Download Plate Tectonics Learning Targets

PLATE TECTONICS – TEKS, Learning Targets and Vocabulary
(TEK 6.10A) Illustrate the structural layers of the earth including the inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere and lithosphere.
(TEK 6.10C) Identify the major tectonic plates, including Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian, Pacific, North American and South American.
(TEK 6.10D) Describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events such as ocean basins, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and mountain
building.
1. Illustrate and label the layers of the earth including the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.
2. Describe and explain the Earth’s lithosphere.
3. Describe and explain the Earth’s asthenosphere?
4. What are Earth’s tectonic plates?
(TEKS 8.9A) Describe the historical development of evidence that supports plate tectonic theory.
5. What was the early hypothesis of Continental Drift? Who first proposed this hypothesis?
6. What evidence was discovered that supports Continental Drift?
7. What is the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
8. What evidence supports the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
9. What is seafloor spreading? Where does it take place?
10. How does seafloor spreading support the Theory of Plate Tectonics?
(TEKS 8.9B) Relate plate tectonics to the formation of crustal features.
11. What force causes tectonic plates to move and where does it occur?
12. Illustrate and describe the plate movement at convergent boundaries.
13. What is the difference between oceanic crust and continental crust? Which is denser? How does the density of the crust affect plate
movement?
14. What crustal features form when oceanic crust collides with continental crust at a convergent boundary?
15. What crustal features form when oceanic crust collides with oceanic crust at a convergent boundary?
16. What crustal features form when continental crust collides with continental crust at a convergent boundary?
17. What are subduction zones? What causes this to occur?
18. Illustrate and describe the plate movement at divergent boundaries.
19. What crustal features form at divergent boundaries (on land and in the oceans)?
20. What are mid-ocean ridges? What occurs at mid-ocean ridges? What geologic feature are mid-ocean ridges?
21. Illustrate and explain the plate movement at transform boundaries.
22. What crustal features form at transform boundaries?
23. How has the Earth’s surface changed as a result of plate tectonics?