Today's post is all about 'What drives the plates'. This activity is the first in a series exploring the new evidence for the main driver of plate movement.

'What drives the plates? Using a pupil model to demonstrate that slab pull is the main plate-driving force'

 

 

This activity considers the different processes likely to be driving plate movement by use of a pupil model. There is a teaching video explaining this activity.

Many more activities and videos about plate tectonics can be found on our website.

Future power: predicting the mix of future power source contributions

The new ELI today is 'Future power: predicting the mix of future power source contributions: extrapolating from the last 50 years of power use to realistically predict the next 50 years'

It is difficult to make realistic predictions of future energy use. This activity challenges pupils to undertake realistic modelling of future sources of power based on past data. This ELI can be used as in individual activity or for discussion by groups in the class.

Many other Earhlearningideas related to power sources can be found on our website by using the search engine or alphabetical index.

Weathering of rocks in a desert environment

'Cracking apart; simulating the weathering of rocks in a desert environment'  (This is an ELI+ activity because it requires the use of a Bunsen burner)

In this activity, small chips of granite and other rocks are heated in a Bunsen flame and then rapidly cooled in water. This is repeated to investigate the rate at
which they ‘weather’ by breaking apart.

Weathering may be studied in a science lesson in the context of the physical processes involved or when considering landscape development in a geography lesson. Many activities about all types of weathering can be found on the website.

Storms and erosion rates

Our new ELI today is 'How can storms affect erosion rates? Predict what will happen to a landscape if it is affected by a storm.'

 

In this activity, pupils are asked to study images of various landscapes and to predict how the rate of erosion might be affected by storms.

Many activities related to erosion can be found on our website.

How valuable ores can be found on river beds

The ELI for today is 'Riches in the river; investigating how valuable ores may become concentrated on river beds'.

This activity investigates the importance of differences in density of sand and a valuable ore, to see how the ores may become concentrated by the action of moving water.

Many more activities about density and the values and uses of minerals can be found on the website.

A rock is a time capsule – a message from the past

The new ELI today is 'A rock is a time capsule – a message from the past; bringing to life the extraordinary stories of ordinary rocks.'

When we see a rock as a bundle of evidence of how the Earth used to be, we can begin to look for the clues that tell us about its past history, and the past history of the planet. Rocks are natural time capsules and by using the ‘time capsule’ approach you can bring a rock to life in ways that will amaze pupils and adults alike.
Many other activities about bringing a rock to life can be found by using the search engine on our website.

Working out what happened during unconformity time gaps

'Filling the gap – picturing the unconformity ‘abyss of time’? Working out what happened during unconformity time gaps'.

This activity gives a good method of helping pupils to visualise the enormous time-spans between the upper and lower layers of unconformities. This exercise can be carried out for any unconformity in the field or on a photograph. You could superimpose the hand onto an unconformity photo of your own.
Many more activities can be found on our website.