Plate Motion
Why are fossils of species that once lived together found in different locations on Earth now?
Question: What is the land like where Mesosaurus fossils are found?
Investigations Questions:
What is the land like underneath Earth’s surface? (1.2, 1.3, 1.4)
Key Concepts:
Earth’s outer layer is made of hard, solid rock. (1.2)
Earth’s outer layer is divided into sections called plates. (1.3)
Geologists look for patterns in landforms and in geologic events in order to better understand Earth. (1.3)
The plates of Earth’s outer layer move. (1.4)
Question: How did the South American Plate and African Plate move?
Investigations Questions:
How do Earth’s plates move? (2.1)
What happens to the plates and the mantle at plate boundaries? (2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5)
Key Concepts:
Earth’s plates move on top of a soft, solid layer of rock called the mantle. (2.1)
At divergent plate boundaries, rock rises from the mantle and hardens, adding new solid rock to the edges of both plates. (2.4)
At convergent plate boundaries, one plate moves underneath the other plate and sinks into the mantle. (2.4)
Question: How did the Mesosaurus fossils on the South American Plate and African Plate get so far apart?
Investigations Questions:
What do we know about plate motion that is currently taking place? (3.1)
What evidence do we have of past plate motion? (3.2, 3.3, 3.4)
Key Concepts:
Earth’s plates travel at a rate too slow to be experienced by humans. (3.1)
It takes a long time for Earth’s plates to travel great distances. (3.3)
Question: What best explains the pattern of volcanic activity and earthquakes on the Jalisco Block?
***Simply memorizing vocabulary words does us no good - being able to use them in conversation and use multiple words in the same sentence - THAT will help you better understand the content.***
Cross section
Outer layer
plate
pattern
plate boundary
earthquake
mantle
convergent
divergent
mid-ocean ridge
trench
volcanic activity
analyze
rate
20pts: Learning Check 1 (Google Form assigned through Classroom)
20pts: Learning Check 2 (Google Form assigned through Classroom)
60pts: Written Argument (Google Doc assigned through Classroom)
60pts: Final Assessment (done through Amplify online)
Final Unit Grade worth 100pts:
Option 1: 20pt learning check 1 + 20pt learning check 2 + 60pt Written Argument
Option 2: 20pt learning check 1 + 20pt learning check 2 + 60pt End of Unit Assessment
For students who earned a perfect score on the Critical Juncture Assessment, their grade will be determined:
Option 3: 20pt learning check 1 + 20pt learning check 2 + 60pt Independent Project Grade