Where Did It Happen?

S tandard III

Students will understand that gravity, density, and convection move Earth's plates and this movement causes the plates to impact other Earth Systems.

Objective 01

Explain the evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics.

Indicator c

Relate the location of earthquakes and volcanoes to plate boundaries.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

  1. Use Science Process and Thinking Skills
    1. Use comparisons to help understand observations and phenomena
    2. Evaluate, sort, and sequence data according to given criteria.
  2. Demonstrate Understanding of Science Concepts, Principles and Systems
    1. Know and explain science information specified for the subject being studied.
  3. Communicate Effectively Using Science Language and Reasoning
    1. Use reference sources to obtain information and cite the sources.
  4. Demonstrate Awareness of Social and Historical Aspects of Science
    1. Science findings are based upon evidence
    2. Understand that scientific conclusions are based on the assumption that natural laws operate today as they did in the past and that they will continue to do so in the future.

Objective:  On a world map, students will plot the distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes from data that they research from the Internet.  Students should be able to make inferences between volcano and earthquake occurrences with crustal plate boundaries (divergent, transform, and convergent).  Students will also be able to recognize that many earthquakes and volcanoes are not located on a plate boundary, but are associated with hot spots, extension faulting and other phenomenon associated with crustal lengthening and shortening.  In addition, students will be able to recognize relationships between crustal plate boundaries and volcano-types.

Materials:

  • World map that provides latitude and longitude coordinates
  • Colored pencils:
    • Brown
    • Black
    • Red
    • Blue
  • Plate tectonics map (From the Internet, Earth Science Textbook, or Geology textbook)

Procedure:

Part A

  1. Break students into groups of 2-4 students.
  2. Assign each group to conduct Internet Research to find the latitude and longitude coordinates of volcanoes within regions assigned to them by the teacher. 
    • Regions include; North America, Europe,  ; Central America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean Region, the North Pacific Ocean Region, the South Pacific Ocean Region, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, Africa, Antarctica, and other volcanic and earthquake active locations.
    • You will need a minimum of 20 volcanoes from each region in order to obtain an accurate representation of volcano distribution.
  3. During their research, have the students write the following information for each selected volcano:  volcano name, volcano location, volcano coordinates, and volcano type.
  4. Students are to plot the data that they obtained from the Internet, on the world map by drawing a small circle with the color pencils.  Each circle drawn should correspond to the following types of volcanoes; Red color pencils represents strato-composite volcanoes, brown r epresents cinder cones, black represents shield volcanoes, and blue represents dome complexes and other types.
  5. The following are excellent Internet research sources:
  1. Have each group of students share their data with other students, and have them plot this on their maps.
  2. Ask students to copy the crustal plate maps from a textbook or Internet, on to their world map.
  3. After this has been accomplished, have students answer the following questions:
    1. What is the relationship between crustal plate boundaries and volcanoes?
    2. Where do most of the world's volcanoes occur?
    3. What is the relationship between types of volcanoes and crustal plate boundaries?
    4. Describe the occurrences of volcanoes not found near a crustal plate boundary.
    5. What is the association between crustal plate boundaries, types of volcanoes, and types of magma producing the volcano?
    6. Based on your research, what type of volcano (currently) is most abundant on the Earth?  Explain possible reasons for this.
    7. Compare the volcanism associated with continental-ocean crust convergence, with that of ocean crust-ocean crust convergence.
    8. Which countries would you predict would most likely have formed from volcanism?  What evidence supports this answer?
    9. Explain t he occurrence of the Hawaiian Islands with regards to crustal plate boundaries.

Part B: 

  1. Students are to continue their research on the Internet or other sources, to obtain earthquake locations by latitude and longitude coordinates.
  2. Students are to plot this data on the same world maps used in Part A, by marking a small "E" for earthquakes.
  3. Make sure that students research the earthquake data pertaining to the most recent earthquakes as well as historical earthquakes.
  4. Have students research the 5 largest earthquakes that have been recorded.  Students are to mark an "X" on their plate tectonics maps, representing where these earthquakes occurred.

Questions

  1. What is th e relationship between crustal plate boundaries and earthquake prone zones?
  2. What is the relationship between volcanoes and earthquakes?
  3. Though the state of Utah is not located along a crustal plate boundary, describe why Utah is considered an active, earthquake zone.
  4. Based on your maps, predict where earthquakes are more likely to occur in the future, and predict where large magnitude earthquakes will likely occur.
  5. Compare the 5 largest earthquake occurrences with plate boundaries.  Is there a relationship between them?  What is it?
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