The plate tectonic story: a scientific jigsaw Ideas and evidence in science – a comprehension exercise Learning objectives: reading and written communication skills that the Earth’s surface is composed of tectonic plates that move as a result of convection currents in the mantle Timing: About 20 minutes Introduction: Pupils read and answer the questions based upon the article The plate tectonic story: a scientific jigsaw. There are two closely related activities which teachers might wish to tackle at the same time. These are: Magnetic stripes on the ocean floor: a lab simulation: teacher demonstration Magnetic patterns: ocean floor pattern plotting: analysing magnetic field data – an ideas and evidence in science class activity