1. Richland Elementary 4th Grade
Plate Tectonics
Richland Elementary
4th Grade

2. Earth’s Layers
The Earth’s lithosphere, the rigid outer shell of Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, is made up of a 15 major plates
These plates are resting atop the hot plastic upper mantle, known as the asthenosphere.

3. 7 Major Plates

5. 3 types of Plate Boundaries
Divergent Boundaries
Convergent Boundaries
Transform Boundaries

6. Divergent Boundaries -Plates Spread Apart

7. Divergent Plate Boundary
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Iceland is divided by the North American and Eurasian Plates

8. Divergent Boundaries
What happened to the frosting between the crackers?
What type of feature is produced by this movement?

9. Convergent Boundaries -Plates Collide Together
Oceanic-Continental Boundary
Continental-Continental Boundary
Oceanic-Oceanic Boundary

10. Oceanic-Continental Convergent plate boundary
Plates collide and the oceanic plate moves under the continental plate, called subduction. Creates ocean trenches.
Creates mountains, volcanos and earthquakes

11. The Andes in South America
The Andes Mountain range is 4,500 miles long.
Is in 7 different countries.
Notice the many volcanos present.

12. Oceanic-continental Boundary
Why does the oceanic plate sink beneath the continental plate?
 What features are formed on the continent along this boundary?
What feature is formed in the ocean along the subduction zone?

13. Continental-Continental Convergent Plates
Creates the world’s largest mountain ranges
Magma can’t penetrate crust so no volcanos
Continental collisions cause numerous and large earthquakes.

14. The Himalayas in Asia
The mountain range spans 5 countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (China), & Pakistan.
Formed million years ago.
Home to 9 of the 10 highest peaks on Earth.
What is the Highest Peak?

15. Continental-Continental Convergent Plate Boundaries
What happens to the wet ends of the graham crackers?
What feature do the resulting ends of the wet crackers represent?
Name a specific location on the Earth where this type of boundary activity takes place.

16. Transform Plate Boundary
Plates slide past each other in opposite directions.
Cause earthquakes

17. San Andreas Fault Transform Boundary
Transform Boundary between Pacific plate and North American Plate
San Andreas fault
About 810 miles long

18. Transform Boundaries
Name a specific location on the Earth where this type of boundary activity takes place.
What is the direction of plate motion at a transform plate boundary?
Why are transform faults on continents prone to massive earthquakes?
Why do you think Earthquakes typically occur in California and not in the midwest?

19. Test your Plate Boundary Knowledge
Which types of boundary plates form volcanos?
Which types of boundary plates form mountains?
Which types of boundary plates cause earthquakes?