⭐ Get this seafloor spreading activity at a discount in my complete Plate Tectonics Unit! ⭐
Nails home EVIDENCE that the seafloor near the mid-Atlantic ridge is newer than the seafloor near the continents.
In this activity, students will:
- Color-code a diagram of the seafloor and mid-Atlantic ridge based on the age of the rock.
- Measure how far each “band” of seafloor is from the ridge.
- Graph the relationship between the age of the seafloor rock and the distance from the mid-Atlantic ridge.
- Answer follow-up questions that help students conclude that the seafloor near the mid-Atlantic ridge is newer than the seafloor near the continents.
Teacher Notes:
- Every step includes clear, middle school-level directions.
- Includes an answer key.
- Please note: This seafloor spreading activity is NOT editable.
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Related Standards:
- NGSS MS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.
- NGSS MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.
- NGSS MS-ESS2-3: Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of past plate motions.
