1. How the Canterbury region was formed What are we learning today? You need to be able to: Explain how the following were formed: a)Southern Alps b)Banks Peninsula c)Canterbury Plains

2. NZ is on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” - an area of earthquakes and volcanoes on the edge of the Pacific Plate around the Pacific Ocean.

3. NZ sits on the boundary between two major tectonic plates. Indo-Australian Plate Pacific Plate

4. How fast do the plates move?

5. What did New Zealand look like 25 million years ago?

6. Most of NZ was still covered by water Southern Alps uplift 25-15 Million Years Ago... Plates begin to collide and the Alpine Fault beginning to form Christchurch

7. New areas of land are pushed above sea level Southern Alps uplift 15-5 Million Years Ago... The Southern Alps start to form Christchurch

8. Nearly 20km uplift of land has occurred along the Alpine Fault Southern Alps uplift 5 Million Years Ago - Today... Christchurch

9. Thank goodness for erosion !!! If no erosion of the mountains had taken place, the Southern Alps would be 20km higher than they are today!! Predicted height of Southern Alps with no erosion occurring Current height of Southern Alps (3.75km) Lake Pukaki Mount Cook

10. Exercise 1: On the map, add the following labels: Banks PeninsulaAkaroa HarbourLyttleton Harbour Canterbury PlainsSouthern AlpsWaimakaririri River Rakaia River

11. Southern Alps uplift How was the Canterbury Region formed?

12. Exercise 2: Use the key words and dates below to complete the following sentences: 1. The Southern Alps were formed by... 2. Banks Peninsula was formed by... 3. The Canterbury Plains were formed by... Keywords: glaciers erosion alluvial soil rivers shield volcano alpine fault Dates: 15 million years ago 25 million years ago 3 million years ago

13. Exercise 2: Answers 1. The Southern Alps were formed by the Alpine Fault pushing up, 25 million years ago 2. Banks Peninsula was formed by a shield volcano, 15 million years ago 3. The Canterbury Plains were formed by glaciers, erosion and rivers washing alluvial soil down from the mountains, 3 million years ago