Look for: The Appalachian Mountains were formed approxi…

Now that students have observed the formation of the Appalachian Mountains, the Ural Mountains, and the Himalayan Mountains using the virtual simulation, students can use the evidence they have collected to collaboratively construct a scientific explanation of the formation of the Appalachians and the Urals and make comparisons to the formation of the Himalayas. Students’ scientific explanation should include the following key ideas:

• The Appalachian Mountains were formed approximately 470 million years ago and the Ural Mountains were formed more than 300 million years ago by the same processes that continue to cause the formation and growth of mountains today--the collision of plates.
• The Appalachian and Ural Mountains are much, much older than the Himalayan Mountains, which were formed between 35 and 50 million years ago.
• The Appalachians and the Urals were once growing mountain ranges, even though they are no longer growing.

If students’ scientific explanation does not include the key ideas listed above, you can:

• Revisit the simulation, stopping at strategic points and ask students to describe what they observe and how it can be used as evidence to explain how and when the Appalachians and the Urals were formed.
• Guide students to look for similarities between the formation of the Himalayan Mountains and the formation of the Appalachians and the Urals, which can be observed using the virtual simulation.

Let students work in small groups to revisit the simulation and write a claim supported by evidence about the formation of the Appalachian and the Ural Mountains. After small groups share their claims and evidence, the class can work together to collaboratively develop a scientific explanation that describes the formation of these two mountain ranges.

Suggested prompt

Sample student response

What claim can we make about the formation of the Appalachians and the Urals, and how does their formation compare to the formation of the Himalayas?

• The Appalachian Mountains, which were formed about 470 million years ago, and the Ural Mountains, which were formed more than 300 million years ago, are much older than the Himalayan Mountains, which were formed sometime between 35 and 50 million years ago.
• The Appalachian Mountains, the Ural Mountains, and the Himalayan Mountains were formed by plate collisions.
• The Appalachians and the Urals were both growing mountain ranges for a period of time, even though they are no longer growing.

What evidence do we have to support our claim?

We made observations and collected data from the Ancient Earth simulation.

How does the evidence support our claim?

• From our observations and the data we collected, we know about how long ago the Appalachians, the Urals, and the Himalayas were formed.
• The simulation allowed us to observe the changes that have occurred at each mountain range over millions of years up to the present day.