Earth Project Prep

Overview

This lesson prepares students for a final project that integrates learning from the unit “Exploring Earth and Space”, with a focus on using evidence and scientific explanations. Students will plan, organise, and rehearse the key components of their final submission.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• plan a final project that includes scientific explanations and evidence from earlier lessons
• review how tectonic processes and plate boundaries explain geological features and activity
• use an appropriate structure to communicate scientific ideas clearly
• identify next steps and checklist items to improve their project draft

Success criteria

Students can:

• outline their project topic and how it links to divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries
• describe scientific evidence that supports the plate tectonics explanation
• present their ideas in a logical sequence with correct terminology
• use a checklist to show what is complete, what needs work, and what they will do next

Curriculum links

• Science — AC9S8U03: investigate tectonic activity, including geological features at divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries, and describe scientific evidence for the theory of plate tectonics
• Science — AC9S8I02: plan and conduct reproducible investigations by identifying variables/assumptions and managing risks, where relevant to how they used evidence/model data in previous work (students apply the skills to their project planning)
• Science understanding and communication: students use evidence to develop explanations and communicate scientific reasoning (drawing on unit learning)

Lesson structure (30 minutes)

1. 0–4 min · Quick recap and purpose

• Teacher prompts students to recall what their unit learning focused on (tectonic activity, evidence patterns, and explanations).
• Student chooses one question they want their final project to answer and writes it in one sentence.

2. 4–10 min · Project blueprint (teacher-guided)

• Teacher provides a simple project template on the board: Topic → Plate boundary types → Evidence → Explanation → Conclusion.
• Student completes the template headings with dot points, ensuring they include at least one geological feature idea and where the evidence comes from (e.g., patterns over time, maps/photos/observations from earlier lessons, or modelling outcomes used in class).

3. 10–16 min · Evidence check

• Teacher explains: “Claims need evidence.” Students revisit examples from earlier lessons and match each claim to evidence.
• Student selects 2–3 key claims from their blueprint and writes “Evidence I will use is…” for each claim.

4. 16–22 min · Boundary reasoning rehearsal

• Teacher runs a rapid “reasoning strip” activity: divergent, convergent, transform—each must link cause → process → feature → evidence.
• Student completes a single short response for each boundary type (4 sentences total):
• Divergent: process and feature + supporting evidence
• Convergent: process and feature + supporting evidence
• Transform: process and feature + supporting evidence

5. 22–26 min · Draft planning and success checklist

• Teacher introduces a checklist for final quality: structure, scientific vocabulary, evidence linked to claims, and clarity.
• Student ticks what’s ready and writes one specific improvement goal for the next work session (e.g., “Add one more piece of evidence to the convergent section” or “Clarify my conclusion”).

6. 26–30 min · Exit ticket

• Teacher collects an exit ticket to confirm readiness and provide targeted feedback.
• Student completes:
• My final project topic/question is…
• My strongest evidence is…
• One thing I will improve next is…

Resources

• Project blueprint template (printed or digital)
• Evidence–claim matching table (claim on left, evidence on right)
• Reasoning strip worksheet (divergent/convergent/transform prompts)
• Success checklist sheet
• Student notes from earlier lessons (bookwork folder, previous drafts, diagrams)
• Coloured pens/highlighters for organising sections

Assessment

• Formative during the lesson: teacher checks blueprint completion and asks targeted questions about evidence links
• Formative during reasoning rehearsal: teacher listens for correct connections between plate boundary type, process, feature, and evidence
• Exit ticket to confirm the project topic, strongest evidence, and next improvement goal

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide sentence starters for each boundary (e.g., “At a divergent boundary, plates move apart, leading to… Evidence shows…”).
• Offer a reduced template with only essential headings if needed.
• Stretch/extension:
• Ask the student to include one factor that affects the impact of tectonic events on people (e.g., building choices, preparedness) while keeping focus on evidence and plate boundaries.
• Language support:
• Maintain a mini word bank of key scientific terms used across the unit (plate boundary, convergent, divergent, transform, evidence, geological features).
• SEN/EAL considerations:
• Allow drafting in dot points first, then converting to sentences with teacher conferencing; prioritise clarity of explanation over length.