Download It`s easy! Each plate is named after the major land mass

Tectonic Plates
Earth's crust is always moving!
Introduction
Earth's crust is made of solid rock, but it is NOT one piece.
Millions of years ago, as Earth's hot crust cooled, it cracked into
many large pieces. These pieces are called tectonic plates.
Introduction
The pieces fit together like puzzle pieces to
cover Earth's surface.
The tectonic plates hold the Earth's continents
AND the Earth's oceans.
Lithosphere and Asthenosphere
Which part of the earth are the plates on , the lithosphere
or the asthenosphere?
6 Major Tectonic Plates on Earth
Earth has many tectonic plates - like a giant jigsaw
puzzle. The largest 6 plates are called the major plates.
Your job is to know the names and locations of the 6
major plates.
(It's easy! You will see how the names of the plates match
up to the names of Earth's continents and oceans).
INSTRUCTIONS: Use the next slides and your paper
maps to complete this activity.
Major Tectonic Plates
It’s easy! Each plate is named after the major
land mass (continents), OR the major ocean that
is found on that plate.
Major Tectonic Plates
But the plates are NOT just the continents (land).
The plates include the continents AND the
oceans that are on top of that plate.
• North American Plate – holds the continent of North America
AND the ocean water on top of the plate
• South American Plate – holds the continent of South America
AND the ocean water on top of the plate
• African Plate – holds the continent of Africa AND the ocean
water on top of the plate
• Eurasian Plate – holds the continent with Europe and Asia,
AND the ocean water on top of the plate
• Indo-Australian Plate – holds the continent of Australia, the
land mass of India, AND the ocean water on top of the plate
• Pacific Plate – not much there but water! So the Pacific Plate
holds the Pacific Ocean (and also Hawaii)
Label Your Map
You have two maps. Label one with the names of each of
the 6 major plates. Leave the other one blank.
Label Your Map
In your notebook, glue the labeled map on the page.
Then, tape or glue ONLY top edge of the blank map on
top of the labeled map. This will help you to study and
learn the names!