Plate Tectonics - The Earth's Recycling System

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Today we began our introduction into our second mini-section within our Tectonics Unit - Plate Tectonics. This section will comprise of Chapters 2-7 in your Study Guide, as well as the orange-coded chapters in Planet Earth.

Summary of Tectonics Unit so far:
  • The Earth is comprised of several layers including the inner and outer core, the mantle - which includes the mesophere and asthenosphere, and the crust.
  • We learn about the layers of the earth through drilling, volcanic explosions, technological instruments, and by studying primary and secondary waves that are emitted during earthquakes.
  • The movement of plate tectonics are powered by the convection currents circulating within the asthenosphere.
  • Earthquakes can be extremely serious natural disasters that take place when stress and tension builds up along plate boundaries. For example, the picture in this post is an image of the earthquake in Sumatra last week that has caused extensive damage.
  • The study of seismology utilizes tools like the Richter scale to measure the magnitude and amplitude of earthquake waves
  • Tsunamis, liquefaction, landslides and volcanic explosions are often triggered by earthquakes
  • The focus is the point where the earthquakes originates below the Earth's surface, the epicentre is the absolute location on the surface that is directly above the focus.

TODAY'S ACTIVITIES:
1. Quiz - Earth's Interior, Earthquakes & Phenomena - Animals' extra senses/supervolcanoes

2. Movie- Amazing Planet: Born of Fire - Partner Notes


ASSIGNMENT: Current Events - Natural Disaster, due October 13, 2009

See assignment outline, but basically you are writing a report on an earthquake, volcanic explosion, tsunami or landslide that has been caused by tectonic activity. This means that hurricanes don't count! You may research a historical event, but I would prefer that you do something that has occurred recently, such as the earthquake in Indonesia last Thursday.

Here is an excellent website to get you started: Nasa Earth Observatory. It has an excellent collection of images and information along the sidebar, including images of events that have occurred this week. Here is another link of MSN video news footage of the earthquake in Sumatra. If this is your choice, you can use notes from this video as one of your sources. You will need a minimum of 2-3 different sources attached to your 1.5-2 page report. Don't forget visuals.



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