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UNIT 1: Lithosphere
1.
Define lithosphere.
2.
Describe the internal structure of the earth, including the characteristics of the core, mantle, asthenosphere.
3.
Differentiate between oceanic and continental crust.
4.
Describe how seismic wave data provides evidence of earth structure. (a sketch might be useful)
5.
Name the 7 major (primary) plates and the minor plate with the coolest name.
6.
For each of the following plate boundaries, describe the characteristics of the boundary and the natural hazards/
geologic processes that tend to be associated with that boundary:
a.
Destructive (Convergent)
b.
Constructive (Divergent)
c.
Conservative (Transverse)
7.
How do convection currents relate to the plate movements?
8.
Explain sea-floor spreading.
9.
Discuss the following types of evidence that exists to support the plate tectonic theory (post-Pangaea plate
movement):
a.
Paleo-magnetism
b.
Paleontology
c.
Geographic fit
Monday, 8/22
Tuesday, 8/23
Thursday, 8/25
Learning Goal:

Compare the four components of AICE
Environmental Management –
Lithosphere, Atmosphere, Hydrosphere,
Biosphere.
Learning Goal:

Describe the internal structure of the
earth, including the characteristics of the
core, mantle, asthenosphere.

Compare oceanic and continental crust.

Summarize how seismic waves provide
evidence of earth structure
Learning Goal:

Describe convection current.

Explain the cause of plate
movements.
Assignments:

BR: Name Game

PPT: Class Overview – Syllabus
Home Learning:

Get syllabus signed

Buy supplies
Assignments:
BR: Journey Through the Earth
PPT: Inside the Earth
ACTIVITY: Earth Layers’ Foldable
Assignments:

BR: Convection & The Mantle
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PPT: Restless Continents
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LAB: Convection Currents
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PLICKERS: Checkpoint
Home Learning:

Guided Reading 7
Home Learning:

Guided Reading 1 – 4
Monday, 8/29
Thursday, 9/1
Learning Goal:

Summarize the theory of plate tectonics.

Identify and describe the three types of
plate boundaries.
Learning Goal:

Describe the process of seafloor
spreading.

Identify how paleomagnetism provides
support for the idea of sea-floor
spreading.

Explain how sea-floor spreading
provides a mechanism for continental
drift
Assignment:
BR: Earth Dynamic Machine
PPT: Plate Tectonics
LAB: Plate Tectonics
Home Learning:

Guided Reading 5 – 6
Assignment:
BR: Seafloor Spreading
PPT: Continents in Motion
LAB: Seafloor Spreading
Home Learning:

Guided Reading 8 – 9
Tuesday, 9/6
TEST:
Unit 1
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characteristics of the core, mantle, asthenosphere
difference between oceanic & continental crust
convection currents
seismic waves data as evidence
plate tectonics & major plates
types of plate boundaries
seafloor spreading
post-Pangaea plate movement evidence

Draw an illustration of the journey
in your composition book.
GR #2

divided into three layers
◦ crust
◦ mantle
◦ core (inner & outer)
outermost layer of the Earth
 5 to 100 km thick (thinnest layer)
 made up of oxygen, silicon and
aluminum (light minerals)
 least dense

GR #3
Continental Crust
Oceanic Crust
located beneath land
located beneath deep
masses & under shallow
ocean
seas
very thick – b/w 30 – 60 km very thin – b/w 5 – 8 km
less dense (e.g. granite)
denser (e.g. basalt)
layer of the Earth b/w the crust & the
core
 much thicker than the crust (2,900
km)
 67% of the mass
 more magnesium, less aluminum &
silicon than crust
 more dense than crust

the central part of the Earth that lies
below the mantle
 makes up 33% of Earth’s mass
 radius 3,430 km
 made mostly of iron and smaller
amounts of nickel (heavy minerals)
 most dense layer

GR #1
outermost, rigid layer of the Earth
 derived from the greek word “lithos”
meaning rocky stone
 divided into pieces called tectonic
plates
 made up of two parts

◦ crust & upper part of mantle
plastic layer of the mantle on which the
tectonic plates move
 made of solid rock that flows very
slowly
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GR #4
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same waves that travel
through Earth’s interior
during an earthquake
use seismic waves to
learn about Earth’s
interior
◦ altered by the nature of
the material through
which it travels
◦ changes in speed &
direction measured when
passing through different
layers
Read the article on convection.
 Answer questions on handout
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Heat transfer caused by
differences of
temperature & density
within a fluid
Liquid/gas is heated 
particles move faster
Particles spread apart,
taking more space and
density decreases

Heating
◦ Particles move faster
◦ Spread apart taking up more
space
◦ Density decreases

Cooling
◦
◦
◦
◦
Particles slow down
Settle closer together
Density increases
Particles sink
• Flow that
transfers heat
within a fluid
• Heating &
cooling
changes fluid’s
density
• Force of
gravity sets
convection
currents in
motion
 Geosphere
– plate tectonics
 Atmosphere
 Hydrosphere
– wind
- water
GR #7
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Heat generated from
radioactive decay of
elements deep interior of
the Earth
◦ Creates magma (molten
rock) in asthenosphere
◦ Magma drives plate
tectonics
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CLAIM: A claim is a statement about what you
know and are trying to help others understand.
How to write your Claim: What do you know?
 Use one complete sentence
 Use descriptive words
 Answer the question
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EVIDENCE:
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REASONING:
 Copy data table & complete with your group’s results
 Answer analysis questions.
Use the puzzle pieces to form a supercontinent
◦ A supercontinent describes a large landmass formed
by all the continents coming together.
◦ You will be forming the supercontinent, Pangaea.
◦ Evidence supports the theory that Pangaea may have
existed approximately 225-260 million years ago.
◦ Pangaea is from the Greek origin and means “all lands”
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Wegener’s Continental Drift
◦ Hypothesis that all continents once formed a single
landmass called a supercontinent
◦ Began breaking apart 250 mya (Mesozoic Era)
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theory that explains why &
how continents move
study of the formation of
features in Earth’s crust
Earth’s crust and upper
mantle are broken into
sections called plates
plates move around on
top of the mantle like rafts
 Ocean
plates plates below the
oceans
 Continental plates
- plates below the
continents
GR #5
GR #6
Plate Boundaries – Three Types
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Divergent
(constructive)
Convergent
(destructive)
Transform
(conservative)
 a.k.a.
constructive (new)
 Boundary between two plates
that are moving apart or
rifting
 RIFTING

causes SEAFLOOR
SPREADING
 Mid-ocean
 rift
ridges
valleys
 fissure volcanoes
Age of Oceanic Crust
ICELAND
 Where are
ocean ridges
located?
 Where are
the divergent
boundaries?
Courtesy of
www.ngdc.noaa.gov
Red color = youngest, dark blue = oldest
Iceland:

example of continental rifting
Iceland has a divergent
plate boundary running
through its middle
Did you know that the Earth’s longest mountain range
is underwater and is called the mid-ocean ridge?
The Mid-Ocean Ridge system, shown
above snaking its way between the
continents, is more than 56,000
kilometers (35,000 mi) long. It circles
the earth like the stitching on a
baseball!
 a.k.a.
destructive
 Boundaries between two
plates that are colliding
 There
 
are 3 types…
◦ Continent-oceanic
◦ Ocean-ocean
◦ Continent-continent
 Ocean
plate colliding with a
less dense continental plate
Subduction
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Oceanic lithosphere
subducts underneath the
continental lithosphere
Oceanic lithosphere heats
and dehydrates as it
subsides
The melt rises forming
volcanism
E.g. The Andes
Type 2: Ocean-Ocean
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The less dense plate
slides under the more
dense plate creating a
subduction zone called a
TRENCH
worlds deepest parts of
the ocean are found
along trenches
◦ E.g. The Mariana Trench is
11 km deep!
Type 3: Continent-Continent
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continental plate colliding
with another continental
plate
Have Collision Zones:
◦ a place where folded and
thrust faulted mountains
form.
◦ Forms mountains
(European Alps, Himalayas)
Himalayas
Transform Boundaries
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a.k.a conservative
where plates slide past each other
earthquakes along faults
Above: View of the San
Andreas transform fault
Website
explorelearning.com
Class Codes
Period 3: VBQ9BXV8BD
Period 5: BBZ5XGXGKD

Wegener’s Theory
◦ Hypothesis that all continents once formed a single
landmass called a supercontinent
◦ Began breaking apart 250 mya (Mesozoic Era)
GR #9
GR #9
GR #9
http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/images/history/fossils3.gif
Amazing Facts: Did you know...
...that India was once in the Southern Hemisphere
connected to Antarctica?
...that North America was once surrounded by warm,
tropical seas?
...that Africa was once covered by glaciers, which were
kilometers in thickness?
...that the Sahara desert was once a tropical rain forest?
An example of the proof for changing climate:
At one time,
the area that
is New
Mexico was
below the
equator!
As North America has drifted to different latitudes,
changing climates were experienced. This shows the
changes in the state of New Mexico.
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could not find the
force that was
causing the
continents to drift
could not convince
anyone that
continents could
move
died in Greenland
on an expedition; no
one believed him
Technology developed during
the 1940’s changed all that!

Draw an illustration of the journey
in your composition book.
GR #8
http://platetectonics.pwnet.org/img/blocks.gif
As the sea floor spreads, the lava cools according to the
magnetic poles at the time. The rocks on the ocean
floor have proved that the earth’s magnetic field
sometimes reverses. The inner core flips and so the
north pole moves to the southern hemisphere! The
earth itself does not flip.
Animation of sea floor spreading
Can you explain this diagram!?
This is a model of sea floor spreading at a
divergent boundary called a mid ocean ridge.