1. Plate Tectonics Essential Question:
What are the different plate boundaries and how do they cause changes to the Earth’s surface?
SC.7.E.6.5: Explore the scientific theory of plate tectonics by describing how the movement of Earth’s crustal plates causes both slow and rapid changes in Earth’s surface, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and mountain building. (Also assesses SC.7.E.6.1 and SC.7.E.6.7)

2. Warm up
During the last 50 million years, the lithospheric plates carrying modern day India moved toward its present position. As it moved, the Himalayan Mountains were formed along the boundary of the Indian and the Eurasian plate. Which is the best answer to explain the type of movement between these plates?
The two continental plates moved past each other.
The two continental plates moved toward each other.
The two continental plates moved away from each other.
The continental and oceanic plates moved toward each other.

3. I do guided notes

4. What Moves the Plates?
Crust: hard, rigid, thinnest, surface layer (Continental Crust is land, Oceanic Crust is the ocean floor).
Mantle: the layer below the crust:
Lithosphere: Where the magma meets the crust.
Asthenosphere: hot magma, plastic-like. Convection currents in the magma in this layer make the plates move.

5. Earth’s layers
Outer Core: Hot, liquid, layer that surrounds the inner core.
Made of an Iron-Nickel mix.
Inner Core: Hot, solid, VERY DENSE center of the planet.
High pressure = solid.

6. What is Plate Tectonics?
The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth's crust is broken into a dozen plates that are moving relative to one another as they ride atop the hot, plastic-like mantle.
The entire Earth's surface is continually shifting.

7. Convergent Boundaries
Continental-Continental: Two continental plates collide. Result: mountain building. (Ex. Himalayan Mountains)
Continental-Oceanic: One continental and one oceanic plate meet and the more dense oceanic plate gets pushed underneath the continental plate (Ex. Ring of Fire) Result: Ocean Trenches, Earthquakes, and Volcanoes
Oceanic-Oceanic: When they meet, the denser plate gets pushed under the other. Result: Volcanic Island and Earthquakes.

8. Convergent Boundary examples
-Each red dot is an active volcano. -The pacific plate is slipping under the Eurasian, North American, and Indo- Australian Plates.

9. Divergent Boundary
Where tectonic plates are moving away from each other.
Result: a mid-ocean ridge where magma rises and new crust is added.

10. Transform Boundary
Where two plates move (and rub) against each other in opposite directions. This creates pressure that is released when the plates move suddenly.
Result: Earthquakes (Ex. San Andreas fault along the California coast.)

11. “We Do: Model” Modeling plate movement:
Using your hands, model a convergent boundary.
Using your hands, model divergent boundary.
Using your hands, model transform boundary.
Comprehension Check: Compare and Contrast the 3 types of boundaries.

12. We Do collaborative activity

13. Bellringer
During the last 50 million years, the lithospheric plates carrying modern day India moved toward its present position. As it moved, the Himalayan Mountains were formed along the boundary of the Indian and the Eurasian plate. Which is the best answer to explain the type of movement between these plates?
The two continental plates moved past each other.
The two continental plates moved toward each other. *
The two continental plates moved away from each other.
The continental and oceanic plates moved toward each other.

14. You DO Time!

15. Mini-quiz #1
Michael and Jose are studying about plate tectonics. They learned that plates usually move a few centimeters every year. They learned that the movement of heated material caused the plates to move. In which layer does the heated material move?
Inner Core
Outer Core
Mantle
Crust
Correct Answer: C

16. Mini-Quiz #2
The Atlantic Ocean is growing in size by about one centimeter per year. How does an ocean become larger?
Oceanic plates are moving apart.
The density of the oceanic plates is decreasing
Increased air temperatures are increasing evaporation.
Trenches are formed by oceanic plates sliding under continental plates.
Correct Answer: A

17. Mini-Quiz #3
In some places on Earth, large tectonic plates are moving toward each other and collide with great force. One such place is where the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate meet.
What would you expect to occur where these two tectonic plates collide?
Only volcanoes
Only earthquakes
A rift valley and volcanoes
Mountains and earthquakes
Correct Answer: D

18. Mini-Quiz #4
Hard boiled eggs have often been used to model the layers of the Earth’s interior. Which choice describes how heat would move through the Earth’s layers?
Within the yolk only
From the shell to the yolk
From the yolk to the white
Around the yolk into the white

19. Mini-Quiz #5
Which of the following would be the Least Likely cause of a volcanic eruption?
Tectonic plates colliding
Gas pressure within Earth’s crust
Tectonic plates sliding past each other
New magma flowing into an already full magma chamber

20. Mini-Quiz #6
Which of the following statements best describes the tectonic plates in the diagram?
Two convergent plates, one continental and one oceanic.
Two convergent continental plates
Two divergent continental plates
Two divergent plates, one continental and one oceanic
The Earth’s crust is made up of tectonic plates. This diagram shows two plates found under the Himalaya Mountains.

21. Mini-Quiz #7 Where are most mountains on Earth formed?
At volcanic chains
At strike slip faults
At mid-ocean ridges
At convergent plate boundaries

22. Mini-Quiz #8
Which of the following is the most likely outcome of the interaction between the Nazca Plate and the Pacific Plate?
The Nazca Plate will slide under the Pacific and lead to mountain formation
The Nazca plate will slide under the Pacific and form a valley rift
The two plates will slide away from each other a form a mid-ocean ridge
The two plates will slide away from each other and lead to earthquakes
Earth’s surface is made up of tectonic plates that move slowly. The diagram below shows several of Earth’s tectonic plates. The arrows show the direction in which plates are moving.

23. Mini-Quiz #9
The Great Rift Valley in Africa is a land feature on Earth’s surface caused by the movement of crustal plates. Continued movement of the plates is gradually making the rift deeper. How are the plates around the Great Valley Rift moving?
The plates are colliding
One plate is sliding beneath a less dense plate
The plates are grinding against one another along a fault
The plates are spreading apart and moving in opposite directions

24. Exit Ticket (Closing)
What are the different plate boundaries and how to they cause changes to the Earth’s surface?