The Teacher Guide is the driving and unifying component of this unit, Plate Tectonics and Rock Cycling. In this unit, students investigate the phenomena of the building up of Earth’s Surface and the wearing down of Earth’s surface. The subtitle of this unit is What causes Earth’s surface to change? This is a phenomenon that all students have some experience with. Students know about earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. They have a sense that mountains are built up and erode. It is then natural to ask: What are the processes by which the surface of the Earth changes? This unit allows students to observe the phenomena of the shifting landscapes of Earth and then spend time working with classmates to analyze the shared experience, formulate new questions, and developing new strategies for answering them.

CKSci Middle School is an enhanced republication of the OpenSciEd Middle School project–with a unique, integrated Core Knowledge science literacy component.

Learn more about the CKSci Middle School Program