Plate Tectonics

The Earth’s crust is broken into many tectonic plates of different sizes, attached to the uppermost layer of the mantle below. Each plate can be composed of thin, dense oceanic crust or the thicker but less dense continental crust; some plates are composed of just one of crust, other plates have both. This scene takes the form of a large floor map showing the layout of Earth’s tectonic plates. The map also includes indicators of where the results of tectonic activity are seen on the surface (volcanoes, earthquakes, fold mountains) as a ‘layer’ sat on top of the plate boundaries.

# Learning objectives

1: To describe how plates come together.{.info}

2: To understand how plates move apart.{.info}

3: To explain how plates pass each other.{.info}

# Plates Coming Together{.objective .objective1}

In this section there is an explanation detailing how the tectonic plates move towards each other. In this activity students are asked to enter the scene to explore an example of which two tectonic plates move towards each other.

# Plates Moving Apart{.objective .objective2}

In this section there is an explanation detailing how the tectonic plates move apart. In this activity students are asked to enter the scene to explore what happens when tectonic plates move apart from one another.

# Plates Passing Each Other{.objective .objective3}

In this section there is an explanation detailing how the tectonic plates move past each other. In this section students are asked to enter the scene to explore what happens when tectonic plates pass each other.

# Teacher Resources

**Download Teacher Notes**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793083/files/Tectonic%20Plates+Teacher+Notes+1.pdf?date=1676906407&size=789398&md5=653c11faeebabeae910d8495fbe64554)

**Student Quiz Answers Document**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793084/files/Tectonic%20Plates+Teacher+Notes+2.pdf?date=1676906482&size=530150&md5=eaa5a790ba47add16a0d06bf2425be7a)

**Download Student Quiz Document**

[](https://data.avncloud.com/activities/793085/files/Tectonic%20Plates+Teacher+Notes+3.pdf?date=1676906540&size=67477&md5=3a9812aa5fff2f079b6794f5d3d1a370)