Part 1: Engage (Anchoring Phenomenon)

Examine the Connecticut River Valley Rift Simulation. You will see how the Hartford Basin changed over 200 million years ago due to tectonic forces. What puzzling phenomena do you notice regarding the shifting of landmasses and the resulting volcanic activity? Write down three “need to know” questions about how rifting and volcanism shape the landscape.

Part 2: Explore (Simulation Investigation)

Interact with the simulation to observe the rifting process. Pay attention to how the crust responds over different time scales. Record specific observations about:

1. The rate at which the valley widens.
2. The sequence and locations of volcanic eruptions.
3. How surface processes like weathering act on the newly formed rocks. Document your findings in a data table or a list of qualitative observations.

Part 3: Explain (Sensemaking)

Using the data you collected, explain how the internal processes (like rifting and volcanism) interact with surface processes (like erosion) to shape the Connecticut River Valley over time. Make sure to use evidence to support your reasoning rather than just providing definitions of geological terms. Discuss how the spatial scale of these features relates to the temporal scale of their formation.

Part 4: Elaborate/Evaluate (Argumentation & Modeling)

Synthesize your findings. Use Developing and Using Models and consider Stability and Change to construct a final scientific model of the phenomenon. Your model should illustrate the relationship between the Earth’s internal processes and the resulting surface features in the Hartford Basin, specifically showing the relative times over which these processes acted to produce the observed geological formations.