In this activity a special layered cake is used to demonstrate folding and faulting of sedimentary layers. As a result of this activity students will understand the mechanisms by which folds and faults occur within the earth's crust, recognize the difference in behavior between brittle and ductile rocks, and be able to predict the structure likely to result from application of various forces to layered ... Full description.

In this activity students draw a geologic map based on a teacher-prepared terrain model with outcrops placed across the landscape according to a predetermined pattern to represent flat, tilted, folded, and/or faulted strata. Students will map the outcrops and indicate their strike, dip and draw lines to indicate contacts. As a result of this activity students will understand how geologists use geologic ... Full description.

In this activity students study a map of bedrock geology which describes the types of rocks that exist in a given area. It shows these rock units as well as their known and inferred contacts. Consideration is also given to folding, faulting, unconformities, and similar rock relationships. These features are often included in bedrock geology maps. Students study the legend and scale and become aware ... Full description.

This interactive map shows the major fault systems of the Quaternary for the State of California. It is subdivided into 1x2 degree sheets, each of which is linked to a more detailed map. Users can select a sheet and see an enlargement of the area. Individual fault systems are numbered and keyed to a legend which provides a link to a written synopsis of information for the fault, including fault type ... Full description.

This interactive map of the United states provides access to maps of Quaternary faults and folds by state or region (for example, the Gulf Coast). Clicking on the colored areas of the map links the user to state/regional maps and further, to 1x2 degree sheets for each area. On the sheets, users can find faults numbered and indexed to a legend. Links from the legend provide access to written information, ... Full description.

In this lesson, students are introduced to the theory of plate tectonics and explore how the theory was developed and supported by evidence. Through class discussion, videos, and activities, students seek connections between tectonic activity and geologic features and investigate how the theory of plate tectonics evolved. Full description.

This virtual field trip takes students to view an anticline, a large fold in the rocks, near the Virgin River in southwestern Utah. Photos, diagrams, and aerial imagery of the feature, accompanied by written narrative and thought questions for students, explain how anticlines form and how they can be detected by investigating the surface geology. There is also a brief description of how they can act ... Full description.

This virtual field trip provides an overview of the regional geology of the Lake Baikal area of southern Russia. Satellite imagery and diagrams accompanied by written narrative and thought questions guide students through the process of inferring how geologic movements (faulting) in the area might have been responsible for the formation of the lake. The field trip also provides reinforcement for the ... Full description.

This page provides an introduction to plate tectonics for secondary students. Topics include plate motions, the layers of the Earth and oceanic versus continental plates. A set of links provides access to material on the processes of plate tectonics occuring at plate boundaries, zones of movement and instability. Full description.

This page discusses the three main forces (compression, tension, and shear) that drive deformation within the Earth. Students can click on an animation to see illustrations of each type. Links to a glossary are embedded in the text. Full description.