1. What is unusual about the rock?
A Day at the Racetrack
Students
What is unusual about the rock?
Has the rock moved?
How has it moved?

2. A Day at the Racetrack Today we are learning about…
Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park, California. There are mysterious rock movements happening.
By the end of the lesson…
ALL can sort the mystery cards into useful and not useful (Level 3-4)
MOST will be able to suggest reasons for the movement (Level 5)
SOME will be able to use evidence to challenge theories (Level 6-7)

3. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley
Students 3

4. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley
Students 4

5. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley
Students 5

6. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley
Students 6

7. Racetrack Playa, Death Valley
Students 7

8. A Day at the Racetrack
Mark Death Valley, California on your world map.
Sort your mystery cards into useful and not useful
Use the cards to answer “Why does the rock move?”, back your theory up with evidence.
Level 3 – Simple descriptions and statements.
Level 4 – Detailed descriptions and statements.
Level 5 – Detailed descriptions with simple explanations.
Level 6 – Detailed descriptions and explanations. Start to analyse.
Students 8

9. The Theories
Rock becomes trapped in ice during the winter, which moves and takes the rocks with it. It melts in the summer leaving the trails.
The playa sometimes floods. Some suggest this moves the rocks.
The prevailing wind moves the rocks. The wind is strong because it is being channelled through valleys.
Students 9

10. A Day at the Racetrack Today we are learning about…
Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park, California. There are mysterious rock movements happening.
By the end of the lesson…
ALL can sort the mystery cards into useful and not useful (Level 3-4)
MOST will be able to suggest reasons for the movement (Level 5)
SOME will be able to use evidence to challenge theories (Level 6-7)

11. The Answer
Rock becomes trapped in ice during the winter, which moves and takes the rocks with it. It melts in the summer leaving the trails.
The playa sometimes floods. Some suggest this moves the rocks.
The prevailing wind moves the rocks. The wind is strong because it is being channelled through valleys.
Students 11