Unit 2

Plate tectonics

Teaching sequence

Lesson objective

In this lesson students learn the differences between plate boundaries and the causes of the events that occur at the different boundaries.

Introduction

Show students a real-time map of recent earthquakes on the Earthquakes @ Geoscience Australia website and ask them where most earthquakes have occurred in the last seven days.

Explore different time periods and locations available on the website. Ask the students if there is any pattern to where the earthquakes have occurred and if there are areas that don’t seem to experience earthquakes.

Core

Explain to the students that the tectonic activity (volcanoes and earthquakes) that occurs around the world is linked to the type of plate boundaries. For example the ‘Pacific ring of fire’ is an area of intense earthquake and volcanic activity at the Pacific plate where it intersects with other continental plates.
Inform the students they are going to explore the different types of plate boundaries and link these to areas of tectonic activity.
Ask the students to work through the learning object Tectonic boundaries: divergent and complete Tectonics boundaries student sheet 1: divergent. Discuss the main tectonic events which occur at this boundary and why.
Ask the students to work through the learning object Tectonic boundaries: convergent and complete Tectonics boundaries student sheet 2: convergent. Discuss the main tectonic events which occur at this boundary and why.
Ask the students to work through the learning object Tectonic boundaries: transform and complete Tectonics boundaries student sheet 3: transform. Discuss the main tectonic events which occur at this boundary and why.