Exploring Plate Tectonics with A Hands-On Puzzle » The Stay-at-Home-Mom Survival Guide

Plate Tectonics puzzle pieces to explore plate tectonics in a hands-on exploration for geology.

When I found these free printable science worksheets to help us make geology more hands-on, I was so excited! The only thing better than a great kids activity resource is a free kids activity resource, right?! Exploring plate tectonics with a hands-on puzzle worked well for a hands-on exploration in our geology unit.

>>>View all of the activities in the Homeschool Geology Unit here.<<<

Printable Exploring Plate Tectonics with A Hands-On Puzzle

Prep work: Access the worksheet from The American Museum of Natural History.

>>You will need to print a copy of both page 5 and 6. Each child will need a copy of both pages.<< This is what those pages will look like.

Image of the printable worksheets from The American Museum of Natural History to make a hands-on puzzle for exploring plate tectonics.

First thing we did was read a bit about Pangea and plate tectonics. A few good books for that are:

Next, the kids cut out their land pieces. I told them that the pieces used to fit together to make one large land mass. They could use the pieces like a puzzle. The kids explored how the pieces of land could connect together.

I did not set a right or wrong solution to this activity. The pdf printout does have a guide for younger kids. They can match the pieces where they fit according to the guide.

Pangea puzzle worksheet completed by a child.

Since in reality no one knows exactly what the earth looked like back then, we kept things more freeform. This was a free exploration puzzle.

My children ranged in age from 2nd grade to 7th grade when we did this activity.

I enjoy teaching whole group units. In a classroom setting, this activity would be great from first grade on up to high school level. The books you read before doing this plate tectonics puzzle will enhance their learning.

For more elementary aged learning activities visit this page.

The kids took their time to arrange the land pieces on their globe page. I did help the little ones when needed. They did well on their own.

After they were happy with their arrangement, the kids each glued their Pangea pieces to the plate tectonics worksheet.

This plate tectonics activity was a thorough hands-on science activity that fit perfectly into our geology homeschool activities. You can do each activity on its own or connect them together into a hands-on study of geology for kids like we did.

View the rest of our Geology learning activities by clicking here.

Our full Chemistry unit is available here.

All of our science learning activities for kids can be found here.