5. Seafloor Spreading - Assessment

Assessment

  1. Ask students to answer the following questions for each of the 4 types of plate boundaries described in this lesson:
    • Describe how the plates are moving.
    • Give an example of somewhere in the world where you can find this kind of boundary.
    • Are there earthquakes?
    • Are there volcanoes?
    • Is there a mid-ocean ridge?
    • Draw a labeled diagram of this type of boundary from a side view (like the large diagram on the model) showing the plates, the mantle below, and arrows to show what direction the plates are moving.
  2. For each of the following places in the world, name the type of boundary that the place is located on. If the place is not on a plate boundary, name the tectonic plate the place is located.
    • Nepal is a country high in the Himalayas, near the northern border of India. Nepal’s landscape is known for dramatic, tall mountain ranges and beautiful secluded valleys. There are many earthquakes.
    • Martinique is a tropical paradise in the Eastern Caribbean with lush rainforests and white sand beaches. The island is dominated by two currently dormant volcanoes, Mount Pelee and Carbet.
    • The Red Sea is a long, narrow inlet off the Indian Ocean, between Africa and Saudi Arabia. Currently, at its widest point, the sea is 190 miles across but it is slowly getting wider by a few centimeters each year.
    • Where you live.

Going Further

  1. Study other evidence for plate tectonics besides sea-floor spreading such as the fit of the continents and fossil evidence. See the Evidence for Plate Tectonics lesson.
  2. Study the amazing life forms found at mid-ocean ridges. See the sources section of the Plate Patterns lesson for detailed resources.
  3. Create a travel brochure of the geological features and geologic history of some of the worlds most famous plate boundaries. See the Plate Boundaries Around the World lesson for more details.