Plate Tectonics Graphic Organizers Extension Ideas

Mapping Activity Using the map that’s included, I ask students to plot the location of

several well-known volcanoes and to explain the relevance of their location. (Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Fuji, Aconcagua, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Redoubt…)

Volcanoes can be marked with a red triangle. I also ask them to plot 5 recent large earthquakes with a yellow

star and to explain the details—plates involved, death toll etc. Play Dough Activity A favorite review activity for my students is to demonstrate

their knowledge of plate boundaries and the features they form (trenches, ridges, fold mountains…) with a container of Play dough. I’ll give each student a container and then ask them to show me what type of plate boundary produces a trench or to show how a rift valley is formed, create a feature found when two continents collide etc.

I then wander through the classroom and ask them to explain their work. A ton of fun and the hands-on nature of the activity really helps to cement the concepts. (I currently do this activity with Seniors—they talk about it for days.)

Have fun!

Addie Williams

© 2011-Addie Williams

Explain the Theory of Continental Drift.

Plate Tectonics

Explain three pieces of evidence to support the THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Describe the properties of the LITHOSPHERE. Describe the properties of the ASTHENOSPHERE

Draw and explain how CONVECTION CURRENTS relate to PLATE MOVEMENT.

Where are the YOUNGEST rocks on Earth found? Explain.

Where are the OLDEST rocks on Earth found? Explain.

© 2011-Addie Williams

Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent) Subduction Boundary

Diverging Boundary (Ocean / Ocean) Diverging Plate Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Types of Plate Boundaries—Draw and explain each.

Draw and explain what happens at a Sliding / Transform Plate Boundary

Why do you think SUBDUCTION boundaries have the deepest earthquakes?

© 2011—Addie Williams

Feature Formed ________________________ Example ______________________________

Example _________________________________

Feature Formed ___________________________

Example _________________________________

Feature Formed ___________________________

Example _________________________________

Feature Formed ___________________________

Example _________________________________

Feature Formed ___________________________

Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Types of Plate Boundaries: Draw and explain each. Name: ____________________

Convergent—Subduction Boundary (Continent / Oceanic)

Convergent-Subduction Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)

Divergent Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Divergent Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)

Sliding / Transform Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________ Slid

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© 2011-Addie Williams

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Plate Boundary - Cross-Section Challenge Name:__________________________ Using a map of the world’s plate boundaries, draw a cross-section as if you were to travel from the coast of New Zealand (Tonga Trench) all the way across the Pacific Ocean to the Chile Trench. What plate boundaries would you cross? What is the plate movement at each? Draw arrows and include labels for all of the features. (trenches, ridges, boundaries…)

Using a map of the world’s plate boundaries, draw a cross-section as if you were to travel from the coast of South America to the coast of Africa. What plate boundary would you cross? Label the oldest rocks and the youngest rocks on your diagram and include all features found along the way.

© 2011-Addie Williams

Plate Boundary Review Name:___________________________________

Illustration by Jose F. Vigil. USGS.

Using the diagram above, write a well-organized paragraph to explain how plate tectonics relates to the existence of volcanoes and the occurrence of earthquakes.

© 2011-Addie Williams

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Explain the Theory of Continental Drift.

Plate Tectonics

Explain three pieces of evidence to support the THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Describe the properties of the LITHOSPHERE. Describe the properties of the ASTHENOSPHERE

Draw and explain how CONVECTION CURRENTS relate to PLATE MOVEMENT.

Where are the YOUNGEST rocks on Earth found? Explain.

Where are the OLDEST rocks on Earth found? Explain.

© 2011-Addie Williams

The theory, proposed by Alfred Wegner, that the earth’s continents were once joined in a su-percontinent called Pangea. The continents have moved slowly over time to their present day location.

Hard rocky outer shell of the earth that in-cludes the earth’s continents and its ocean basins. The crust of made of igneous, sedi-mentary and metamorphic rocks. The crust floats on the mantle.

The asthenosphere is a layer of rock in the mantle that acts like a plastic (like silly put-ty) where movement from convection cur-rents occurs.

The convection currents in the asthenosphere push and pull the earth’s plates. Where the currents sink, the plates are pulled downwards, where the current rise, the plates are pulled apart.

At spreading centers (mid-ocean ridges) and near volcanoes.

On the continents far away from spreading centers.

Mesosauras fossils found in S. America and Africa where it looks as if the continents once fit together like puzzle pieces.

The puzzle like fit of the continents.

Plant fossils in the Antarc-tic indicate that it must have been closer to the equator / in a different climate zone than it is now.

Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent) Subduction Boundary

Diverging Boundary (Ocean / Ocean) Diverging Plate Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Types of Plate Boundaries—Draw and explain each.

Draw and explain what happens at a Sliding / Transform Plate Boundary

Why do you think SUBDUCTION boundaries have the deepest earthquakes?

© 2011—Addie Williams

Feature Formed Example

Example

Feature Formed ___________________________

Where two plates collide one plate will sink under the other (older, heavier plate) and fold mountains will form.

Fold Mountains Himalayans

Example

Feature Formed ___________________________

Where an ocean plate collides with a conti-nental plate the heavier ocean plate slides underneath.

Trench / chain of volcanoes Marianas Trench

Example

Feature Formed ___________________________

Where two ocean plates spread apart magma rises to the ocean floor.

Mid Ocean Ridge Mid Atlantic Ridge Example

Feature Formed ___________________________

Where two continental plates diverge / spread apart a rift valley will form.

Rift Valley East African Rift Valley

Where two plates slide past each other like lanes of traffic on a road.

Fault zone San Andreas Fault

The sinking plate gets pulled deep inside the earth, as the plate makes its way down it creates deep earthquakes in the earth.

Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Types of Plate Boundaries: Draw and explain each. Name: ____________________

Convergent—Subduction Boundary (Continent / Oceanic)

Convergent-Subduction Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)

Divergent Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Divergent Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)

Mid Atlantic Ridge

Sliding / Transform Boundary (Continent / Continent)

Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________ Slid

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© 2011-Addie Williams

Mid Ocean Ridge Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________

Feature formed: Trench / Island Art Example: Indonesia, Japan, Aleutian Islands

Feature formed: Trench / inland volancoes Example: Marianas trench

Feature formed: Fold Mountains Example: Himalayans

Feature formed: Rift valley Example: East African Rift Valley

Where two plates slide past each other like lanes of traffic on a road.

Fault zone San Andreas Fault

Where two continental plates diverge / spread apart a rift valley will form.

Where two ocean plates spread apart magma rises to the ocean floor.

Where two plates collide one plate will sink under the other (older, heavier plate) and fold mountains will form.

Where an ocean plate collides with a continental plate the heavier ocean plate slides underneath.

Where two ocean plate collides the heavier, older ocean plate slides underneath.

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NOT distribute to others. Thanks so much for respecting copyright and the hard work of others.

~Addie

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