Golden Gate
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

Rocks on the MoveTectonic Vacation Instructions

Rocks on the Move
Tectonic Vacation Instructions

Education material from the Rocks on the Move Traveling Trunk, brought to you by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, part of the National Park Service

Congratulations! You’ve won a year-long vacation to explore the geology of our planet! Read the guidelines on this page to help you plan your trip, then complete your travel planner.

TRIP REQUIREMENTS:

•	You have one year to complete your trip.
•	Your trip must include at least four tectonic destinations. 
•	Choose three of your destinations from the 15 decal locations that are found on your classroom’s traveling trunk.
•	One destination must be a new location of your choosing (not one of the 15 decals).

YOUR ROUTE MUST INCLUDE:

•	At least three tectonic plates.
•	At least one active subduction zone.
•	At least one active rift.

TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS:

•	Money is no object! You will not run out of money during your vacation. 
 
•	Your modes of travel may not include space travel, but you may include a deep sea submersible.

•	You may hire a taxi for short distances only.

•	Allow enough time to travel from place to place. Some destinations do not have airports nearby. Remember to use trains, which may be much more available than in the U.S.

•	Think about the weather; seasons are different in the southern hemisphere.

DURING YOUR TRIP:

•	Update your passport.

•	Complete your tectonic travel journal.

•	Chart your vacation route on a world map and label your destinations.

AFTER YOUR TRIP:

Design an advertisement for your new tectonic destination to showcase your location!  Your advertisement can be a decal, postcard, poster, or a 30-second commercial. 

Include all of the following in your advertisement:

1. The location of your site (continent, country, ocean, etc.)

2. A description of the type of tectonic activity found at your site (subduction, rifting, volcanic activity, seafloor spreading, etc.).

3. An explanation of why geologists will find your site interesting. What is the geologic significance of your site?

4. The reasons travelers would want to visit your site.
 
5. If you are creating an audio commercial, your script must use descriptive words to help the listener visualize your site (your script should “paint a picture” with words).