Science Facts

The lithosphere is broken up into many plates (how many ‘major’ plates depends on your source)

Continental Drift Theory:Continental Drift Theory:

Continents moved around Continents moved around the globe to current the globe to current location. location.

Occurs because of plate Occurs because of plate tectonics. tectonics.

Theory developed by Theory developed by Alfred Wegner. Alfred Wegner.

Presence of same/similar Presence of same/similar fossils, rocks, and animals fossils, rocks, and animals on several continents on several continents supports this idea. supports this idea.

See notes from last week See notes from last week for more evidencefor more evidence

Pangaea:Pangaea:

All the continents All the continents together as a together as a single land mass. single land mass.

Wegner believed Wegner believed existed before it existed before it broke apart to form broke apart to form present continents. present continents.

Science Facts

Rodinia: Name given to earliest landmass when all continents were connected. Before Pangaea. 1.1 billion years ago.

Teacher Notes Puzzle activity

Reading Pics and notesReading Pics and notes

GlossopterisGlossopteris

LystrosaurusLystrosaurus

Teacher Notes Pass out “From Pangaea to North America”

and read as a class. Refer to next (Science Fact).

Science Facts:

Continents are still moving, 0 to 10 centimeters (cm) per year.

Laurasia and GondwanalandLaurasia and Gondwanaland

Mid-ocean RidgesMid-ocean Ridges

Underwater mountains. Longest Underwater mountains. Longest mountain chains in the world. mountain chains in the world.

DiscussionDiscussion

Why do you think there are Why do you think there are mountains under water? What is mountains under water? What is causing them to be made?causing them to be made?

Ocean Floor Spreading (Sea Ocean Floor Spreading (Sea Floor Spreading):Floor Spreading):

Magma from deep in Earth’s mantle, Magma from deep in Earth’s mantle, rises through vents or cracks in rises through vents or cracks in ridges to add to the ocean floor. ridges to add to the ocean floor.

What is the difference between What is the difference between ocean-floor spreading and mid-ocean ocean-floor spreading and mid-ocean ridges? ridges?

Ocean Floor Spreading WorksheetOcean Floor Spreading Worksheet

Major platesMajor plates: 7 major plates. : 7 major plates. Pacific, North American, South Pacific, North American, South American, Eurasian, African, American, Eurasian, African, Australian, and Antarctic. Australian, and Antarctic.

Small Plates:Small Plates: Caribbean and Caribbean and Arabian. Arabian.

Pg. 305Pg. 305

Convection Current:Convection Current:

This causes plates to move. Magma This causes plates to move. Magma from mantle comes up toward ocean from mantle comes up toward ocean crust and cools, then it sinks back crust and cools, then it sinks back down towards the mantle and heats down towards the mantle and heats up. up.

Plate Tectonics Wksht.Plate Tectonics Wksht.

Create a plates activity Create a plates activity

Plate BoundariesPlate Boundaries: :

Where two plates meet. Where two plates meet.

Convergent Boundary:Convergent Boundary:Where two plates come together.Where two plates come together.

Two different types. Two different types. • 1. Two plates meet, collide and fold 1. Two plates meet, collide and fold

upward creating folded mountains. upward creating folded mountains. Example: Andes Mountains. Example: Andes Mountains.

2. 2. Subduction zone: Subduction zone: Area where Area where oceanic floor plate collides with oceanic floor plate collides with continental plate. Oceanic plate continental plate. Oceanic plate sinks under continental plate in the sinks under continental plate in the mantle. Creating volcanoes or mantle. Creating volcanoes or earthquakes. earthquakes.

Pg. 305Pg. 305

Identify 3 sets of Convergent Identify 3 sets of Convergent Boundaries. Boundaries.

Use your plate you made yesterday Use your plate you made yesterday and Predict with your teamwhat you and Predict with your teamwhat you think will happen when two plates think will happen when two plates divide apart from one another?divide apart from one another?

Divergent Boundary:Divergent Boundary:Where two Where two plates are moving or dividing apart plates are moving or dividing apart

from each other. from each other. Creates: Creates:

-Rift Valley’s form (Ex, African Rift -Rift Valley’s form (Ex, African Rift Valley). Valley).

Rift ValleyRift Valley: is an opening caused : is an opening caused by two plate separating away from by two plate separating away from

each other. each other.

Mid-ocean ridges. Mid-ocean ridges. Volcanoes Volcanoes EarthquakesEarthquakes

Locate one example of a divergent Locate one example of a divergent boundary on pg. 305.boundary on pg. 305.

A divergent boundary is A divergent boundary is ______________________. ______________________.

Take your two plates you made and Take your two plates you made and slide them past each other. Predict slide them past each other. Predict what kind of landform or thing it will what kind of landform or thing it will create. create.

Transform Fault Boundary:Transform Fault Boundary:

Two plates slide past one another in Two plates slide past one another in opposite or same direction. opposite or same direction.

Creates: Creates: • Earthquakes Earthquakes

Example of this type of boundary occurring, San Andreas Fault.Example of this type of boundary occurring, San Andreas Fault.