Unit 4, Lesson 10: Plate Tectonics
Learning Target: I can use the theory of plate tectonics to explain the Earth's topographic diversity.
Class Activities:
1. Students came in and took a "Plate Tectonics" worksheet. They did the do now, which was, "How are the layers of Earth similar to an apple? How are they different?" Most students came up with the expected answer, which was that the skin of an apple is like the Earth's crust. The "meat' of the apple is like the Earth's mantle. The hollow bit around the seeds is like the outer core, and the seeds is like the inner core. Obviously there are some differences, but that's not a terrible analogy. What's different, though, is that while an apple is relatively static, the Earth is constantly in motion. I read this in an article from Big History, that it's as though we're "surfing on lava." It's cool to think about.
2. I passed out a puzzle of Pangea, what used to be a supercontinent of all our landmasses. They put them together; it was fun. How does this show how unique Earth is? Because the Earth is constantly in motion, which means it's always changing and life forms are always adapting. If you were absent, you don't need to make this part up.
3. We jotted down the answers to a couple questions:
1. Plates are "enormous of Earth's crust that float on top of the mantle." FYI, there are 8 major plates and 9 minor ones.
2. The plates are NOT the same as continents. The plates cover the entire Earth, and there can be continents on top of those plates, or there can
be oceans on top of plates.
3. What happens when two plates meet? Well, there are three types:
Transform: when two plates slide against one another.
Divergent: when two plates separate
Convergent: when two plates come together
4. I passed out some half sheets to help students fill out the back of their worksheets.
Papers handed in today:
"Formation of Early Earth" worksheet
Homework:
Section 4: Complete the worksheet (including paragraph)
Section 2: None, but you'll do the paragraph as an in-class quiz.
Class Activities:
1. Students came in and took a "Plate Tectonics" worksheet. They did the do now, which was, "How are the layers of Earth similar to an apple? How are they different?" Most students came up with the expected answer, which was that the skin of an apple is like the Earth's crust. The "meat' of the apple is like the Earth's mantle. The hollow bit around the seeds is like the outer core, and the seeds is like the inner core. Obviously there are some differences, but that's not a terrible analogy. What's different, though, is that while an apple is relatively static, the Earth is constantly in motion. I read this in an article from Big History, that it's as though we're "surfing on lava." It's cool to think about.
2. I passed out a puzzle of Pangea, what used to be a supercontinent of all our landmasses. They put them together; it was fun. How does this show how unique Earth is? Because the Earth is constantly in motion, which means it's always changing and life forms are always adapting. If you were absent, you don't need to make this part up.
3. We jotted down the answers to a couple questions:
1. Plates are "enormous of Earth's crust that float on top of the mantle." FYI, there are 8 major plates and 9 minor ones.
2. The plates are NOT the same as continents. The plates cover the entire Earth, and there can be continents on top of those plates, or there can
be oceans on top of plates.
3. What happens when two plates meet? Well, there are three types:
Transform: when two plates slide against one another.
Divergent: when two plates separate
Convergent: when two plates come together
4. I passed out some half sheets to help students fill out the back of their worksheets.
Papers handed in today:
"Formation of Early Earth" worksheet
Homework:
Section 4: Complete the worksheet (including paragraph)
Section 2: None, but you'll do the paragraph as an in-class quiz.
9global_tectonic_plates_handout.pdf | |
File Size: | 321 kb |
File Type: |
9global_tectonic_plates_class_materials.pdf | |
File Size: | 10321 kb |
File Type: |