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Teacher’s GuideMiddle School

Earth’s Changing Surface

Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-848125 Union Streetwww.visuallearningco.com Brandon, Vermont 05733

Editors:Brian A. Jerome, Ph.D.Stephanie Zak Jerome

Assistant Editor:Louise Marrier

Graphics:Dean Ladago

Fred Thodal

2Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 www.visuallearningco.com

Earth’s Changing SurfaceEarth’s Changing Surface

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Use and Copyright

The purchase of this video program entitles the user the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher’s guide and the blackline master handouts for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this video, Earth’s Changing Surface. The right is restricted only for use with this video program. Any reproduction or duplication, in whole or in part, of this guide and student masters for any purpose other than for use with this video program is prohibited.

The video and this teacher’s guide are the exclusive property of the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting or reproducing in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the copyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and 506).

Copyright © 2005

ISBN 1-59234-126-8

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Visual Learning Company1-800-453-8481www.visuallearningco.com

Table of ContentsPage

A Message From Our Company

National Standards Correlations

Student Learning Objectives

Assessment

Introducing the Video

Video Viewing Suggestions

Video Script

Student Assessments and Activities

Answers to Student Assessments

Answers to Student Activities

Assessment and Student Activity Masters

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Viewing Clearances

The video and accompanying teacher’s guide are for instructional use only. In showing these programs, no admission charges are to be incurred. The programs are to be utilized in face-to-face classroom instructional settings, library settings, or similar instructional settings.

Duplication rights are available, but must be negotiated with theVisual Learning Company.

Television, cable or satellite rights are also available, but must be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company.

Closed circuit rights are available, and are defi ned as the use of the program beyond a single classroom but within a single campus. Institutions wishing to utilize the program in multiple campuses must purchase the multiple campus version of the program, available at a slightly higher fee.

Discounts may be granted to institutions interested in purchasing programs in large quantities. These discounts may be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company.

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A Message from our Company. . .Dear Educator:

Thank you for your interest in the educational videos produced by the Visual Learning Company. We are a Vermont-based, family owned and operated business specializing in the production of quality educational science videos and materials.

We have a long family tradition of education. Our grandmothers graduated from normal school in the 1920’s to become teachers. Brian’s mother was an elementary teacher and guidance counselor, and his father was a high school teacher and superintendent. This family tradition inspired Brian to become a science teacher, and to earn a Ph.D. in education, and led Stephanie to work on science educational programs at NASA.

In developing this video, accompanying teacher’s guide, and student activities, our goal is to provide educators with the highest quality materials, thus enabling students to be successful. In this era of more demanding standards and assessment requirements, supplementary materials need to be curricular and standards based - this is what we do!

Our videos and accompanying materials focus on the key concepts and vocabulary required by national and state standards and goals. It is our mission to help students meet these goals and standards, while experiencing the joy and thrill of science.

Sincerely,

Brian and Stephanie Jerome



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National Standards CorrelationsNational Science Education Standards (Content standards: 5-8, National Academy of Sciences, c. 1996)

Benchmarks for Science Literacy (Project 2061 – AAAS, c. 1993)

Earth and Space Science - Content Standard D:Structure of the Earth SystemAs a result of their activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding that:• Lithospheric plates on the scale of continents and oceans constantly move at rates of centimeters per year in response to movements in the mantle. Major geological events, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result from these plate motions.

• Landforms are the result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces. Constructive forces include coastal deformation, volcanic eruption, and deposition of sediment, while destructive forces include weathering and erosion.

The Physical Setting - Processes that Shape the Earth - (4C)By the end of 8th grade, students should know that:• The interior of Earth is hot. Heat fl ow and movement of material within the Earth cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and create mountains and ocean basins.

• Some changes in Earth’s surface are abrupt (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) while other changes happen very slowly (such as uplift

and wearing down of mountains).

Historical Perspectives - Moving the Continents (10E)By the end of 12th grade, students should know that:• The theory of plate tectonics was fi nally accepted by the scientifi c community in the 1960’s, when further evidence had accumulated in support of it. The theory was seen to provide an explanation for a diverse array of seemingly

unrelated phenomena, and there was a scientifi cally sound physical explanation of how such movement could occur.

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Student Learning ObjectivesUpon viewing the video and completing the enclosed student activities, students will be able to do the following:

• Describe in general terms the process by which the solar system was formed via the • Describe in general terms the process by which the solar system was formed via the Nebular Hypothesis.

• State that most scientists generally agree Earth is 4.6 billion years old.

• List some of the ways early Earth was much different than Earth we know today.

• Generally describe how the theory of plate tectonics explains the dynamic movements witnessed on the surface of the planet.

• Create a sketch illustrating the position of the continents 250 million years ago forming “the supercontinent of Pangea”.

• Cite examples of the results of interactions of tectonic plates including the creation of volcanoes, building of mountains, and the creation of earthquakes.

• Compare the different mountain building processes of folding and the formation of fault-block mountains.

• Describe how the formation of volcanoes is another type of mountain building process.

• Explain that plutons are formed when underground pools of magma harden.

• Defi ne weathering as the process of breaking down rocks into smaller and smaller pieces.

• Cite rain, wind, moving water, and naturally occurring chemicals as agents of weathering.

• Explain that erosion is the process that involves the movement of earth materials from one location to another.

• Provide examples of how rivers, glaciers, and wind act as agents of erosion.

• Cite some examples of how weathering and erosion have formed geologic features near your school or home.

• Describe the process of deposition, and how it is responsible for the formation of certain geologic features.



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Assessment

Preliminary Assessment:The Preliminary Assessment, provided in the Student Masters section, is an assessment tool designed to gain an understanding of students’ pre-existing knowledge. It can also be used as a benchmark upon which to assess student progress based on the objectives stated on the previous pages.

Video Review:The Video Review, provided in the Student Masters section, can be used as an assessment tool or as a student activity. There are two main parts. The fi rst part contains questions that can be answered during the video. The second series of ten questions consists of a video quiz to be answered at the conclusion of the video.

Post Assessment:The Post Assessment, provided in the Student Masters section, can be utilized as an assessment tool following completion of the video and student activities. The results of the Post Assessment can be compared against the results of the Preliminary Assessment to evaluate student progress.

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Before showing students the video ask them how old they think the Earth is. Write their answers on the board. After a few minutes, explain to students that scientists generally agree that Earth is about 4.6 million years old. Tell them that no one knows Earth’s age for sure, but current scientifi c evidence points to the fact that Earth is 4.6 billion years old. To give students an idea of how big this number is, write 4,600,000,000 on the board. Ask them to imagine what has happened on earth over this time period.

Introducing the Video

Video Viewing SuggestionsThe student Master “Video Review” is provided for distribution to students. You may choose to have your students complete this Master while viewing the program or to do so upon its conclusion.

The program is approximately twenty minutes in length and includes a ten question video quiz. Answers are not provided to the Video Quiz on the video, but are included in this teacher’s guide. You may choose to grade student quizzes as an assessment tool or to review the answers in class.

The video is content-rich with numerous vocabulary words. For this reason you may want to periodically stop the video to review and discuss new terminology and concepts.

Next, hold up three different rocks so students can see them. Try to get rocks of different types and different ages. For example, a recent igneous rock, an older fossilized rock, and a very old metamorphic rock would be useful. Tell students all three rocks were formed at different times in earth’s history, and were formed by very different processes. State the approximate age of each rock, and explain the processes by which they were formed. Tell students to pay close attention to the program to learn more about earth’s history and the important geologic processes which have played a role in shaping the surface of our planet.



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Video Script: Earth’s Changing Surface1. This beautiful body of water is called Crater Lake.2. While it looks like many other mountain lakes, in reality it is a volcanic caldera fi lled

with water.3. Today, the area seems rather peaceful, …4. … but 7,700 years ago this was a scene of one of the most violent volcanic

eruptions in North America,5. Ash was scattered over eight states and three Canadian provinces.6. Just 175 miles, or about 300 kilometers south of Crater Lake lies Lassen Peak.7. In May of 1914 the peak began a series of eruptions…8. … which climaxed in 1915 when the peak blew up, a huge mushroom cloud of gas

and ash hurtled seven miles, or 12 kilometers into the air.9. Today, one can still fi nd evidence of geothermal activity in the form of hot springs

just a short distance from the massive eruption.10. In Washington state further to the north, another mountain blew its top just a short

time ago.11. On May 18, 1980, Mt. Saint Helens erupted…12. …in a massive explosion claiming the lives of over 50 people.13. Traveling faster than the speed of sound, a cloud of superheated gas and steam

tore down entire forests around the mountain,…14. …mudfl ows followed which ripped down Mt. St. Helens’ slopes.15. What forces on Earth are responsible for such catastrophic events?16. How has the Earth changed over time?17. And, how does what we see on Earth today relate to the past?18. During the next few minutes we are going to explore these questions and others…19. … as we investigate some of the past forces responsible for shaping our Earth.20. Graphic Transition – Earth’s Origins21. Geologists generally agree that Earth is about 4.6 billion years old.22. No one is exactly sure how Earth formed; and it is still an issue of debate today.23. One theory widely held by scientists is the Nebular Theory.24. According to this theory scientists believe Earth, our sun, and the other planets in

our solar system developed from a nebula, a cloud of gas and dust in space.25. According to the Nebular Theory, a nearby star exploded into a supernova.26. This event seeded the cloud of gas and dust with various elements and chemicals.27. The force of the explosion was so great that the nebula became unstable and began

to spin.

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Script (cont.)28. The nebula then collapsed pulling matter toward the center, which caused it to spin

even faster.29. The center grew denser and hotter, eventually forming our sun.30. The bits and pieces of matter that still revolved around the new sun began to

clump.31. Over time each clump became a planet. Planet Earth became the third planet from

the sun.32. Graphic Transition – Early Earth33. Early Earth was much different than the Earth we know today.34. At fi rst, the Earth is believed to have been a hot molten mass with no oceans and

very little atmosphere.35. It is likely that volcanoes were constantly erupting.36. As Earth cooled, Earth’s poisonous atmosphere gradually changed - forming

nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide.37. With the appearance of the fi rst living things, similar to these microscopic

organisms, oxygen began to form.38. As Earth’s outer skin cooled it became more solid, forming the crust.39. To this day, the layers below the outer crust remain warm. 40. Graphic Transition – Theory of Plate Tectonics41. You Compare! How does the position of North America today compare to its

position 250 million years ago?42. North America was joined to the other continents. But over time it drifted from

them.43. What forces are responsible for this movement?44. Geologists today, explain the changing nature of Earth’s surface over time using

the Theory of Plate Tectonics.45. According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics, Earth’s surface is made up of several

rigid pieces called plates.46. Over millions of years the interaction of these moving plates has played a very

important role in shaping Earth’s surface,…47. … creating mountain ranges, volcanoes,…48. … deep sea trenches…49. … and even powerful earthquakes.50. Graphic Transition – The Moving Plates51. You Decide! How can you explain the presence of these warm-water fossilized

animals in rocks found in cold Vermont?52. The animals that formed these fossils are believed to have lived in shallow warm-

water seas millions of years ago,…



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Script (cont.)53. …in conditions very much like we see in today’s tropics.54. How did this change occur?55. It is likely these fossils in Vermont were formed 475 million years ago when Vermont

was much closer to the equator, and much warmer. 56. Over time the state has moved to its present more northerly location.57. Scientists believe Earth once had a single giant land mass called Pangea.58. It is believed the supercontinent looked something like this 250 million years ago.59. Since that time the continents, riding on plates, drifted apart to…60. ...their present day locations.61. Graphic Transition – The Power of Moving Plates62. This part of the Appalachian Mountain Range seen here in the Gaspe Peninsula of

Quebec,…63. … this geyser ejecting superheated water in Iceland,…64. … and devastating earthquakes in California are all evidence of the power of

moving tectonic plates.65. The activity of plates interacting with each other has been responsible for a wide

range of geological events during the course of Earth’s history.66. The United States, Canada, and Mexico for example, sit on the North American

Plate.67. The Pacifi c Plate and the Juan de Fuca Plate border the North American Plate.68. Over the past several million years, an amazing amount of geologic activity has

occurred along this plate boundary…69. …including volcanic eruptions, mountain building, and earthquakes.70. In the North Atlantic, the North American Plate borders the Eurasian Plate.71. While the North American Plate is still moving in a north westerly direction,…72. …the Eurasian Plate is moving in a south easterly direction – the opposite direction.73. Over the past several million years this too has created a series of different, but

equally powerful geologic events.74. Graphic Transition – Mountain Building75. You Decide! What do the following have in common – the Appalachians, the

Cascades, and the Rockies?76. They are all mountain ranges and the process of mountains being formed is called

mountain building. There are many different ways that mountains have formed.77. The Appalachian Mountains, for example, which stretch from Alabama to New

Foundland, Canada began the process of mountain building over 400 million years ago through a number of events initiated by tectonic plate collisions.

78. The Cascade range in Washington, Oregon, and Northern California is the result of a convergence of the Juan de Fuca and North American plates.

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Script (cont.)79. As you can see, most mountain building occurs at or near places where plates

come together – also called convergent plate boundaries.80. You Predict! Predict what will happen when these two pieces of foam are pushed

together.81. As you can see, the pieces arch, or fold upwards.82. When two plates converge and the force of compression in the Earth’s crust is great

enough, it can cause folding.83. The Appalachian Mountains are examples of folded mountains.84. Another type of mountain building creates fault-block mountains.85. The mountains seen here in Death Valley, California are fault-block mountains

created a few million years ago.86. Graphic Transition – Volcanoes and Plutons87. The formation of volcanoes is another form of mountain building which has occurred

since the early days of Earth.88. A volcano is an opening in Earth’s crust through which gas, ash, and molten

material fl ow.89. There are several different types of volcanoes including cinder cone volcanoes,…90. …fl at shield volcanos such as this one in Hawaii…91. …and dome shaped strato volcanoes such as those in the Cascade Mountains.92. Today, at this very moment volcanoes are erupting, as they have been for billions of

years.93. While volcanoes emit molten material through the surface,…94. …at times a large pool of magma builds up under the surface and raises the

surface above it.95. When the pool of magma hardens a pluton forms.96. Batholiths seen here in Yosemite National Park are plutons which have been

exposed due to surface erosion.97. Graphic Transition – Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition98. From the moment the fi rst rocks on Earth were formed, the process of weathering

has been occurring.99. This is the process of breaking down rocks into smaller and smaller pieces.

100. Rain, wind, moving water, and naturally occurring chemicals all act as agents of weathering.

101. The rocks around your home, as well as...102. ...the sidewalks and roads are subject to the process of weathering.103. Erosion is the process that involves the movement of Earth materials from one

location to another.104. Rivers, glaciers, and the wind all have the ability to erode earth materials.



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Script (cont.)105. The forces of weathering and erosion have played a huge role in sculpting our

landscape throughout Earth’s history.106. For example, the forces of weathering and erosion are gradually wearing down the

Rocky Mountains. 107. The Grand Canyon was not always so deep and wide.108. Due to the action of weathering and erosion, the Colorado River gouged a mile

deep canyon into the many layers of rock.109. You Decide! Where do earth materials resulting from weathering and erosion go?110. At some point the pieces of rock, pebbles, sand, and dirt come to rest or are

deposited. 111. Deposition is the process in which sediments are dropped.112. This process too, has been going on for billions of years.113. The sand dunes seen here in Death Valley are the result of wind depositing sand.114. Long Island, New York is believed to have been formed as a result of numerous

glacial deposits during the Ice Age.115. And the upper layer of limestone in southern Florida was created as a result of

deposits made by underwater organisms 5 to 20 million years ago.116. So, as you can see, the forces of weathering, erosion, and deposition have played

a huge role in the development of landforms that we see everyday. 117. Graphic Transition- Summing Up118. During the past few minutes we have taken a look at some of the fascinating

events that have taken place in earth’s geologic history.119. We discussed briefl y the Nebular Hypothesis which proposes how our solar

system was formed.120. The geology and atmosphere of early earth was explained,...121. ...as were the characteristics of the supercontinent - Pangea.122. The theory of Plate Tectonics and the drifting of the various continents was

illustrated.123. More specifi cally, the role that plates play in the formation of certain features such

as mountain building was stressed.124. Some of the different types of mountain building were explored including the

creation of folded mountains, fault block mountains,...125. ...and volcanic mountains.126. And, we discussed the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition and how

they have played a key role in sculpting the landscape.127. So, the next time you climb a mountain,...128. ...pick up a rock,...129. ...or walk along the beach, think about some of the different things we have

discussed during the past few minutes.

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Script (cont.)130. You just might think about our planet Earth a little differently.131. Graphic Transition – Video AssessmentFill in the correct word to complete the sentence. Good luck and let us get started!1. Scientists generally agree, Earth is 4.6 _________ years old.2. The _________ Theory proposes a possible explanation to the origin of our solar

system.3. Early Earth is believed to have been hot _______ mass.4. According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics Earth is covered by many _______. 5. Tectonic Plates are always _______.6. __________ is the supercontinent which existed over 250 million years ago.7. The ________ of plates have been responsible for numerous geologic events.8. Mountain building often occurs where plates _______.9. ________ are formed as a result of a pool of magma hardening under the surface.10. _______ is the process in which sediments are dropped.

Answer found on page 17



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Student Assessments and ActivitiesAssessment Masters:

• Preliminary Assessment

• Video Review

• Post Assessment

Student Activity Masters:

• Plate Tectonics in Action

• The Batholith of Yosemite

• Processes Shaping Our Continent

• Vocabulary of Earth’s Changing Surface

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Answers to Student AssessmentsPreliminary Assessment (pgs. 20-21)

1. nebular 2. billion 3. poisonous 4. tectonics 5. Pangea 6. interaction 7. mountain 8. volcano 9. weathering10. deposition11. true12. true13. false14. true15. false16. false17. true18. true19. false20. false

Video Review (pg. 22)

Post Assessment (pgs. 23-24)

1. mountain 2. weathering 3. Pangea 4. poisonous 5. nebular 6. deposition 7. volcano 8. interaction 9. tectonics10. billion11. false12. true13. false14. true15. true16. false17. true18. false19. false20. true

Video Quiz (p. 22)

1. These fossils in Vermont were likely formed 475 million years ago when Vermont was much closer to the equator, and much warmer.2. The Appalachians, the Cascades, and the Rockies are all mountain ranges.3. The two pieces of foam arch, or fold upwards when pushed together.4. The earth materials such as pieces of rock, pebbles, sand and dust come to rest or are deposited.

1. billion 2. nebular 3. molten 4. plates 5. moving 6. Pangea 7. interaction 8. converge 9. plutons10. deposition



Answers to Student ActivitiesPlate Tectonics in Action (pgs. 25 - 26)

The Batholith of Yosemite (p. 27)

1. f - nebular theory 2. i - 4.6 billion years 3. h - theory of plate tectonics 4. a - pangea 5. d - mountain building 6. b - convergent plate boundary 7. e - folding 8. c - pluton 9. j - weathering

10. g - erosion

1. The Pacifi c Plate is the largest plate.2. The theory of continental drift was supported by the fi t of the continents, fossil evidence, the geological similarities found on different continents, and other evidence.3. Plates interact by either colliding, sliding past each other, or pulling apart.

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Eurasian Plate

Indian

Plate

ArabianPlate

Somalia

Plate

American

South

Plate

African

Plate

Juan de FucaPlate

CaribbeanPlate

Scotia Plate

SandwichPlate

CocosPlate

Chile Ridge

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1. Granite is the light-colored rock commonly seen in Yosemite. Granite is an igneous rock formed beneaththe earth’s surface when magma cools.2. The Sierra Nevada batholith is a large body of magma which has cooled and become exposed on earth’s surface.3. Plutons played a very important role in the formation of the Sierra Nevada Batholith since it is largely made up of a series of plutons.

Vocabulary of Earth’s Changing Surface (p. 30)

Geologic Feature

Primary Process(es)) Re-

sponsible for Formation

Description of Process at Work

Grand Canyon

Weathering and erosion The Colorado River and other forces have been responsible for weathering and eroding the rock layers to form the Grand Canyon.

Rocky Mountains

Interaction of tectonic plates

The interaction of the North American Plate with surrounding plates formed these mountains millions of years ago.

Yosemite Valley

Weathering and erosion The powerful forces of glaciations gouged out Yosemite Valley.

Mississippi River Delta

Deposition The Mississippi River deposited huge amounts of sediments at its mouth forming a delta.

Appalachian Mountains

Interaction of tectonic plates

The interaction of the North American Plate with surrounding plates formed these mountains millions of years ago.

Sand Dunesin Death Valley

Deposition Wind has left sand deposits to form sand dunes.

Processes Shaping Our Continent (pgs. 28 - 29)

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Assessment and Student

Activity Masters

20©2005

NameEarth’s Changing Surface

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Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word. A list of possible answers is provided at the bottom of the page.

Preliminary Assessment

1. The _________________ Theory proposes our solar system was developed from a

cloud of dust and gas in space.

2. Scientists generally agree Earth is 4.6 ______________ years old.

3. The atmosphere of early Earth is believed to have been ____________________.

4. According to the Theory of Plate __________________, Earth’s surface is made up

of numerous rigid plates.

5. Scientists believe Earth once had a single land mass called __________________.

6. Plate __________________ is responsible for many geologic events.

7. Folding is an example of ___________________ building.

8. A ________________ is an opening in Earth’s crust through which gas, ash and

molten material fl ow.

9. The processes of _________________ and erosion have played a huge role in

sculpting the landscape.

10. ___________________ is the process by which sediments are dropped.

tectonicsmountaindepositionNebularweathering

volcanobillioninteractionpoisonousPangea

20 21©2005


11. No one is exactly sure how Earth was formed.

12. Early Earth is believed to have had no oceans and no atmosphere.

13. It is believed the continents have always been in their present positions.

14. The interaction of tectonic plates is believed to have been responsible for forming many of earth’s features.

15. The North American plate is not moving.

16. Volcanoes are rarely formed as a result of tectonic plate movement.

17. Weathering and erosion have shaped earth for billions of years.

18. Erosion involves the transport of earth materials.

19. Deposition is the process by which rocks are broken into smaller and smaller pieces.

20. Earth’s surface will remain pretty much as it looks today.

Directions: Decide whether the statement is true (T) or false (F).

Preliminary Assessment

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

22©2005


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Video ReviewDirections: During the course of the program, answer the questions as they are presented in the video. At the end of the video, answer the Video Quiz questions.

You Decide! 1. How can you explain the presence of these warm water fossilized animals in rocks found in cold Vermont?

You Decide! 2. What do the following have in common - the Appalachians, the Cascades, and the Rockies?

You Predict! 3. Predict what will happen when these two pieces of foam are pushed together.

You Decide! 4. Where do earth materials resulting from weathering and erosion go?

Video Quiz:

1. Scientists generally agree, Earth is 4.6 ______________ years old.

2. The _____________ Theory proposes a possible explanation to the origin of our solar system.

3. Early Earth is believed to have been a hot ____________ mass.

4. According to the Theory of Plate Tectonics Earth is covered by many __________.

5. Tectonic plates are always _____________.

6. _______________ is the supercontinent which existed over 250 million years ago.

7. The ____________ of plates have been responsible for numerous geologic events.

8. Mountain building often occurs where plates ________________.

9. ____________ are formed as a result of a pool of magma hardening under the surface.

10. _________________ is the process in which sediments are dropped.

22 23©2005


Post Assessment

1. Folding is an example of ___________________ building.

2. The processes of _________________ and erosion have played a huge role in sculpting the landscape.

3. Scientists believe Earth once had a single land mass called __________________.

4. The atmosphere of early Earth is believed to have been ____________________.

5. The _________________ Theory proposes our solar system was developed from a cloud of dust and gas in space.

6. ___________________ is the process by which sediments are dropped.

7. A ________________ is an opening in Earth’s crust through which gas, ash and molten material fl ow.

8. Plate __________________ is responsible for many geologic events.

9. According to the Theory of Plate __________________, Earth’s surface is made up of numerous rigid plates.

10. Scientists generally agree Earth is 4.6 ______________ years old.

Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct word. A list of possible answers is provided at the bottom of the page.

weatheringtectonicspoisonousvolcanonebular

mountainbillionPangeainteractiondeposition

24©2005


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Post AssessmentDirections: Decide whether the statement is true (T) or false (F).

11. Earth’s surface will remain pretty much as it looks today.

12. Erosion involves the transport of Earth materials.

13. Volcanoes are rarely formed as a result of tectonic plate movement.

14. The interaction of tectonic plates is believed to have been responsible for forming many of earth’s features.

15. Early Earth is believed to have had no oceans and no atmosphere.

16. Deposition is the process by which rocks are broken into smaller and smaller pieces.

17. Weathering and erosion have shaped earth for billions of years.

18. The North American plate is not moving.

19. It is believed the continents have always been in their present positions.

20. No one is exactly sure how Earth was formed.

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

T F

24 25©2005


Plate Tectonics in ActionObjectives: The students will locate and identify major and minor tectonic plates. The students will identify and label divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries.

Background: Look closely at a world map. The continents appear to be pieces of a giant puzzle. In 1912, Alfred Wegener proposed that the present day continents were once joined together as a large single continent called Pangea - which means “all the earth”. Wegener theorized that over time the continents drifted away from each other, until they arrived in their present positions. Wegener’s theory of continental drift was supported by the fi t of the continents, fossil evidence, and other geologic similarities found on different continents. This evidence supported the theory that the continents moved, but not why or how they moved. New scientifi c theories such as sea-fl oor spreading provided additional evidence to support Wegener’s theory of continental drift. Sea-fl oor spreading is when the sea fl oor moves by spreading apart at mid-ocean ridges.

Continental drift and sea-fl oor spreading provided scientists with the framework for the theory of plate tectonics. Scientists surmised that instead of the continents drifting, they actually rode on top of moving ocean fl oor pieces. As the ocean fl oor moves it takes a continent along with it. The earth’s surface is actually divided into many moving plates. The plates make up the earth’s lithosphere layer which contains the earth’s crust and part of the upper mantle.

Plates continually move at differing rates and directions. Plate movements cause three types of interactions at plate boundaries. When plates collide or move toward each other, they form convergent boundaries. Plates that pull apart or move away from each other form divergent boundaries. Two plates that move or slide past each other form transform fault boundaries.

Materials: Map of tectonic plates indicating boundary type and three colored pencils.

Directions: 1. Label the tectonic plates listed below the map using a provided map. 2. Use the colored pencils to label each boundary type (see key).

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Plate Tectonics in Action (Cont.)

Questions:1. Which plate is the largest?

2. What evidence supported the theory of continental drift?

3. What are the three ways boundaries interact?

1) Label the following: Pacifi c Plate, North American Plate, South American Plate, Antarctic Plate, Eurasian Plate, Australian Plate, African Plate, Juan de Fuca Plate, Philippines Plate, Nazca Plate, Scotia Plate, Indian Plate, Arabian Plate, Caribbean Plate, Cocos Plate, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Somalia Plate.

2) Mark one of each of the following boundaries on the map: convergent, divergent, and transform fault using the key above and the colored pencils.

KEY

DivergentConvergent Transfofof rm Fault

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The Batholith of Yosemite

The scenery of Yosemite National Park in California is spectacular. Beautiful mountainous scenery, with deep cut rocky valleys, and plummeting waterfalls attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Yosemite Valley, often referred to as “the incomparable valley”, may be the world’s best known example of a glacier-formedcanyon.

With a quick look around Yosemite National Park it becomes apparent that geology is easily seen everywhere. Almost everywhere the eye can see you catch a glimpse of light colored rock called granite. Granite is an igneous rock formed as a result of different kinds of magma cooling within the earth. The famous geologic features of Half Dome, El Capitan, and Cathedral Rocks are made of granite. How was the granite of Yosemite formed?

The granite of Yosemite is part of a larger geologic structure referred to as the Sierra Nevada batholith. A batholith is a large body of magma (usually greater than 100 square kilometers) which has cooled, hardened beneath Earth’s surface, and later exposed at the surface. The Sierra Nevada batholith is made up of a series of plutons. A pluton consists of a hardened pool of magma beneath the surface of the Earth. The batholith in Yosemite National Park is part of the Sierra Nevada Batholith which makes up a large part of the beautiful and rigid Sierra Nevada Mountains.

1. What are the light-colored rocks commonly seen in Yosemite National Park? How is this rock formed?

2. What is the Sierra Nevada batholith?

3. What role did plutons play in the formation of the Sierra Nevada batholith?

Questions:

Directions: Read the information below and answer the following questions.

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Processes Shaping the ContinentBackground: While at fi rst glance it may appear that Earth’s surface is not an active place, there have been many forces at work which have shaped its surface. And, these forces are still at work today. For example, over time large mountain ranges such as the Appalachians, Rocky Mountains, and Sierra Nevadas have been formed. The movement and interaction of the North American Plate with surrounding plates have been responsible for building these mountain systems. The volcanic mountains of the Pacifi c Northwest are due to the interaction of tectonic plates as well.

The processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition have played a very important role in shaping the North American continent. Weathering is the process of breaking down rocks into smaller and smaller pieces, whereas erosion is the process of transporting earth materials from one place to another. These processes often work hand in hand, and are at work all around us. Rain, wind, moving water and even naturally occurring chemicals all act as agents of weathering. Moving rivers, streams, glaciers, and wind all have the ability to move earth materials in the process of erosion. Over time, weathering, and erosion have the ability to shape mountains, gouge huge canyons, and shape valleys. Deposition is the process in which earth materials such as sediment are dropped. Layers of sedimentary rocks, river deltas, and sand dunes are all the result of the process of deposition.

Directions: Obtain the worksheet titled, “Geologic Processes Shaping Our Continent.” Using the information you just read, things you learned from the video “Earth’s Changing Surface,” and your knowledge of earth science, fi ll in the blanks on the worksheet.

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Processes Shaping Our ContinentGeologic Feature

Primary Process(es) Responsible for

Formation

Description of GeologicProcess at Work

Grand Canyon

Rocky Mountains

Yosemite Valley

Mississippi River Delta

Appalachian Mountains

Sand Dunesin Death Valley

Mount Saint Helens

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Vocabulary of Earth’s HistoryDirections: Unscramble the vocabulary words in the fi rst column. Match the words to the defi nitions in the second column.

____ 1. unaerbl hoyter ______________ _____________

____ 2. 6.4 iillnob asery ______ ______________ _____________

____ 3. rhoyte fo apetl etnctoisc _________ ____ ____________ ____________

____ 4. gaapen __________________

____ 5. utimnona iigbduln ______________ __________________

____ 6. gtonceernv eptal nybroaud _________________ __________

_________________

____ 7. oidgfnl _________________

____ 8. ntloup _________________

____ 9. wahrneteig _________________

____ 10. ooeinsr __________________

a. supercontinent which existed about 250 million years ago.

b. place where two or more plates meet.

c. a hardened pool of magma below the surface of earth.

d. the process of forming mountains. e. movement in Earth’s crust which causes compression resulting in folded mountains. f. possible explanation for how the solar system was formed from a cloud of dust and gas in space. g. process of moving Earth materials from one place to another. h. belief that earth is made of a number of interacting plates. i. approximate age of earth agreed upon by most scientists. j. process of breaking down rocks into smaller and smaller pieces.

earth’s changing surface - gvlibraries.org · • the theory of plate tectonics was fi nally...

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