Handout: Unit 2 Lesson 5 Landform Unit​​ ​Plate Tectonic
Geology: study of earth
Structure of Earth
Plate tectonic​​: Earth is made up of cracked plates that was one joined together (pangea), and is constantly
moving as the rate of the fingernail growing.
The names of ​seven major tectonic plates​​ are: North America, South America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia,
Pacific (Ocean), and Antarctic.
1. Inside the plate is stable.
2. The plate boundaries are not stable, which cause the formation of the landforms and the
Internal forces​​: Plate movement caused by ​Convection Current​​ from magma
Form Mountain, volcano, earthquake
What are the three plate boundary? What landform or earth process occurs on these boundaries?
Continental-Continental:
African Rift Valley
Red Sea
Oceanic - Oceanic
Mid-ocean Ridge
Split apart
Oceanic - Oceanic
Japan, Indonesia, the Philippine
Islands and trenches
Come together
Oceanic - Continental
volcanic arc and trench
Continental - Continental
Himalaya mountain
San Andreas Fault
(earthquake)
Slide sideways
External (outside) Force: Caused by water, wind, sunlight
Weathering, erosion and deposition
Find the plate boundaries in the diagram​​.
Activity: Gram cracker Boundary
Demonstrate a convergent, divergent and transform boundary
What does Gram cracker represent? What does whip cream represent?
Volcanic eruptions
Volcanoes are mountains with ​openings​ in Earth’s crust through which ​magma, gases, and as​h reach Earth’s
surface.
When the magma erupts from the volcano the top of the mountain can be changed, either ​built up or exploded
off​.
The lava and ash can ​destroy forests and bury fields​.
Volcanic eruptions can even change ​Earth’s weather patterns​.
Volcanic eruptions also occur under the oceans; these volcanoes that are built up are called ​Seamounts.​ ​If
the seamount rises above the ocean surface it is called a ​volcanic island​ ​(for example Hawaii or Japan).
Activity: Play-doh Volcano
What causes the volcanic eruption?
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are ​vibrations​ on Earth’s surface caused by ​sudden movement in Earth​, often along a ​fault​ ​,​a
break in Earth’s surface​.
Some earthquakes cause little damage and some cause a lot of damage.
Large earthquakes can cause ​landslides​.
Earthquakes under the ocean can cause huge waves, called ​tsunamis​ t​ hat destroy land and cause great
damage if they come ashore.
STEM Activity: Paper model on Earthquake Fault
​Landslides
Landslides are mass movements of land due to gravity.
Landslides can cause buildings to fall, or power and gas lines to break.
Landslides even occur on the continental slope in the ocean.
Google Earth Project
Pick one landform and find it in google earth, mark the latitude, longitude and attitude. What boundary is the
landform at? Find an interesting fact about the landform.
Hawaii island
Japan island
Himalaya Mountain
Mariana Trench
Mid-ocean Ridge
African Rift Valley
Red Sea
San Andreas Fault
1. Locate This map shows Earth’s plates on your textbook, Find the plate you live on. What is the name of that
plate?
2. SEP (Science & Engineering Process) How fast do the plates actually move? Why are their borders jagged?
These are just some of the many questions we could ask about these plats. Good scientific questions can give
us ideas for scientific investigations. Write two question you might have about Earth’ plates. Try to think of
questions that can be answered through research.
1. CCC (Cross-cutting Concepts) Cause and Effect What might cause a rapid change in Earth’s surface?
2. Classify Read about the land feature in the diagram. Then write the type of plate boundary that forms
each feature.
3. SEP Construct an Explanation Use the illustration on these pages and tell about the results of
constructive and destructive forces.
4. Explain Do you think the volcano in this picture is an example of a constructive or deconstructive
force? Explain.
5. Sequence What is often the first step in the formation of a volcano?
https://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure/