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WALT What is the structure of the Earth? WILF All students are able to recall the structure of the Earth ( grade D ) Most students are to describe what are tectonic plates and how they move by convection currents ( grade C ) Some students are able to explain continental drift and what happens at plate boundaries ( grade B )
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Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics
By the end of this lesson you will:• Know the structure of the Earth’s
interior• Understand plate tectonics and
their movement
What is this?
Digital Vision 9 (NT)Digital Vision 9 (NT)
WALT What is the structure of the Earth?WILFAll students are able to recall the structure of the
Earth ( grade D )Most students are to describe what are tectonic plates
and how they move by convection currents ( grade C )Some students are able to explain continental drift
and what happens at plate boundaries ( grade B )
Starter
1. Which metals are found at the centre of the Earth?
2. How thick is the Earth’s crust?3. How were the Himalayan mountains
formed?4. Where do we find volcanoes?5. Why do earthquakes happen?6. Who is Wegener?
Key Words
Core crust mantle
convection currents tectonic plates
continental drift
The Earth’s Structure
Beneath the atmosphere the Earth consists of 3 main layers:
The Structure of the EarthA thin crust - 10-100km thick
A mantle – has the properties of a solid but it can also flow
A core – made of molten nickel and iron. Outer part is liquid and inner part is solidThe average density of the Earth is much higher
than the crust, so the inner core must be very dense
• I am dense, very hot, made mostly of solid iron and nickel.
• I’m iron and nickel too, but I’m liquid.
• I’m really very thin and am mostly silicon, oxygen and aluminium
• I’m a viscous semi-solid with convection currents circulating in me.
• I just hang around on the outside. Atmosphere
Outer core
Crust
Mantle
Inner core
What am I?
How am I doing?
Were you able to answer the questions?
YES ? Well done you have achieved WILF 1
All students are able to describe the structure of the Earth ( grade D )
Tectonic plates
• The crust is made of about twelve platesplates.• These are like big rafts floating on the semi-molten
mantle.• Convection currents within the mantle cause the
plates to move.• Although they only move about 2 cm/year this can
have huge effects over long periods of time.
Movement of the LithosphereThe Earth’s LITHOSPHERE (i.e. the _______) is split up into different sections called ________ plates:
These plates are moving apart from each other a few centimetres every _______ due to the ________ currents in the mantle caused by the ________ decay of rocks inside the core.
Words – radioactive, crust, convection, tectonic, year
crusttectonic
yearconvectionradioactive
How am I doing?
Were you able to complete the sentences?
YES ? Well done you have achieved WILF 2
Most students are to describe what are tectonic plates and how they move by convection currents ( grade C )
Continental Drift
Introducing plate tectonics
Evidence for Continental Drift
The theory is supported by several pieces of evidence. For example, if we consider Africa and South America there is:
– The “jig-saw fit” – The similarities in the rock layers
from Africa and South America.– Similarities in the type and age of
fossils.– Evidence of related species that
definitely did not swim the Atlantic Ocean!
Jig Saw fit
Similar rocks and fossils
Task
Working in a pair
Write your own explanation for plate tectonics and continental drift using the information given to you by your teacher and text book
Include a section on what evidence is available to support the idea of continental drift
WALT What is the structure of the Earth?WILFAll students are able to recall the structure of the
Earth ( grade D )Most students are to describe what are tectonic
plates and how they move by convection currents ( grade C )
Some students are able to explain continental drift and what happens at plate boundaries
( grade B )
Plate boundaries
• Find the words and write a sentence about how each one has something to do with plate tectonics.
– Drift– Earthquake– Fossil– Jigsaw– Magma– Pangaea– Plates– Subduct– Volcano
K G F N Z P D C L EL F O Q A P C X K EE M S V O L C A N OI X S U B D U C T AD R I F T Q J S M WM K L Q H S I A W FP L A T E S G K E NZ V R Q A M S P F XP A N G A E A P V AE V R A D G W L I S
Activity