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https://sbt-www-us-east-v3.azurewebsites.net/lesson-plans/structure-of-the-earth/tectonic-plates
Tectonic Plate Map More options
Activity Overview
Template and Class Instructions
Rubric

Activity Overview


In this activity, students will label the tectonic plates on a map of the world. Please note the map available through Storyboard That only covers the major tectonic plates. It doesn’t cover some of the smaller plates.

Students should also identify a convergent, divergent, and transform boundary and show their movement with arrows. An example of a divergent boundary is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the African and South American Plate. An example of a transform boundary is the San Andreas Fault between the North American and the Pacific Plate. An example of a convergent boundary is the boundary between the Indian and the Eurasian Plate, at the Himalayas.

To scaffold this activity, give students the names of the plates and ask to put them in the correct places. To challenge your more advanced students, have them label the direction that all the plates are travelling in, and have them predict what the world will look like millions of years in the future.


Tectonic PlateLocation
African Plate The African Plate contains the whole of the continent of Africa and the southeastern part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Antarctic Plate The Antarctic Plate contains the continent of Antarctica and the surrounding seas and oceans.
Arabian PlateThe Arabian Plate contains the Arabian peninsula. It is bordered by the Indian, African, and the Eurasian Plates.
Australian Plate The Australian Plate contains Australia and New Zealand.
Caribbean Plate The Caribbean Plate runs from the north coast of South America up to the south coast of Cuba. It borders the North and South American Plates and the Cocos Plate.
Cocos PlateThe Cocos Plate is a tectonic plate that lies under the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Central America.
Eurasian Plate The Eurasian Plate contains most of the continents of Europe and Asia. The plate also contains some of the northeast region of the Atlantic Ocean.
Indian Plate The Indian Plate contains the country of India and some of the Indian Ocean. It borders with the Eurasian, Arabian, and Australian Plates.
Nazca Plate The Nazca Plate lies off the western coast of continental South America under the Pacific Ocean. It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Plate.
North American Plate The North American Plate covers most of the continent of North America, Greenland, and some of Iceland. It covers the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Pacific Plate The Pacific Plate is the largest plate and is under the Pacific Ocean.
Philippine Sea PlateThe Philippine Sea Plate lies beneath the Philippine Sea.
Scotia Plate The Scotia Plate is a minor plate between the South American Plate and the Antarctic Plate in the Southern Ocean.
South American PlateThe South American Plate covers the majority of continental South America. It is bordered by the Nazca Plate to the west and the African Plate in the east.


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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)



Student Instructions

Label the positions of the different major tectonic plates.

  1. Click "Start Assignment".
  2. Search for ‘tectonic plates’ and drag and drop the tectonic plate map into the storyboard.
  3. Label the tectonic plates.
  4. Identify a convergent, divergent, and transform boundary and show movement with arrows.
Large Single Cell Diagram More options

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 4-6

Difficulty Level 4 (Difficult / Complex)

Type of Assignment Individual or Group


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Rubric

(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)


Labelled Tectonic Plate Map
Label the tectonic plate and identify a transform, convergent and divergent plate boundary.
Proficient
20 Points 		Emerging
10 Points 		Beginning
0 Points
Labelling of tectonic plates
All 14 major tectonic plates are labeled correctly
At least 10 of the 14 major tectonic plates are correctly labeled.
At least 6 of the 14 major tectonic plates are correctly labeled.
Transform Boundary
  • An example of a transform boundary has been correctly identified.
  • The relative movement of the plates has been described using arrows
    		•
    An example of a transform boundary has been correctly identified.
    An example of a transform boundary has not been correctly identified.
    Convergent Boundary
  • An example of a convergent boundary has been correctly identified.
  • The relative movement of the plates has been described using arrows
    		•
    An example of a convergent boundary has been correctly identified.
    An example of a convergent boundary has not been correctly identified.
    Divergent Boundary
  • An example of a divergent boundary has been correctly identified.
  • The relative movement of the plates has been described using arrows
    		•
    An example of a divergent boundary has been correctly identified.
    An example of a divergent boundary has not been correctly identified.
    Evidence of Effort
    Work is well written and carefully thought out.
    Work shows some evidence of effort.
    Work shows little evidence of any effort.


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