Clarification Statement - S.HS.ESS.1.5.CS:
Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples of evidence could include that the age of oceanic crust increases with distance from mid-ocean ridges as a result of plate spreading and that the North American c

Science and Engineering Practices - 9-12.SEP7.2:
Evaluate the evidence behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments.

Disciplinary Core Ideas - S.HS.ESS.1.5.DCI:
ESS1.C: The History of Planet Earth •Continental rocks, which can be older than 4 billionyears, are generally much older than the rocks of the ocean floor, which are less than 200 million years old. ESS2.B: Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions •Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth’s surface and provides a framework for understanding its geologic history. (secondary to HS-ESS1-5) PS1.C: Nuclear Processes •(NYSED) Spontaneous radioactive decay follows a characteristic exponential decay law allowing an element’s half-life to be used for radiometric dating of rocks and other materials. (secondary to HS-ESS1-5)

Crosscutting Concepts - CC1.15:
Empirical evidence is needed to identify patterns.