Lesson Overview

Lesson Objectives:

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

 Describe tectonic plates and how they move.

 Explain what the movement of tectonic plates causes.
 Identify three types of plate boundaries and the landforms they cause.
 Explain how the rock cycle and tectonic action are related.

Overarching Questions:

 How and why is Earth constantly changing?

Focus Questions:

 Why do the continents move, and what causes earthquakes and volcanoes?

Lesson Questions:

 What are tectonic plates and what causes them to move?

 Which natural processes occur as a result of tectonic movement?
 What are three primary types of plate boundaries and what landforms do they cause?
 How are the rock cycle and tectonic action related?

--Day 1-INTRODUCE -EARTH’S STRUCTURE- BRAINPOP-AS A CLASS-

INDEPENDENTLY-ANSWER QUESTIONS ON SHEET OF PAPER-PASS IN

 What are the layers of the earth?

 What is the earth made of?
 What goes on at the center of the earth?
 What does "plate tectonics" mean?
 How does the earth's inner core create the magnetic field?
 How is magma formed?
 Can you tell me about the parts of Earth’s crust?
 Where is Earth’s surface?
 What are the names of the tectonic plates?
 What is the temperature of the inner core of the earth?

-DAY 2- Key Vocabulary-DEFINE WORDS-IN NOTEBOOKS-WATCH

VIDEOS AND ANIMATIONS-PUT WORDS ON QUIA FOR A GRADE-
STUDY WORDS
1.bedrock, 2. continent,3. continental drift,4. crust,5. earth, 6.earthquake, 7. evidence,
8.experiment,9. fair test,10. fault,11. geology,12. geosphere, 13.geyser, 14 granite, 15.
hypothesis, 16. lava, 17. lithosphere, 18. mantle, 19. plate tectonics theory, 20. pressure,
21.seismic, 22. seismograph, 23. tectonic plate, 24. theory

---- DAY 3- READ-TAKE NOTES-WRITE NOTES IN QUIA

What Are Tectonic Plates and What Causes Them to Move?

Earth's lithosphere divided into several large tectonic plates that ride on top of slowly moving
rock in Earth's asthenosphere. Convection in the asthenosphere causes these plates to move.
Tectonic plates move at extremely slow rates, which is why we cannot feel them moving. We
can, however, witness the effects of their motion.

Misconception: Convection only occurs in fluids such as water and magma.

Convection also occurs in the semisolid rock of the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere consists of
partially molten rock, which is plastic-like in nature. It is not considered a fluid, but it behaves
like a fluid in some ways.

Plate Tectonics

Earth is constantly changing due to plate tectonics.

View Video Segment

How the Inner Structure of Planet Earth Affects Plate Tectonics

Processes in Earth's interior drive plate tectonics.

View Video Segment

Plate Tectonics, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes

Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are features that commonly occur at plate boundaries.

View Video Segment

Which Natural Processes Occur as a Result of Tectonic Plate Movement?

Tectonic plates are the cause of many natural processes on Earth's surface. For example,
convection within Earth causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Mountains and ocean basins
also result from tectonic movement. At some plate boundaries, new rock is brought to the surface
through convection, causing underwater mountain ranges. Elsewhere, huge underwater trenches
are the result of one tectonic plate sliding under another, causing the rock of the lower plate to
dissolve back into the asthenosphere.

What Are Three Primary Types of Plate Boundaries and What Landforms Do
They Cause?

There are three primary types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform.
Divergent boundaries form where two plates are moving away form one another. As they
separate, magma rise between them, filling the gap with new rock. Volcanic mountains occur
along divergent plate boundaries. Convergent plate boundaries form where plates are moving
toward each other. At convergent boundaries, one plate may be subducted beneath the other,
causing it to dissolve into the mantle and form magma. The magma rises to the surface, resulting
in volcanic mountains. At other convergent plate boundaries, two continents push against each
other and push upward. This causes the plates to fold, forming a high folded mountain range,
such as the Himalayas. Finally, a transform boundary forms where two plates move past each
other. Sometimes, the edges of these plates get stuck, causing stress to build. When the stress is
released, earthquakes occur.

Misconception: Earthquakes occur when plates move apart from each other, creating huge
gaps.

Actually, earthquakes occur because of tectonic movement. While small cracks in the surface
may form during an earthquake, huge gaps do not form.

Tectonic Forces

This simulation explains what happens at different types of plate boundaries.

View Integrated Science Simulation

Boundaries Between Tectonic Plates

There are three different types of plate boundaries: convergent, divergent, and transform.

View Video Segment

The Rock Cycle

Discover the forces that create igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock.

View Interactive Video

How Are the Rock Cycle and Tectonic Action Related?

The rock cycle involves the transformation of one type of rock into another. Plate tectonics is an
important part of the rock cycle. Igneous rocks form from hardened magma that rises from
Earth's asthenosphere through gaps between the tectonic plates. Over time, the rock erodes, is
transported, and is deposited as sediment on Earth's surface. Over time, sediment becomes
compacted and forms sedimentary rock. As sedimentary rock is exposed to extreme heat and
pressure, it may turn into metamorphic rock. Eventually, rock near a plate boundary may be
subducted back into Earth's asthenosphere. Thus, plate tectonics is a primary cause of the
movement of rock material through the rock cycle.

Video Segments

 Plate Tectonics(4:51; explanation of plate tectonics)

 What is Plate Tectonics? (0:50; description of plate tectonics)
 Boundaries Between Tectonic Plates(1:23; different kinds of boundaries)
 What are the Lithosphere and Asthenosphere? (1:17; structure of Earth)
 In What Ways do the Major Plates Move? (1:25; plate movement and rock cycle)

Reading Passages

 Whole Lotta Quakin' Goin' On (earthquakes and volcanoes)

Integrated Science Simulation

 Tectonic Forces

Interactive Video

 The Rock Cycle

Video Segments

 Formation of Mountains (2:10; how mountains are formed)

 Plate Tectonics and Uplift (6:08; mountains and canyons)
 Understanding the Cause of Earthquakes (0:44; what causes earthquakes)
 Volcanoes: A Review (1:21; all about volcanoes)
 Subduction, Magma Chambers, and the Eruption of Volcanoes (0:55; More
 about volcanoes)
 Convergent and Divergent Plates: How Earth's Inner Structure Affects Its
Surface (3:46; The collision of tectonic plates)

Plate Tectonics

Earth’s crust consists of a number of plates, immense slabs of rock that are always in motion—
crashing together, pulling apart, and grinding past each other. In this concept, you will learn how
these very slow movements build and rebuild (the “tectonic” part) the face of the Earth.

GO TO ASSIGNMENTS AND VIEW THESE VIDEOS…I HAVE ASSIGNED THEM TO

YOU

View

Video Segment (3:35)

California: A State Predestined for Landslides The geology of California, including its faults and uplift,
makes landslides particularly likely....

LAUNCH
Video Segment (7:27)

Living in the Himalayas The Himalayan Mountains are home to the giant panda as well as other plants
and animals that have...

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Video Segment (0:42)

Namib Desert, Namibia: The World's Most Ancient Desert Identical basalt rocks in both Argentina and
Namibia are the same age. This provides evidence th...

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Video Segment (2:07)

The Last Ice Age When India collided with Asia the Himalayan Mountains were thrust upward, exposing
large beds of ...

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Video Segment (0:45)

The Ring of Fire Subduction zones contain the most active volcanoes. The Ring of Fire surrounds the
Pacific Ocean....

LAUNCH
COPY- NOTES- PUT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN YOUR NOTEBOOKS

-DAY 4- AND DAY 5 Concept Review: Plate Tectonics

Essential Questions and Answers for Review Sheet

 What are tectonic plates and what causes them to move?

Answer: The Earth's lithosphere is broken into solid sections called tectonic plates. These solid
sections float on top of the asthenosphere. The movement and flow of heat within the
asthenosphere cause the plates to move.

 Which natural processes occur as a result of tectonic plate movement?

Answer: Tectonic plate movement causes earthquakes and volcanoes; it also creates mountains
and ocean basins.

 What are three primary types of plate boundaries and what landforms do they cause?

Answer: Transform boundaries happen where two plates slide past each other; they cause faults
and earthquakes. Divergent boundaries happen where two plates move apart; they cause mid-
ocean ridges and volcanic activity. Convergent boundaries happen where two plates move
toward each other; they cause mountains and seismic activity.

 How are the rock cycle and tectonic action related?

Answer: Volcanoes tend to form where plates collide. They are the mechanisms by which
magma reaches the surface of the Earth; magma may also flow to Earth’s surface between the
moving plates at a divergent boundary. Called lava on Earth’s surface, it cools and forms igneous
rock. Igneous rock is a type of rock in the rock cycle. Through weathering, igneous rocks can
become sediment, which eventually can become sedimentary rock. This sedimentary rock, or the
original igneous rock, can also become metamorphic rock when exposed to heat and pressure
beneath Earth’s surface. Metamorphic rocks in turn melt and become magma. This magma plus
additional magma from the Earth's interior begin the cycle again.

I HAVE ASSIGNED THIS PRACTICE ASSESSEMENT TO YOU-WRITE THE QUESTIONS

AND CORRECT ANSWERS IN QUIA AND IN YOUR NOTEBOOKS
What Plate Tectonics Is
Instructions
Check your understanding with this practice assessment.

 1) Which of these is a result of two continental plates converging?

o A) the San Andreas Fault
o B) the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
o C) the Marianas Trench
o D) the Himalayan Mountains
o Explanation: The correct response is D. It is correct because the Himalayas are formed
by the collision of two converging continental plates.
 2) As tectonic plates move away from one another, magma rises to fill
the gap. At a mid-ocean ridge, the rising magma cools to form new
oceanic lithosphere. The place where tectonic plates move apart is
called a
o A) convergent boundary.
o B) divergent boundary.
o C) transform boundary.
o D) subduction zone.
o Explanation: The answer is B. A divergent boundary is formed along a mid-ocean ridge
when two tectonic plates move away from one another.
 3) The movement of tectonic plates is caused by:
o A) convection currents in the mantle.
o B) heat in the inner core.
o C) radiation from the sun.
o D) strong global winds.
o Explanation: The correct answer is A. Convection currents in the hot, plastic-like mantle
carry the plates of the lithosphere above them.
 4) The map below shows the major tectonic plates of the world.
 Which plate is represented by the number 2 on the
map?
o A) Eurasian plate
o B) North American plate
o C) Australian plate
o D) South American plate
o Explanation: The answer is B. The North American plate is represented by number 2.
 5) The map below shows the major tectonic plates of the world.

Which plate is represented by the number 5 on the

map?
o A) South American plate
o B) Eurasian plate
o C) Australian plate
 o D) North American plate
o Explanation: The answer is A. The South American plate is represented by the number 5.
 6) The map below shows the major tectonic plates of the world.

Which plate is represented by the number 9 on the

map?
o A) Antarctic plate
o B) Australian plate
o C) African plate
o D) Indian plate
o Explanation: The answer is A. The Antarctic plate is represented by the number 9.
 7) There are many volcanoes and lava flows along the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, which marks a diverging plate boundary. What type plate
movement is occurring to form the volcanoes?
o A) An oceanic plate is sinking beneath a continental plate.
o B) Two plates are sliding past one another.
o C) Two continental plates are colliding.
o D) Two plates are moving apart.
o Explanation: The answer is D. Volcanoes are formed along the mid-ocean ridge because
two plates move apart, allowing magma to move up from inside the Earth.
 8) A plate boundary in which no new crust is made or destroyed is a:
o A) divergent boundary
o B) convergent boundary
o C) recumbant boundary
o D) transform boundary
o Explanation: The correct answer is D. Plates slip past each other at transform
boundaries.
 9) When two tectonic plates push together, pull apart, or slide past one
another, which of the following is most likely to occur?
o A) an earthquake
 o B) a typhoon
o C) a tidal wave
o D) a delta
o Explanation: The answer is A. Earthquakes often occur where tectonic plates meet.
 10) Which of the following is part of a transform plate boundary?
o A) the San Andreas Fault
o B) the Marianas Trench
o C) The Andes Mountains
o D) the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
o Explanation: The answer is A. The San Andreas Fault is part of the transform boundary
between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.
 11) The convection currents that cause plate motion are caused by:
o A) temperature differences.
o B) the gravitational pull of the Moon.
o C) strong winds.
o D) Earth's magnetic field.
o Explanation: The correct answer is A. Like all convection currents, those in the mantle
are caused by temperature differences.
 12) Which of the following features is often associated with subduction
zones?
o A) mid-ocean ridges
o B) ocean trenches
o C) folded mountains
o D) rift valleys
o Explanation: The correct answer is B. Ocean trenches are found along subduction zones,
where one plate is being forced under another.
 13) When a tectonic plate with continental crust crashes into a plate
with oceanic crust, the ocean plate slides under the continental plate. A
region where oceanic plates are forced downward is called a:
o A) strike-slip fault
o B) divergent boundary.
o C) transform boundary.
o D) subduction zone.
o Explanation: The answer is D. A subduction zone occurs when an oceanic plate sinks
down under a continental plate.
 14) To what does 'plate' in plate tectonics refer?
o A) A plate is a large section of the earth's crust.
o B) A plate is a section of a mountain that has fallen off.
o C) A plate is a trench in the middle of an ocean.
o D) A plate is the base of a volcano.
o Explanation:
 15) Which of the following is found at a divergent plate boundary?
o A) the San Andreas Fault.
o B) the Himalayan Mountains.
o C) the Marianas Trench.
o D) the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
 o Explanation: The correct response is D. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is a divergent boundary,
where two plates are moving apart.
 16) What feature occurs where plates converge?
o A) rift valleys
o B) mid-ocean ridges
o C) mountain ranges
o D) strike slip faults
o Explanation: The correct answer is C. It is correct because when plates converge the
force causes massive folding and faulting of these rock layers into mountain ranges.
 17) The process where one plate is forced down under another plate is
known as:
o A) subduction
o B) convection
o C) erosion
o D) transformation
o Explanation: The correct response is A. Subduction occurs when one plate is forced
down into the Earth beneath another plate.
 18) A break in rock along which the ground has moved on either side is:
o A) an anticline
o B) a syncline
o C) a fault
o D) a sinkhole
o Explanation: The correct response is C. A fault is a break in rock along which the ground
has moved on either side.
 19) New ocean floor is formed when:
o A) tectonic plates slide past each other.
o B) tectonic plates collide.
o C) tectonic plates stop moving.
o D) tectonic plates move apart.
o Explanation: The correct answer is D. New ocean floor forms when magma pushes
upward between diverging plates.
 20) Folded mountains form when:
o A) tectonic plates slide past each other.
o B) tectonic plates collide.
o C) tectonic plates stop moving.
o D) tectonic plates move apart.
o Explanation: The correct answer is B. Folded mountains form when tectonic plates
collide.
 21) On average, about how fast are the tectonic plates moving?
o A) 1000 meters per year
o B) 10 meters per year
o C) 5 centimeters per year
o D) 5 meters per day
o Explanation: The correct answer is C. On average, the tectonic plates move at a rate of
about 5 centimeters per year.