IMSA Excellence 2000+ Curriculum

Extension Activities

Rock 'n' Roll: Seismicity and Tectonics-Illinois and Beyond is a unit that has been designed and written to develop in the students certain enduring understandings related to Earth's structure and changes in its solid outer layer (called the "lithosphere"). The following overarching objectives are developed through the activities in the lessons of this unit. The students will construct new knowledge and understanding as they:

• become knowledgeable about the structure of the Earth.
• explore evidence of changes in the earth including measures used to describe these changes.
• collect, analyze, display and interpret large quantities of data.

The lessons in this unit are intended to take learners through a series of activities that are interesting and powerful explorations. It is a journey of inquiry-based teaching and learning. As such, the lessons and associated activities emphasize questioning, evidence, and explanations within a learning context. Attention has been paid to the structure of the approaches that are employed. Inquiry experiences vary in the degree of openness that is suggested. "Guided" inquiry approaches are used more frequently when the goal is the development of a particular science or mathematical concept. More "open-ended" inquiry approaches are suggested when the further development of mathematical and scientific reasoning is the goal.

Students will encounter new ideas in mathematics and some unfamiliar understandings in science as they work through each lesson. In some cases it may be difficult to characterize a lesson as a mathematics or science lesson. These activities have been intentionally written to integrate mathematics and science in contexts that may address technological design, the appropriate use of technology, and relevant social issues.