Connection to the Curriculum:
TEKS
8.2 C organize, analyse, evaluate, make inferences, and predict trends from direct and indirect evidence.

8.2D communicate valid conclusions.

8.2E construct graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools including computers to organize, examine and evaluate data.

8.3C represent the natural world using models and identify their limitations.

8.7B recognize that waves are generated and can travel through different media.

8.12A analyze and predict the sequence of events in the rock cycles.

8.14A predict land features resulting from gradual changes such as mountain building, beach erosion, land subsidence, and continental drift.

Time:
5 class periods or 6 hours

Season:
In the spring when we cover our unit on Geology.

Materials:
Students will need the GIS software, access to computers, maps of plate boundaries and of Pangea.

Objectives:
Students will be required to construct a map of the earth and overlay this with the plots for volcanoes and earthquakes. The students will then analyze this information to determine why most volcanoes and earthquakes occur along these regions. The student will also explore the concepts of focus and epicenter and how that effects the position of an earthquake. For >this information the students will examine the information in list form to answer several questions about volcano locations. Students will also examine fault lines to determine what type of tectonic activity occurs along this region of the Earth's crust. In conjunction, students will also conduct what I term the cupcake drill exercise to better under stand how it is that scientists predict that the Earth's continents were once together in one massive continent called Pangea.

Procedures:
The student will be provided with a very detailed set of instructions on how to construct their maps and overlays. After completing this activity the students working in pairs will have to analyze their finished product to answer several questions. More detailed procedures will follow after software is present to work with.

Questions:
1. Where do a majority of earthquakes occur?
2. Where is it that we find the most volcanoes occurring?
3. What is special about the Hawaiian Islands?
4. Along what type of plate boundary do Earthquakes most often occur?
5. What type of fault line is the San Andreas Fault?
6. What type of tectonic activity can you find along the San Andreas Fault?

Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated on their completeness of the answers to the above listed questions and on their map and overlays. Student will be given a choice of constructing a model that would demonstrate a volcano, earthquakes, or shock waves.

Expanding the lesson:
tudents will also conduct the cupcake drill exercise which uses a multi-layered cupcake to demonstrate the layers of the Earth's crust. After acquiring their core samples, student most record their findings and then try to locate the rest of their continent and any related continents that were once part of their continent. Only after all steps in the investigation have been completed can the students eat the rest of their cupcake.