Catalyst TURN PROJECTS IN UP FRONT On a sticky note, summarize the Theory of Continental Drift.

Agenda Notes – Plate Boundaries Baggie Matching (partners) Independent Practice Exit Ticket

Plate Tectonics I can explain Plate Tectonics.

Can the Earth be stressed out?

Earth’s Stress Continental crust constantly changes over time due to plate tectonics. – plate tectonics = the theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that move over the mantle and create boundaries – Convergent – Divergent – Transform Forces at plate boundaries are strong enough to break rocks or change their shape. – Stress - force that acts on rock to change its shape or volume or breaks. – Tension – Compression – Shearing

Earth’s Stress Tension – pulls on the crust, stretching rock so it becomes thinner in the middle Compression – squeezes rock until it folds or breaks Shearing – pushes a mass of rock in two opposite directions

Stress causes….

Plate Tectonics Plates move because of convection currents in the mantle. – The plate are NOT exactly the same as the continents

2 types of Plates Ocean plates – plates below the ocean Continental plates – plates below the continents

Earth’s Stress Tectonic plates moving causes: – Earthquakes – Volcanoes – Mountains – Sea floor spreading – Mid-Oceanic Ridges

3 Types of Plate Boundaries Divergent – Created by tension stress Convergent – Created by compression stress Transform – Created by shearing stress

Divergent Boundaries (tension stress) 2 plates move apart   – Seafloor spreading 2 plates move apart, and mantle moves up to create new seafloor – Cause a continental rift where the landmass splits into 2 segments – Example: East African rift valley – Cause an mid-ocean ridge where the seafloor splits into 2 segments

Convergent Boundary (compression stress) 2 plates move together   – Subduction zone – one is forced to slide underneath the other Ocean crust subducts under continental crust because it is heavier and denser Causes volcanoes – Example: Andes volcanoes in South America Causes mountains Causes ocean trenches

Transform Boundaries (shearing stress) 2 plates move past each other – Two plates grind past each other and move in sudden spurts of activity – Example: San Andreas Fault in California Causes earthquakes Causes fault – Fault = fracture or break in the rock of the crust

Think… Pair… Share… Which type of boundary? – Two plates move together – – Two plates move apart – – Causes volcanoes – – Causes earthquakes – – Two plates move past each other – – Causes seafloor spreading -

Agenda Notes – Plate Boundaries Baggie Matching (partners) Independent Practice Exit Ticket

Baggie Matching Work in partners for 6 minutes to match the plates and their characteristics.

Independent Practice Work individually for 15 minutes to complete the worksheet. If you finish early, study and review the plate boundaries.

Write a Letter Write a letter to the scientists who rejected Alfred Wegner’s theory of continental drift. You must convince them that Wegner’s theory is correct. Use the appearance of the continents today along with the evidence (fossil, geologic, climatic, and seafloor) to support your argument. Include: -What the theory of continental drift is -Why you support Wegner’s theory -Use evidence (how the continents look today, and the evidence we talked about in your notes)

Evidence Practice When finished: Write a letter to the scientists who rejected Alfred Wegner’s theory of continental drift. You must convince them that Wegner’s theory is correct. Use the appearance of the continents today along with the evidence (fossil, geologic, climatic, and seafloor) to support your argument. Include: -What the theory of continental drift is -Why you support Wegner’s theory -Use evidence (how the continents look today, and the evidence we talked about in your notes)