Discovering Plate Boundaries, a data rich classroom exercise

I have developed an exercise called "Discovering Plate Boundaries" that is getting increasing use in the Houston area, via teacher workshop sessions I give, and nationally through my web page and teacher workshops lead by colleagues. The exercise is based on 5 world maps containing earthquake, volcano, topography, satellite gravity, and seafloor age data. The novel aspect of the exercise is the "jigsaw" manner in which student groups access the maps and use them to discover, classify, and describe plate boundary types. The exercise is based only on observation and description, which makes it useful at a wide variety of levels; I have used it successfully in 5th grade classes, 8th grade classes, as well as in high school and earth science classes at Rice University. The exercise is based on a set of wall maps that are not consumed during the exercise. The consumables are inexpensive: two 11x17 in. B&W copies per student and some colored pencils. Because the exercise is not based on student access to the web, it is not dependent on classroom technology equipment. The exercise takes three 50 minute class periods to complete and involves the students in making presentations to one another in small groups as well as to the whole class. The students come away from the exercise with knowledge of the key features of each type of plate boundary and a sense of why each looks/acts the way it does.