STATIONS: Plate Tectonics

Open Ended

What was Pangaea, and how does the idea of continental drift explain the way Earth’s continents are arranged today?

Open Ended

1. Describe one piece of evidence scientists use to support the theory of continental drift and explain how it helps prove that continents once fit together.

Open Ended

1. Explain how the theory of plate tectonics builds on the idea of continental drift to describe what causes the continents to move.

Match

Match the following

• archipelago

• volcanic

• tectonic plates

• magma

• igneous rock

a group of islands

related to eruptions

earth's crust movement

molten rock beneath the surface

formed from cooled lava

• a group of islands

• related to eruptions

• earth's crust movement

• molten rock beneath the surface

• formed from cooled lava

Multiple Choice

According to the reading passage, what is the main reason the Hawaiian Islands are considered special?

• They are the only islands that are still growing in size.

• They are made up of exactly eight major islands and many smaller atolls.

• They were formed by volcanoes in the middle of a tectonic plate.

• They are the only islands located in the North Pacific Ocean.

Multiple Choice

According to the passage, what are the volcanoes that formed the Hawaiian Islands made of?

• Molten rock

• Thin layers of lava

• Tectonic plates

• Hot spots

Multiple Choice

According to the passage, where are most volcanoes on Earth found?

• In the Arctic region, where tectonic activity is minimal.
• Underneath the ocean floor, away from landmasses.
• Along tectonic plate boundaries, especially in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• In the middle of continents, far from tectonic boundaries.

Open Ended

Write a claim, evidence, and reasoning paragraph over the following:

Prompt

Claim: Earth’s surface has changed over time.

Evidence: List Wegener’s evidence and plate tectonics.

Reasoning: Explain how plate movement causes change.

Hotspot

Boundary where most earthquakes occur.

Hotspot

Boundary where new crust is formed.

Hotspot

Boundary where crust is destroyed.

Multiple Choice

1. What causes Earth’s tectonic plates to move?

• Convection currents in the mantle caused by heat from the Earth's interior.
• Pressure from ocean currents pushing the plates.
• Gravitational pull from the Moon affecting the crust.
• Magnetic forces from the Earth's core shifting landmasses.

Multiple Choice

1. Which piece of evidence best supports the idea that Earth’s surface has changed over time?

• Ocean currents affecting climate
• Volcanic eruptions in the past
• Meteorite impacts on the surface
• Fossils in sedimentary rock layers

Multiple Choice

1. What landform is MOST likely created at a convergent plate boundary?

• Volcanic islands or plateaus
• Deserts or coastal cliffs
• Mountain ranges or deep ocean trenches
• Flat plains or valleys

Multiple Choice

1. Which statement best describes the principle of superposition?

• Older rock layers are found above younger layers

• The oldest rock layers are usually at the bottom

• Fossils form only in sedimentary rock

• Plates move faster near the equator

Multiple Choice

Plate tectonics helps explain why earthquakes and volcanoes often occur in the same areas.

• False

• True

Multiple Choice

5. Fossils are used to determine the absolute age of rocks.

• True

• False