Each table was given the scenario below and one of the 6 questions. You are to design an interesting and informative poster to answer the question. Posters should be about 22×28. This poster project is an in class activity (but it sure wouldn’t hurt to do some research outside class). You will have Wednesday and half the period Thursday or Friday to complete the project. The second half of class will be spent presenting your poster.
Reflecting on what I have learned so far about plate tectonics leaves me with more questions than answers. Can you help me to answer the question below and better understand the effects of plate tectonics on the surface of the Earth? I learn best through pictures and short explanations so creating an informative poster would be great.
1) I heard something about the Atlantic Ocean getting larger; how is that possible? How fast is it growing? Can I see it?
2) I heard that the Atlantic Ocean is getting bigger, so it made me wonder do the continents get larger too? How could a continent grow?
3) I was looking at a map and there are lots of mountains all around the world. How do mountains form? Are any forming now? Do all mountains form the same way?
4) I saw a map that showed the location of volcanoes and I noticed there was a whole bunch of them around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. How do volcanoes form and why are there so many near the Pacific Ocean?
5) I heard that volcanoes form near the edges (boundaries) of tectonic plates. But I saw volcanoes in Hawaii and I know it’s not near the edge of a plate how did it form? Are there other volcanoes that aren’t near the edges of a plate?
6) We saw that earthquakes happen along plate boundaries but I don’t understand why. I also want to know how earthquakes can be used to find out about the inside of the Earth.