Below is a sample science/history lesson plan that allows students the choice in how they present their learning to the class.  Anyone with any thoughts please chime in! As the individuals research Plate Tectonic Theory, they develop their presentations from the research they perform. 

Rachel E. Hammond

Sample Lesson Plan

Alignment	Introduction	Instruction	Assessment
6th Grade Social Studies Curricullum 4. Explain Plate Tectonic Theory	Vocabulary:      Continental           drift      Seafloor           spreading      Lava      Magma      Eruption      Epicenter      Focus      Seismic          Wave      Subduction           Zone Introduce course of study correlation and importance of the study.	Teacher begins lesson in the classroom.  Cutouts of each continent should be stuck to the board in their current orientations.  Teacher begins by reviewing basic concepts of continents and their names as well as the layers of the earth.  Once students have been reintroduced to continent names, take the continents and place them on top of construction paper cut out in the shape of the major plates of the earth’s crust.  Explain how each continent “floats” on its plate(s) on top of the earth’s mantle.       What if………....teacher should engage student curiosity by asking questions about the possibility of the plates and continents being located in different places. Use dialog about earthquakes caused from shifts in the earth’s crust to guide thinking about plate movement.       After questioning and gathering feedback from students, head to the computer lab or engage a mobile computer lab for some research.  Students begin at the site listed below.  After exploring this site, have students do more research through other sites such as Encyclopedia Britannica, National Geographic, etc.  Students spend at least one day, preferably more, researching Plate Tectonic Theory. http://library.thinkquest.org/17457/english.html      After allowing students time to research the Theory, bring them together and have them focus their research toward their presentations of the Theory.  Students are to construct a report/presentation that explains the Plate Tectonic Theory.  Students will be allowed to chose the form their explanations will take.      Students will then present their reports to the class, whether it is show a PowerPoint, read a report, conduct an experiment, etc.  After explaining the Theory, students must then tell the class their own opinion on Plate Tectonics.  Do they agree, disagree, partially agree, etc.?      After all students have made their presentations, students will reflect on their research and other students’ ideas.  Did their ideas and research turn up something yours did not?  Did their ideas and opinions sway your thinking at all?  Have you changed your mind? Etc.	Assessment:      Students construct a complete report/presentation outlining the theory of plate tectonics.  Students may choose how to present their report to the teacher/class.  A few possible choices are listed below but students are not limited to those listed here as long as chosen method is approved by teacher.       Report/Presentation must include the use of the key vocabulary as well as outline the theory of plate tectonics.  Student Choice: -       Presentation using PowerPoint or another presentation media such as Prezi.com -       Students may construct a traditional report on Plate Tectonic Theory -       Presentation using media of student’s choosing or any format approved by teacher, examples include performance, experiments, etc.