EVER-CHANGING EARTH WEB QUEST:
During the following class periods, and for homework, you are going to learn
about how the surface of the Earth has changed over time and how it
continues to change today. Using resources from the library, the following
web sites and additional resources (in your own language, perhaps), be prepared
to answer the following questions about the continually changing structure of the
Earth’s crust and the mechanisms that keep it transforming:
Each student will present INDIVIDUAL, HAND WRITTEN ANSWERS at the end of the unit.
This is worth 100 points!!!!!
**Whenever you utilize an internet page as a primary source of information, be sure that the
page is reliable. Check to see who maintains the web page and who actually wrote the
material on the web site. Most educational websites, those form accredited Colleges and
Universities are reliable, many consumer websites (those that try to sell you something) are
not. Some people still believe that the Moon is made of Swiss cheese and that water should
be banned. Unfortunately, anyone with a little money and access to a computer can put up a
web page, so remember:
DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ!!
Listed below are a number of reliable websites (see above) to get you started as you explore
this magnificent Earth:
Various web pages:
 http://www.platetectonics.com/book/index.asp
 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/dynamic.html
 http://www.heilmania.com/Webpage/WebQuest-PLATE%20TECTONICS_files/WebQuestPLATE%20TECTONICS.htm
 http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/PlateTectonics/description_plate_tectonics.html
 http://library.thinkquest.org/17457/platetectonics/index.php
 http://www.glencoe.com/sec/science/webquest/content/volcanoes.shtml
Earthquakes:
 http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Rolling_earth/Rolling_earth1.html
 http://science.howstuffworks.com/earthquake2.htm
 http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/plate-tectonics.html
 http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/interactive/index.html?section=v
Volcanoes:
 http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/
 http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/interactive/index.html?section=v
Continental drift:
 http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/dinosaurs/glossary/Contdrift.shtml
 http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/pangaea/evidence.html
 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/historical.html
 http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/plate_tectonics/introduction.html
 http://www.scotese.com/
Geologic time:
 http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/anim1.html
Plate tectonics:
 http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/geology/tectonics.html
 http://www.scotese.com/future2.htm
 http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
 http://www.extremescience.com/PlateTectonicsmap.htm
If you have questions or need help, please come talk to me!!!
Remember that this is individual work.
Have fun exploring your world!!!
A. Earth’s Structure
1. What does the inside of the Earth look like?
2. How many major layers does it have?
3. What are these layers called?
4. How deep from the surface are they?
5. What are these layers made from (generally)?
B. Geological time
6. What are the names of the geologic Periods?
7. When did they occur?
8. What major biological events are associated with
each of these Periods?
9. Using an accurate scale of geologic time, if the
creation of the Earth happened 1 year ago, how much time would have passes since
the beginning of all of recorded history (about 5,000 years BCE) on this scale?
C. Plate tectonics
10. What is a tectonic plate?
11. What are the names and locations of the Earth's plates?
12. What is a continent?
13. What relationship is there between a continent and a
tectonic plate?
14. On the globe-projection map provided (the side with lines),
please draw the names and locations of the plates and
continents. Use a different color for each, if possible.
15. What was Pangaea? When was it formed?
16. What were Gondwanaland and Laurasia? When were they
formed and what are they today?
17. What might the surface of the Earth look like in the future, hundreds of millions of
years from now?
18. What famous scientist is most closely associated with the theory of continental drift?
Where did he get this idea from?
D. Plate boundaries
19. What are the three types of plate boundaries?
20. What are their characteristics?
21. Where would you find examples of each?
22. What generally happens when each of these types of
boundaries move?
23. On the globe-projection map provided, please indicate where
one of each type of plate boundary can be found. (Three
boundaries total)
E. The Ring of Fire
24. What is the "Ring of Fire"?
25. Where did it get that name?
26. On the world map provided (no lines), please draw the ring of fire in red.
27. How is the "Ring of Fire" associated with plate tectonics? (Hint: Refer to the map you
made earlier)
F. Earthquake
28. What causes earthquakes?
29. Where do they occur?
30. How are earthquakes detected?
31. How are they measured?
32. Is an 8.0 earthquake twice as destructive as a 4.0?
33. On the map provided, please draw where three major earthquakes have originated.
Use a symbol for earthquake of your own choice.
34. How is an earthquake associated with plate tectonics?
35. What is an earthquake called in your own language? Does the name translate
differently is you separate the word stems?
G. Tsunami
36. What causes a tsunami?
37. Where do tsunamis occur?
38. How is a tsunami associated with
plate tectonics?
39. What is a tsunami called in your
own language?
i. On the map
provided, please
draw where four
major tsunamis
have originated,
including the nowinfamous one of December, 2004. Use a symbol for tsunami of your own
choice.
H. Volcano
40. What is a volcano?
41. Where are volcanoes
found?
42. What are the different
kinds of volcanoes?
43. What causes a volcano
to erupt?
44. What is a volcano called
in your own language?
45. On the map provided, please draw where 5 of the most active volcanoes can be found
and name them. Use a symbol for the volcanoes of your own choice.
I. Prevention
46. Can earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunami be
predicted?
47. Describe the warning signs that occur before each
of these events happen?
48. Can they be prevented?
49. What are the safety measures to be taken in case you are caught in
one of these events?
Grading for Earth Web Quest Project
i. Your answers
ii. Class notes
iii. Sources
iv. Map and key
50
10
10
30
1. plates and continents
2. boundaries
3. ring of fire
Total
4. volcano
5. earthquake
6. tsunami
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