Earth and Space Science

ESS1 5 Plate Tectonics

Simplified map of the Earth's tectonic plates USGS

ESS1-5

Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages oceanic crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading) and the ages of North American continental crust increasing with distance away from a central ancient core (a result of past plate interactions).

Assessment Boundary: none

Location of Volcanoes activity

There are 1500 active volcanoes worldwide

400 volcanoes are around the Pacific Ocean:

the Ring of Fire

Locate volcanoes activity: you will be assigned three from the following lists

Print out a map of the world with latitude and longitude coordinates like this one:

Using the coordinates given for your 3 volcanoes, plot them on a map of the world

Do you notice anything about the location of the volcano sites?

Now plot the same volcano locations on a map of the tectonic plates

Identify which of your 3 volcanoes you think are close to plate boundaries

Put a red box around the volcanoes that are close to plate boundaries

What extra information would you need to know to identify whether each volcano is close to a divergent plate boundary, D, or convergent plate boundary, C, or hot spot, H?

Label any of your three volcanoes on plate boundaries as C, D or H

Now research coordinates and add ANOTHER, different active volcano to the map

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ESS1 5 Plate Tectonics