Rita D. Haberlin, Instructor
Plate Tectonics Learning Module
Study Guide and Outline Notes
Study Guide on the Earth's Interior and Plate Tectonics
View or Print the Study Guide
PowerPoint Presentation Outline Notes for Continental Drift, Sea-Floor Spreading, and Plate Tectonics
View or Print the Outline Notes
View or Print the Study Questions for Plate Tectonics
Continental Drift - Birth of a Theory Video
This video shows the evidence that Alfred Wegener found to support his hypothesis of continental drift and the breakup of Pangaea.
At this Earth Revealed site, scroll down to #5 Birth of a Theory and select the VoD icon.
Plate Dynamics Video
Study how plates move and how oceans and continents evolve.
At this Earth Revealed site, scroll down to #6 Plate Dynamics and select the VoD icon.
After completing the reading assignment and exploring the Web resources, study guide, and tutorial, review what you have learned with these quizzes:
Quizzes, Tarbuck and Lutgens, Chapter 8, Key Concepts 1-4 and Chapter Test
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The Earth's Interior
A brief summary of the earth's interior from USGS (United States Geological Society).
How Thick Is The Earth's Crust?
Examine this contour map showing the thickness of the earth's crust by 10 kilometer intervals. Where are the thickest places on earth?
This Dynamic Earth
This USGS online text offers a comprehensive discussion of continental drift, sea-floor spreading, and plate tectonics with some useful maps and diagrams.
Continents have been on the move for well over 250 million years. The geology department at Berkeley presents some animations of continental motions for the last 750 million years. Learn about the history behind plate tectonics and the mechanisms driving the plates.
USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory
The Unitied States Geological Survey (USGS) provides information and maps for specific sites of sea-floor spreading, subduction, and hot spots. Find global examples of each of the major lithospheric plate boundaries.
Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Plate Tectonics
Review the distribution of earthquakes and active volcanoes for the past five years and compare them with the outlines of plate boundaries at this USGS site.
Map of Plate Boundaries
Print your own detailed map of plate boundaries and tectonic activity from this NASA site.
Dispersal of Gondwanaland
This site offers a nice animation of the break-up of Gondwanaland shown on a round globe. See if you can identify each of the continental fragments shown.
Convection in the Earth's Mantle
One explanation for the movement of plates is convection in the mantle. Watch this speeded up animation of the flow of material in the mantle.
The Western United States and Pacific Plate Tectonic Animations
IRIS, the Incorporated Research Institution for Seismology, provides a variety of general and Pacific Northwest interactive rollover flash animations.
Plate Tectonics Animations
The National Parks Service and the USGS have cooperated to provide animations, maps, and globes to show the changes in the earth's geography over time.
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Created by Rita D. Haberlin, Geography Professor
Peralta Community College District
333 East Eighth Street
Oakland, CA 94606
This Geography Site Is Maintained By Patricia A. Kulda Last Update October 12, 2011, 16:00