Download World Tectonic Mapping Activity

World Tectonic Mapping Activity
Activity by Bonnie Magura (Jackson Middle School, Portland OR) modified from Chris Hedeen (Oregon City High School, Oregon City, OR); background map
courtesy of Scott Walker (Digital Cartography Specialist, Harvard College Library); graphics and tectonic overlay by Jenda Johnson (Volcano Video & Graphics)
Introduction
The Plate Tectonics Mapping Activity allows students to easily begin to identify basic tectonic processes on a
global scale. As students become aware of plate movements, they begin to identify patterns that set the stage for
deeper understanding of a very complex topic. The activity uses a simple “Where’s Waldo” approach to identify
tectonic symbols on a laminated World Plate Tectonic map.
Objectives
Discussion Questions — below
•
•
•
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Worksheets — next pages
Learn where volcanoes and earthquakes occur
Understand geography
Use critical thinking to find plate boundaries
Answer relevant discussion questions on worksheet
Procedure
Print the appropriate maps (see Materials) for use. Note
that the maps in this document need to printed on legal-size
paper!!
Students work in pairs or small groups of 3 or 4 students
using washable markers to circle tectonic features. This
hands-on activity captures the interest of all ability levels.
The process of exploring the map and drawing with colored
markers captures student interest and creates curiosity to
discover why particular features are located where they are.
As students work through simple questions on the activity
sheet, they are then able to start the more challenging process
of understanding the patterns and process that make up the
fundamental principles of Plate Tectonics.
The Discussion Questions below are provided as a resource
for teachers to engage student’s growing understanding.
The questions have been used in small groups, whole
class discussion, research, as a writing assignment, and for
evaluation.
Maps—in several formats for classroom use:
• Poster-size map (24 x 14”) requires largeformat printer DOWNLOAD or
• Poster to be printed on legal-size paper then
glued or taped together to create the
poster-size image. DOWNLOAD
• Legal-size map without images along bottom
for student worksheet. PAGE 4
• Legal-size map WITHOUT tectonic
features to be used to see if physical
features can be recognized. Page 5
Plastic cover: Poster-size map can be covered
with clear shelving paper so it can be
written on with washable felt-tip markers.
Lamination is better (more rigid and clearer)
but contact paper is less expensive.
To copy text
from a PDF
document in
Acrobat, use the tool that has the bracket:
Discussion Questions:
1. Do the locations of earthquakes and volcanoes show a pattern? If so, what tectonic process may be responsible?
2. Generally speaking, where are the oceanic ridges located with respect to the landmasses?
3. Where do you find the mountain ranges with respect to the oceanic ridges? Use examples.
4. Are there any places on Earth where the mid-oceanic ridges meet the continent?
5. What are seamounts?
6. Most of the Pacific Ocean is on what plate?
7. What is the compass orientation of the Hawaiian Islands and many of the other smaller ridges within the Pacific Ocean? Is this significant?
8. In what compass direction is the Pacific Plate moving?
9. Name the biggest and longest mountain range in the world. What is it?
10. Name an island chain that has been formed by a “hot spot”.
11.What island in the North Atlantic Ocean is splitting apart? What is causing the split?
12. Where is magma rising to the surface and forming ocean crust? Where is the oceanic crust sinking back into the
mantle?
13. Some people have referred to the process in the above question as a cycle. Why would it be considered a cycle?
14. What are the attributes of a cycle? Can you describe another cycle that could compare with the example described
above.
15. Why is it that the Pacific Ocean floor is no older than about 200 million years and yet the continents are much older?
16. The continental margins of the East and West Coast of the United States are very different. Describe the differences.
Are there tectonic differences?
Name ________________________
PLATE TECTONICS MAPPING ACTIVITY
1. Draw the symbol for each tectonic feature in the chart below
Divergent margins and spreading centers (draw in black)
Convergent margins - subduction zone
(draw in blue)
Transform faults – strike-slip faults
(draw in green)
Hot Spot
(draw in red)
2. Use the correct color of washable marker to locate each tectonic feature on the map.
a. Circle the Divergent margins and spreading centers in black.
Number found _______
b. Circle the Convergent margins in blue.
Number found _______
c. Circle the Transform faults in green.
Number found _______
d. Circle the Hot Spots in red.
Number found _______
3. What is the name of the small crustal plate off the Oregon coast that is subducting
beneath the North American plate? _______________________
4. Where are most of the earthquakes and volcanoes located?
Circle one: a. crustal plate margins
b. interior of a crustal plate
Answer the following questions using the diagrams located on the poster map.
5. Divergent margins – spreading centers:
a. New crust forms at plate margins as ___________ rises creating ridges under
oceans such as the _____________________ and the ____________________.
b. Spreading centers found on continents rather than plate margins include the
__________________ in the US and the _______________________ in Africa.
Note: pages 2 and 3 can be printed on 8.5 x 11” page-size paper for homework.
The maps print on legal size paper.
Or CLICK HERE to download a Word document of these pages.
6. Convergent margins – subduction zones:
Describe the land form (geomorphology) created at each type of Convergent Boundary
a. Ocean-Ocean _____________________________________________________
b. Ocean-Continent __________________________________________________
c. Continent-Continent ________________________________________________
7. Transform faults – strike slip faults
a. Sometimes tectonic plates shift past each other ____________ at their boundary.
b. One example of a strike slip fault near San Francisco is the _________________.
8. Earthquakes:
a. Most earthquakes occur near plate _____________.
b. _____________ keeps the plate edges from sliding smoothly past each other.
c. The longer the plates remain stuck, the more strain builds and the more violent
the snap and resulting _____________.
9. Volcanoes:
a. Magma rises to the surface from inside the earth mainly at __________________
and _______________________.
b. Around the rim of the Pacific Ocean, the 40,000 km long __________ of _________ is
especially active.
10. Hot Spots:
a. In a few places _________ melts through a tectonic plate.
b. Each hot spot likely marks the top of a plume of _____________ rock that rises
from deep in the earth.
Note: pages 2 and 3 can be printed on 8.5 x 11” page-size paper for homework.
The maps print on legal size paper.
UUU
TTT
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AAA SS
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TTT
III NNN DD
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III AAA NNN RRR III DDD GGG EEE
Spreading center—Fast
Divergent boundaries occur mostly
along spreading centers where the
plates are forced apart as magma
rises forming new crust.
(Ex. East Pacific Rise, Mid Atlantic
Divergent Boundaries
Transform fault (arrows show relative motion)
Convergent margin
Divergent margin
A
MAA
M
M
RR
TTT R
R
E IA
N NA
C HA
H
C
H
A
Mountains & valleys
Spreading center—Slow
II NN DD OO –– AA UU SS TT RR AA LL II AA NN
PP LL AATT EE
TTTRRR
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PLATE BOUNDARIES
SSS
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Oceanic crust
Oceanic
Co n t i n e n t a l
crust
Oceanic crust
Continental crust
DDD
RR
II
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A
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Continental crust
Lithosphere
Continental crust
High
Plateau
When two plates move toward each other, crust is destroyed as one plate dives (is subducted) beneath
the other. The location where sinking of a plate occurs is called a subduction zone.
Convergent Boundaries
AA NN TT AA RR CC TT II CC PP LL AA TT EE
DD EE
RRR III D GGG E
TTT III CCC
C
C
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AAA RRR
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CCC AAA N
I
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PPP AAA CCC I
PP AA CC II FF II CC PP LL AA TT EE
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Isla nd
arc
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Crust
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As surrounding plates
are driven by deep forces
to move apart or crunch
together, the in-between
Transform Boundaries
Great earthquakes since 1900;
Spreading
ridge
Crust
RRR
before 1900
Hot spot (arrow shows direction of plate motion)
Volcanoes (generalized)
III AAA
ARABIAN
ABIAN
AR
PLATE
PLATE
EE UU RR AA SS II AA NN
PP LL AATT EE
White arrows show plate motion direction
SYMBOLS
SSS OOO UUU
AA FF RR II CC AA NN
PP LL AATT EE
AA FF RR II CC AA NN
PP LL AA TT EE
IIICCCAAANNN
MEEERRR
M
AAAM
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RRRCCCTTTI
A
A
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T
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N
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AAAN
M II D
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EEE
NDIAN RIDGE
IDGE
A LL II N D I A N R
TT RR A
N
CC EE N
Mo
u
R an t a in
ng
e
III DD
D GG
G EE
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Map of Major Tectonic Plates and Select Great Earthquakes and Volcanoes.
GGG
VV
A T L A N
N T I C
III DDD
JJ AA
Spreading
ridge
Transform fault
NAME__________________________________________