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
Plate Tectonics
Explain 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.
Explain three pieces of evidence to support the THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Where are the YOUNGEST rocks on Earth found?
Explain.
© 2011-Addie Williams
Where are the OLDEST rocks on Earth found?
Explain.
Types of Plate Boundaries—Draw and explain each.
Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Subduction Boundary
Feature Formed ___________________________
Feature Formed ___________________________
Example _________________________________
Example _________________________________
Diverging Boundary (Ocean / Ocean)
Diverging Plate Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Feature Formed ___________________________
Feature Formed ___________________________
Example _________________________________
Example _________________________________
Draw and explain what happens at a Sliding / Transform Plate Boundary
Feature Formed ________________________
Example ______________________________
Why do you think SUBDUCTION boundaries have
the deepest earthquakes?
© 2011—Addie Williams
Types of Plate Boundaries: Draw and explain each.
Name: ____________________
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
Convergent—Subduction Boundary (Continent / Oceanic)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
Convergent-Subduction Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
Sliding Boundary
Divergent Plate Boundaries
Divergent Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
Divergent Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
Sliding / Transform Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Feature formed: ________________________ Example: ____________________________
© 2011-Addie Williams
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
© 2011-Addie Williams
Color code the plate boundaries with colored pencils.
Convergent = Blue
Divergent = Red
Sliding = Green
Plate Boundaries
Plate Tectonics
Explain the Theory of Continental Drift.
The theory, proposed by Alfred Wegner, that the earth’s continents were once joined in a supercontinent called Pangea. The continents have moved slowly over time to their present
day location.
Describe the properties of the LITHOSPHERE.
Hard rocky outer shell of the earth that includes the earth’s continents and its ocean
basins. The crust of made of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. The crust
floats on the mantle.
Describe the properties of the ASTHENOSPHERE
The asthenosphere is a layer of rock in the
mantle that acts like a plastic (like silly putty) where movement from convection currents occurs.
Draw and explain how CONVECTION CURRENTS relate to PLATE MOVEMENT.
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.
Explain three pieces of evidence to support the THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT
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.
Where are the YOUNGEST rocks on Earth found?
Explain.
At spreading centers (mid-ocean ridges)
and near volcanoes.
© 2011-Addie Williams
Plant fossils in the Antarctic indicate that it must
have been closer to the
equator / in a different
climate zone than it is now.
Where are the OLDEST rocks on Earth found?
Explain.
On the continents far away from
spreading centers.
Types of Plate Boundaries—Draw and explain each.
Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Where two plates collide one plate will sink
under the other (older, heavier plate) and
fold mountains will form.
Feature Formed ___________________________
Fold Mountains
Himalayans
Example
Diverging Boundary (Ocean / Ocean)
Subduction Boundary
Where an ocean plate collides with a continental plate the heavier ocean plate slides
underneath.
Feature Formed ___________________________
Trench / chain of volcanoes
Example
Marianas Trench
Diverging Plate Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Where two ocean plates spread apart magma
rises to the ocean floor.
Where two continental plates diverge /
spread apart a rift valley will form.
Feature Formed ___________________________
Mid Ocean Ridge
Feature Formed ___________________________
Rift Valley
Example
Example
Mid Atlantic Ridge
East African Rift Valley
Draw and explain what happens at a Sliding / Transform Plate Boundary
Where two plates slide past each other like lanes of
traffic on a road.
Feature Formed
Fault zone
Example
San Andreas Fault
Why do you think SUBDUCTION boundaries have
the deepest earthquakes?
The sinking plate gets pulled deep inside the earth, as the plate
makes its way down it creates deep earthquakes in the earth.
© 2011—Addie Williams
Types of Plate Boundaries: Draw and explain each.
Name: ____________________
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Collision Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Where two plates collide one plate will sink
under the other (older, heavier plate) and
fold mountains will form.
Feature formed: Fold Mountains Example: Himalayans
Convergent—Subduction Boundary (Continent / Oceanic)
Where an ocean plate collides with a continental plate the
heavier ocean plate slides underneath.
Feature formed: Trench / inland volancoes Example: Marianas trench
Convergent-Subduction Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)
Where two ocean plate collides the heavier, older ocean
plate slides underneath.
Feature formed: Trench / Island Art Example: Indonesia, Japan, Aleutian Islands
Sliding Boundary
Divergent Plate Boundaries
Divergent Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Where two continental plates diverge /
spread apart a rift valley will form.
Feature formed: Rift valley
Example: East African Rift Valley
Divergent Boundary (Oceanic / Oceanic)
Where two ocean plates spread apart magma
rises to the ocean floor.
Mid Ocean Ridge
Mid Atlantic Ridge
Feature formed: ________________________
Example: ____________________________
Sliding / Transform Boundary (Continent / Continent)
Where two plates slide past each other like lanes of
traffic on a road.
Fault zone
San Andreas Fault
Feature formed: ________________________
Example: ____________________________
© 2011-Addie Williams
Thanks so much for your purchase!
Click the links below to see
more of my science, ela &
social studies products.
Also part of my Tectonic
Graphic Organizer Bundle
earth
science
Thanks so much!
Let’s keep in touch!
Copyright Information
Copying any part of this product and placing it on the internet in any
form (even a personal / classroom website) is forbidden and is a
violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). These items can
be picked up in a search and downloaded for free.
This product is meant for single classroom / teacher use only—please do
NOT distribute to others.
Thanks so much for respecting copyright and the hard work of others.
~Addie
Thanks to the fol-