Plate Tectonics and Volcanoes Lesson Plan
DIAGNOSTIC PHASE:
Analytic Description of Pupil(s):
Identify the NY Learning Standards: This Lesson Addresses:
Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information, using appropriate technologies.
Standard 4: Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical
setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.
 4.2.1l The lithosphere consists of separate plates that ride on the more fluid asthenosphere and move slowly in
relationship to one another, creating convergent, divergent, and trans-form plate boundaries. These motions
indicate Earth is a dynamic geologic system.
•These plate boundaries are the sites of most earthquakes, volcanoes, and young mountain ranges.
•Compared to continental crust, ocean crust is thinner and denser. New ocean crust continues to form at midocean ridges.
•Earthquakes and volcanoes present geologic hazards to humans. Loss of property, personal injury, and loss of
life can be reduced by effective emergency preparedness.

4.2.1n Many of Earth’s surface features such as mid-ocean ridges/rifts, trenches/subduction zones/island arcs,
mountain ranges (folded, faulted, and volcanic), hot spots, and the magnetic and age patterns in surface
bedrock are a consequence of forces associated with plate motion and interaction.
Goal: To understand how plate tectonics accounts for the features and processes (sea-floor spreading, mid-ocean
ridge, volcanoes, subduction zones, mountain ranges) that occur on or near Earth’s surface.
Objective(s):
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Students will be able to explain the Theory of Plate Tectonics.
Students will be able to explain the relationship between plate tectonics and the location of volcanoes.
Students will use world maps to explore the relationship between locations of plate boundaries and areas of
high volcanic occurrences.
Students will be able to describe movement of plates along convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries.
Students will be able to compare and contrast three types of volcanoes.
Students will discover natural hazards and the risks and benefits of volcanic activity.
Students will research a volcano and share findings on a class wiki page.
Entry Skills:
Students should know convection currents in the mantle cause movement of the Earth’s plates.
Students should know the structure and layers of the Earth.
Students should have map skills.
Model/Strategy:
Students will use digital resources to engage in an inquiry-based exploration of volcanic activity to form a hypothesis
about the relationship between plate boundaries and areas of volcanic occurrences. Students will discover the
distribution patterns of volcanoes by plotting locations of volcanoes on a world map. Students will explore the
movement of plates along boundaries using digital simulations.
Students will work with partners to research a volcano and create a wiki page over a two to three week
period during volcano unit. See Project Requirements.
Materials:
Computers with Internet access or computer lab; printer; Smart Board/Proxima; Interactive Science Notebooks, chart
paper and markers, colored pencils, Wiki Space, world map worksheets, Plate Boundary Diagrams (Figures 1 -4), Plate
Tectonics: The Big Picture diagram,
Classroom Organization:
Some components of the lesson will be whole group direct instruction using the Smart Board. Students will complete
some tasks independently and also work in cooperative groups to complete other tasks. Culminating wiki project will be
with partners in a collaborative effort to contribute to the class wiki.
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
Anticipatory Set:
Show you tube video, “Volcanoes erupting on the Big Island of Hawaii”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hec9yK-QQ4o
Prior to the video, ask students, “What they think of when they hear the word volcano?”
(Accept all responses at this time. Typical responses include explosions, fiery eruptions, lava, death, destruction)
As significant as those aspect are, challenge students previous conceptions by asking students to also consider other
aspects of volcanoes that influence the arts, history, and literature of people living near them. Tell the students they
will be researching a volcano over the next few weeks and creating a wiki page that includes how the
volcano has affected the people living nearby.
Procedures for achieving objective(s)
Sequence of Objectives
Assessment
Background Information for the Teacher
Most volcanoes occur along diverging plate boundaries, such as the mid-ocean
ridge, or in subduction zones around the edges of oceans. Exceptions to this
pattern are volcanoes that form at “hot spots”.
Volcanoes at Diverging Plate Boundaries – form along the mid-ocean ridge.
Along the ridge, lava pours out of cracks in the ocean floor.
Volcanoes at Converging Plate Boundaries – Many volcanoes form near the
plate boundaries where oceanic returns to the mantle. Subduction causes slabs of
oceanic crust to sink through a deep-ocean trench into the mantle. The crust melts
and forms magma, which then rises back toward the surface. When the magma
from the melted crust erupts as lava, volcanoes are formed. Converging plates
often form volcanoes when two oceanic plates collide (Island Arc) or when an
oceanic plate collides with a continental plate. In both situations, oceanic crust
sinks through a deep ocean trench, melts to form magma, and then erupts to the
surface as lava.
Hot Spot Volcanoes - A hot spot is an area where magma from deep within the
mantle melts through the crust like a blow torch. Hot spots often lie in the middle
of continental or oceanic plates far from any plate boundaries. Unlike volcanoes in
an island arc, volcanoes at hot spots do not result from subduction.
Essential Questions:
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How do features on the Earth’s surface change?
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How are the locations of geographic features related to the locations of
plate boundaries?
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What causes the Earth’s plates to move?
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What are the benefits to a region of volcanic activity?
Begin the Lesson (2 days)
Day 1
1. Prior Knowledge:
Create a K-W-L Chart and record student responses on chart paper.
What do you know about volcanoes?
2.
Provide definitions for key vocabulary (Preview Vocabulary)
Plate Tectonics–Theory that pieces of Earth’s lithosphere are in constant
motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle
divergent boundary – A plate boundary where two plates move away
Student Responses
Interactive Science Notebook
from each other
convergent boundary – A plate boundary where two plates move toward
each other
transform boundary – A plate boundary where two plates move past
each other in opposite directions
Ring of Fire – A major belt of volcanoes that rims the Pacific Ocean
Subduction – The process by which oceanic crust sinks beneath a deepocean trench and back into the mantle at a convergent plate boundary .
3.
Investigate It: Where are Volcanoes Found on Earth’s Surface
Students will work in small groups to study the interactive map of Earth’s
volcanoes around the globe by Houghton Mifflin Company at
http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module04swf.s
wf and include information below on World Map Worksheet.
Interactive Science Notebook
Critical Thinking
Do the locations of volcanoes form a pattern? Develop a hypothesis to
explain where Earth’s volcanoes are located. Are there any volcanoes on
the map whose location cannot be explained by your hypothesis?
How can you explain the pattern of volcanoes?
(Volcanoes form along the boundaries of Earth’s plates. The Ring of Fire is
a belt of volcanoes that circles the Pacific Ocean. Most volcanoes occur
along diverging plate boundaries such as the mid-ocean ridge or in
subduction zones around the edges of oceans. Some volcanoes form at
“hot spots” far from the boundaries of continental or oceanic plates.)
Expected Outcome: Yes, there is a pattern. Volcanoes seem to be
related to plate boundaries.
Printable world map – Provide students with world map. Students will
indicate the location of volcanoes around the world, type of boundaries,
and the movement of plates along those boundaries and include a map
legend.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4.
Map Activity
Plot volcanic activity
Mark plate boundaries
Indicate movement at plate boundaries using arrows
Plot hot spots
Include a map legend
Class Discussion – Lead a discussion based on the following questions?
Questions & Answers
Where are the majority of volcanoes located?
Ring of Fire
What is the relationship between plate boundaries and location of
volcanoes?
Volcanoes form along the boundaries of Earth’s plates
5.
Follow-up Lesson: Movement of plates at boundaries
Day 2
1.
Review concepts
2.
Direct Instruction – Teach how volcanoes form at convergent and
divergent boundaries and at Hot Spots. Display Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure
3, and Figure 4 on the Smart Board.
Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
3.
Use hand movements to show how plates move. (Kinesthetic)
Observation
4.
Plate Tectonic Activity: Students will use digital media to discover how
the movement of plates at convergent, divergent, and transform
boundaries change Earth’s surface by visiting websites below.
Observation
PBS, A Science Odyssey: Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/
Animation of volcanic islands forming over a hot spot
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0904
/es0904page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
Animation of Volcanism at a subduction zone
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0902
/es0902page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
Animation of Process that occur along plate boundaries
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0804
/es0804page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization
4. Interactive Notebook –Summarize the movement of convergent and
divergent boundaries (Right-side entry). Draw a diagram of convergent
and divergent boundaries. (Left-side entry)
5. Class Discussion – Lead a discussion based on the following
questions?
Interactive Notebook Entries
Questions & Answers
What type of boundary is located at the mid-ocean ridge?
Divergent boundary
Where are hot spots located in relationship to earth’s plates?
Some volcanoes form at “hot spots” far from the boundaries of continental or
oceanic plates
What happens when continental crust and oceanic crust meet?
Oceanic crust plunges back into the mantle at a subduction zone
Continental crust and continental crust?
Mountains, volcanoes form
Oceanic crust and oceanic crust?
Island Arcs form
Guided Practice Activities:
Students will use digital media to discover how the movement of plates at convergent, divergent, and transform
boundaries change Earth’s surface.
Bloom’s Taxonomy Questions:
Knowledge: Label plate boundaries
Comprehension: Explain the formation of volcanoes at convergent and divergent boundaries, and hot spots.
Application: Construct a volcano that incorporates features of the surrounding town or city.
Analysis: Students will analyze different types of plate boundaries.
Evaluation: Assess the effect of volcanic activity on people living near a volcano.
Synthesis: Develop a hypothesis to explain where Earth’s volcanoes are located.
Closure:
Ticket to Leave - Students will write down something knew they learned and share with the class in Interactive Science
Notebook.
Independent Practice:
Students will label diagram: Plate Tectonics: The Big Picture
Evaluation of Learning:
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Interactive Notebook –Summarize the movement of convergent and divergent boundaries (Right-side
entry). Draw a diagram of convergent and divergent boundaries. (Left-side entry)
Volcano Wiki Project (Culminating Project)
Volcano Jeopardy (End of Unit Review)
Differentiated Instruction:
Flexible grouping, Modify assignments to instructional level, Visual Learner: Visualizations/Simulations for abstract
concepts, Kinesthetic Learner: Use hand movements to show direction of plate movements.
Follow-up Lesson:
Volcanic Activity –Students will be able to describe what happens when a volcano erupts and explain how the two types
of volcanic eruptions differ.
Connections:
Language Arts: Explore how myths help to explain nature and science. Students may read, discuss, and respond in
writing to a variety of myths.
Vulcan “Roman God of Fire”
Hephaestus “Greek God of Fire and Forge”
Pele “Hawaiian Goddess of Volcanoes”
USGS, Volcanoes in Legends and Mythology, http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/LivingWith/PopCulture/mythology.html
Figure 1 Converging plates often form volcanoes when an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate.
Oceanic crust sinks through a deep-ocean trench, melts to form magma, and then erupts to the surface.
Figure 2 Converging plates build up Earth’s surface when continental plates collide with another
continental plates.
Figure 3 Converging plates often form volcanoes when two oceanic plates collide. The older, denser plate
dives under the other plate creating a deep-ocean trench. The plate sinks into the asthenosphere. It
begins to melt forming magma. The magma seeps upward through cracks in the crust eventually
breaking through the oceanic floor creating volcanoes. The resulting volcanoes create a string of islands
called an island arc.
Figure 4 Some volcanoes form from “hot spots” in Earth’s mantle. A hot spot is an area where magma
from deep within the mantle melts through the crust like a blowtorch. Hot spots usually occur in the
middle of continental or oceanic plates far from any plate boundaries. Unlike volcanoes in an island arc,
the volcanoes at a hot spot do not result from subduction.
Figures found on U.S. Geological Survey
http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/understanding.html
Plate Tectonics: The Big Picture
Volcano Wiki Project
Project Description: You will be researching a volcano. Using this information, you will build a
model of your volcano and create a Wiki page for your volcano.
Volcano Model:
1. Construct a model of volcano including any defining features of the volcano including
craters and lakes.
2. Incorporate features of the surrounding area such as cities, oceans, forests, etc. into the
model.
- Possible materials may include clay, Styrofoam, paint, plaster, paper, etc.
3. Attach a picture of the volcano to your model.
4. Attach a note card to your volcano following the model below:
Name of Volcano
Elevation (Height)
Age of Volcano:
Country:
Date of Last Eruption:
Nearest City:
Type of Volcano: (Cinder, Composite, Shield, Lava Plateau, Caldera, etc)
Three Interesting Facts: (complete sentences)
Student(s) Name(s):
Science Period:
Date:
Volcano Wiki Project (Documentary)
1. Include the following information in your Wiki
- Volcano name, country
- Type of Volcano (Cinder, Composite, Shield, Lava Plateau, Caldera, etc)
- Include an image or video of this volcano
- Include a picture of your model volcano
- Research the history of the volcano’s eruptions
- Describe the most famous eruption from this volcano and its effects
- Research the risks and benefits of this volcano to the surrounding town/area
- Include aspects of how the volcano has influenced the arts, history, and literature of
the people living in the region.
- Include the effect of volcanic activity on soil and agriculture for the region.
- Investigate environmental concerns of the volcanic eruptions.
2. References – You must use at least two on-line sources. You must cite sources
correctly.
Online Bibliography Formatting Sources:
http://www.easybib.com
http://www.noodletools.com
Revisit the You Tube video: “Volcanoes erupting on the Big Island of Hawaii”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hec9yK-QQ4o
Volcano Wiki Project Rubric
CATEGORY
Content
Organization
Attractiveness
Contribution to
the Group
Accuracy
Model
4
Excellent
Achievement
All report
requirements are
included.
Covers topic in
depth with very
strong
understanding of
the volcano
researched.
Strong creativity.
Clear
organization.
Makes excellent
use of font,
color, graphics,
effects, etc. to
enhance the
presentation.
3
Adequate
Achievement
Most report
requirements are
included. Covers
topic with strong
understanding of
the volcano
researched.
2
Limited
Achievement
Some report
requirements are
included. Shows
limited
understanding of
the volcano
researched.
1
Minimal
Achievement
Missing many
report
requirements.
Shows minimal
understanding of
the volcano
researched.
Some creativity.
Definite
organization.
Makes good use
of font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. to enhance
the presentation
No creativity.
Lacks
organization.
Makes use of
font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. but often
these detract
from the
presentation
content.
Contributes
greatly to the
development of
the class wiki.
Free of
mechanical
errors. No
HTML errors in
wiki (e.g.,
broken links,
missing images)
Contributes
adequately to the
development of
the class wiki.
Few mechanical
errors. Few
HTML errors in
wiki (e.g.,
broken links,
missing images)
Limited
creativity. Some
organization.
Makes use of
font, color,
graphics, effects,
etc. but
occasionally
these detract
from the
presentation
content.
Contributes
moderately to the
development of
the class wiki.
Some
mechanical
errors. Some
HTML errors
(e.g., broken
links, missing
images)
Model strongly
resembles
volcano.
Features of
surrounding area
included.
Model resembles
volcano. Most
features of
surrounding area
included.
Model somewhat
resembles
volcano. Some
features of
surrounding area
included.
Contributes
minimally to the
development of
the class wiki.
Overwhelming
mechanical
errors.
Overwhelming
HTML errors
(e.g., broken
links, missing
images)
Model does not
resemble
volcano.
Features of
surrounding are
not included.