IdeaFactory expands students’ knowledge of plate boundaries

By Jen Truax, intern, Office of Strategic Communication Management

The TCU IdeaFactory has developed another educational tool that focuses on earth science content delivered to middle school students. This product, called Plate Detective, complements the Pangea Mat & Cutter and Dance of the Continents, a performance by students.

The Plate Detective allows students to rediscover the locations of plate boundaries using the same data that scientists have used. Instead of almost 80 years of effort, however, students can accomplish this task in about 20 minutes. The tool provides hands-on learning by allowing students to use scientific datasets, including maps of the sea floor and distributions of volcanoes and earthquakes.

The tool is assembled by placing six colored sheets inside a transparent sheet protector. Sheet by sheet, the student looks for the evidence, drawing the hypothetical plate boundaries on the sheet protector. A pattern emerges as the student moves from the map of the sea floor to earthquake and volcano distributions.

The tool also provides a series of discussion questions that more deeply engage the students in the material. This product further contributes to the positive impact the IdeaFactory has on students in grades K-12.

IdeaFactory products are not only used locally by the Fort Worth Independent School District, but also broadly across Texas. National distribution has started and will likely be accelerated by the availability of the Pangea Mat & Cutter through the science education wholesaler, Carolina Scientific.

IdeaFactory was founded to serve TCU students by supporting the design process to transform an idea into a working prototype. The goal is to deliver these students to the Neeley Entrepreneurship Center, where their dreams can grow. More information can be found on IdeaFactory or YouTube channel.