Plate Tectonics

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Plate Tectonics
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Day 1

• B Pre-test
• D Vocabulary and Reteach or Review earths
  layers
• A Exit Slip

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Vocabulary

1. convection- transfer of heat by movement of a
   fluid
2. convection currents- movement within hot fluids,
   when the heat source is on the bottom, such as in
   a boiling pot of soup on the stove. Convection
   currents happen because the hotter material is
   less dense and rises when it reaches the
   surface, it cools and becomes less dense, so it
   sinks. This rising and sinking creates a circular
   motion within the fluid.
3. convergent plate boundaries- where two tectonic
   plates move toward each other
4. divergent plate boundaries- where two tectonic
   plates move away from each other
5. transform plate boundary- where two tectonic
   plates slip past each other, moving in opposite
   directions
6. seafloor spreading- the process by which new
   oceanic crust forms when magma rises up and
   solidifies at the mid-ocean ridges. The newer
   crust pushes the older crust out to each side,
   which is why the age of the sea floor increases
   with distance away from the mid-ocean ridges.

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Vocabulary

• 7. subduction- the process by which one tectonic
  plate sinks below another, returning to the
  mantle, where the rock is re-melted. Subduction
  takes place at convergent plate boundaries.
  Oceanic crust, which is denser, will always
  subduct under the less dense continental crust.
• 8. tectonic plates- large pieces of the
  lithosphere that slowly move on top of the
  asthenosphere. There are seven primary plates and
  many smaller ones. The seven primary plates are
  the African Plate, Antarctic Plate, Eurasian
  Plate, Indo-Australian Plate, North American
  Plate, Pacific Plate, and South American Plate.
• 9. tectonic plate boundary- a place where two
  tectonic plates meet
• 10. mid-ocean ridge- a system of connected
  underwater mountain ranges that run throughout
  the world's oceans. There is a rift valley in the
  center of the mid-ocean ridge, where magma rises
  up from the mantle, and pushes out to either
  side, producing seafloor spreading.

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Exploring Inside the Earth

• Geologists- are scientists who study the forces
  that make and shape planet Earth. They have used
  evidence from rock samples and evidence from
  seismic waves to learn about Earths interior.
• Geology - is the study of planet Earth.

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Studying Surface Changes

• Constructive forces shape the surface by building
  up mountains.
• Destructive forces are those that slowly wear
  away mountains and, eventually, every other
  feature on the surface.

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The Crust
Three main layers make up Earths interior the
crust, the mantle, and the core. Each layer has
its own conditions and materials.

• The crust is a layer of solid rock that includes
  both dry land and the ocean floor.

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The Mantle

• Earths mantle is made up of rock that is very
  hot, but solid. The mantle is divided into layers
  based on the physical characteristics of those
  layers.

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The Core

• The core is made mostly of the metals iron and
  nickel. It consists of two partsa liquid outer
  core and a solid inner core.

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Quick Assessment of Earths Layers

• 1) What are the four layers of the Earth?
• 2) The Earths crust is very ______?
• 3) The mantle is the largest layer of the Earth?
  True or False
• 4) Is the Outer Core a liquid or a solid?

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Day 2

• Topic What happens at plate boundaries? (Divide,
  collide, and slide)
• Before Teacher/student demonstration (divide,
  collide, slide)
• During Notes/PowerPoint
• After Rate your understanding 1-5.

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The Plates and How They Move

• The lithosphere is broken into separate sections
  called plates.
• The theory of plate tectonics explains the
  formation, movement, and subduction of Earths
  plates.

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Heat Transfer

• There are three types of heat transfer
  radiation, conduction, and convection.

Heat transfer the movement of energy from a
warmer object to a cooler object
Conduction heat transfer by direct contact of
particles of matter
Radiation the transfer of energy through empty
space
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Convection Convection Currents

• Heating and cooling of the fluid, changes in the
  fluids density, and the force of gravity combine
  to set convection currents in motion.

Convection currents the flow that transfers
heat within a fluid
Convection heat transfer by the movement of a
heated fluid
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Convection Currents in Earth

• Heat from the core and the mantle causes
  convection currents in the mantle. This is how
  the heat is transferred, and how the earths
  plates are able to move.

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Plate Boundaries

• At the locations where two tectonic plates
  interact, a boundary between these plates exist.
  There are three types of boundaries that
  geologist observe. (Draw these pictures into
  your notes)

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Plate Boundaries

• There are three kinds of plate boundaries
• divergent boundaries when the plates divide/
  seperate and create a rift
• convergent boundaries two plates collide
• transform boundaries when two plates slide past
  each other
• A different type of plate movement occurs along
  each type of boundary.

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Exit Slip Plate Tectonics

1. What does a geologist study?
2. How do constructive and destructive forces
   differ?
3. What are plates, and how do they move?
4. What is heat transfer? What are the 3 ways in
   which heat transfers?
5. What are plate boundaries ? What are the 3 types
   that geologists observe? Briefly describe each
   type.

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Answers

• 1. They study Earth.
• 2. Constructive forces build and destructive
  forces destroy.
• 3.The pieces of the Earth that move by transform,
  convergent, or divergent movements.
• 4. Heat transfer is the movement of heat . Heat
  is transferred by radiation, convection,and
  conduction.
• 5. A plate boundary is the parameter of the
  plate.
• Geologist observe the movement of the plates
  through transform, convergent, and divergent
  movements.

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• Link to INTERACTIVE Plates and Boundaries
• http//www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/p
  late.html

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Day 3

• Before AMSTI Lesson 6
• During AMSTI Lesson 6
• After AMSTI lesson 6

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Day 4 (Optional)

• Topic How the PLATES move
• B Milky Way activity
• D Latitude/longitude plate activity
• A Exit slip
• Lesson attached to email

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Day 5 Plate tectonics test