Name: ______________________________________________________ Date: _______
Period
1
2
3
4
5
6
Saving Soils: Part I
Background:
Structurally, Earth can be divided into five layers, each possessing distinct physical properties
(characteristics). The outer layer, the lithosphere, ranges from 15km to 300km in depth. This
rigid (stiff) layer includes the crust and upper portion of the mantle. The lithosphere is broken
into large pieces, called tectonic plates.
Lithosphere: The Earth’s
crust (all land and water
humans use is part of the
crust) + the upper mantle
(lava comes from the
mantle).
Figure 1.
Tectonic Cycling: The
Earth’s crust is broken
into segments which are
constantly sliding under
and pushing against
each other, causing
The cycling of
rock and magma to
material through
circulate
the lithosphere
creates the diverse
(many different)
mineral types found
in the Earth’s crust.
Figure 2.
As tectonic plates
move, newer materials move toward the surface, while others are pushed deeper into the
lithosphere. The process is generally slow, but major events such as volcanic eruptions can bring
materials to the surface suddenly. Other processes that influence the composition of Earth’s
crust are earthquakes, climate change, and erosion.
1
Pre-Lab
Answer the following questions:
1. According to the paragraph above, how does the Earth’s crust get minerals?
2. Generally, is the process of mineral cycling fast or slow? Predict why that might be.
3. What kinds of processes bring minerals to the surface quickly?
4. Why might the lithosphere be important to study?
5. Over time, what might happen to the part of the lithosphere that is on the surface of
Earth when it is exposed to rain, decomposition, and other factors? Explain your thinking.
Procedure:
With the class go outside and look at the geologic features in the community.
1. Draw the landscape that you see below. Include as many geologic features as you
can!
2
Analyze:
2. Check the boxes of the geologic features are present in the locations below.
Location
What You See
Mountains Desert Hills
Lakes
Valleys Coastline Rivers
Volcanoes
What you know
of Issaquah
Washington
State
3. In your groups discuss how the locations from the table above have been changed
over time. List a 3-4 causes of those changes in the table below.
What you Saw
Issaquah
Washington
1.
1.
1.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.
3.
4.
4.
4.
3