonic plate.

Engage
Explore
-Show recent headlines video -Conduct prior knowledge test
of recent earthquakes
to grasp misconceptions
-Ask students about
misconceptions of
earthquakes and volcano.

-Show CNN News Video,

Science of Earthquakes and
Time
-Explain conclusion or
generalization

-Hands of activity: Layers of

the earth
-Students complete the Egg
Earth worksheet as homework
-Conduct convection current
demonstration
- Students complete Convection
Current and Plate Tectonics
Worksheet

-Understand that plate

-Show the Egg vs Earth
-ThingLink
tectonics creates earthquakes video
and volcanoes and shapes the
-Scoopit
Earth's surface.
-Elaborate: What will the
students do to apply their
conceptual understanding
Day 3 Summative Assessment
Evaluate students understanding and evaluate teachers lesson
plan