Earth's easily seen surface features (mountains, volcanoes, and islands)--and the movement of the tectonic plates that lie below--offer hints about the processes that produced them. Inquiries in seismology, the study of earthquakes and other ground movements, can help students learn about Earth's geologic processes. This article describes an…

The authors relate that they have conducted short courses on using constructivist techniques to teach historical geology over the past four years at regional National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) meetings. They realized that although most course participants were familiar with the basic tenets of plate tectonics, the authors were always…

Describes a laboratory activity on plate tectonics which focuses on the connection between plate tectonics and the different types of volcanoes. Provides questions for discussion and includes suggestions for extending the activity. (ML)

Presents an activity that uses the study of earthquakes to provide a rich educational experience to reinforce and expand students' knowledge of the structure of the Earth, provide an application of physics concepts such as force and energy, and present these topics integrated with a unit on mathematics. (JRH)

Provides easy to teach and understand laboratory exercises for three fundamental concepts (plate movement, rock mechanics, and geologic time) that are often left out of the geology and Earth science curriculum. (ZWH)