Plate Tectonics: Evidence
Main Topics | Standards | Science Probe | Lessons | Resources
- Main Topics & Concepts
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How sea floor spreading affects the formation of geologic features.
Locations where sea floor spreading occurs. - Standards
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SFUSD Performance Standard 20.1 - Constructing a topographic map of a "sea floor" model, (e.g., continental shelf, mid-ocean ridge) by poking a probe into holes in a closed shoe box with a "terrain" constructed inside. Once constructed, labeling the land forms and indicating the direction of sea-floor spreading.
SFUSD Performance Standard 17.4 - Understanding continental drift first as hypothesis and later as empirical law, and be able to describe other evidence that can be fit into the framework of the theory of plate tectonics. They should recognize that major earth processes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters are associated with plate boundaries. Students should understand that convective processes affecting the crust produces convergent and divergent plate boundaries, and they should to locate these major plate boundaries. - Science Probe Text
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Science Probe I Chapter 12.2 introduces features of the sea floor,
such as its topography, magnetic lineations, and chemistry. These
observations are used to deduce sea-floor spreading.
Activity Access Description Science Probe I:
Activity 12C
Investigating Trenches
Students explore the location of undersea trenches, then try to notice patterns between trenches and mountains, earthquakes or volcanoes. Science Probe I:
Activity 12D
Exploring Magnetic Forces
Students will explore magnetic forces and how this affects the movement of magnetic material. This activity provides background to understand magnetic reversals. Science Probe I:
Activity 12E
The Spreading Sea Floor
Students make a model of sea floor spreading that includes magnetic reversals and the age of rocks. - Activities & Lessons
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Activity Access Description Model of Sea Floor Spreading Museum of Paleontology
Students make a paper model illustrating the concept of sea-floor spreading and the development of symmetrical magnetic "stripes" on either side of a mid-ocean ridge.
A different implementation of the same concept can be found in the teacher's guide How to build a model illustrating sea-floor spreading and subduction from the USGS. - Resources
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Resources Access Description Sea Floor Spreading Animation Spectrum
An animation of sea floor spreading with a description of each of the stages. Site contains advertising.