Section 1
Plates Move and Transform Earth's Surface
Earth's crust consists of giant plates that move slowly. Where these plates meet, they create faults, folds, mountains, and plateaus, gradually changing the landscape over millions of years.
In this Grade 4 lesson from Science: A Closer Look, Chapter 3, students learn how the movement of Earth's tectonic plates shapes the crust through faults, folds, fault-block mountains, plateaus, and fold mountains. A hands-on clay model activity helps students explore how pressure on rock layers creates these landforms. The lesson also introduces key vocabulary including fault, plateau, fold, mountain, earthquake, seismic wave, seismograph, and volcano.
Section 1
Plates Move and Transform Earth's Surface
Earth's crust consists of giant plates that move slowly. Where these plates meet, they create faults, folds, mountains, and plateaus, gradually changing the landscape over millions of years.
Section 2
Earthquakes Release Energy Through Seismic Waves
When plates suddenly shift along faults, stored energy releases as vibrations called seismic waves. Scientists use seismographs to measure these waves, helping them determine an earthquake's location and strength.
Section 3
Volcanoes Build Mountains Layer by Layer
Volcanoes form openings in Earth's crust where magma erupts as lava. Each eruption adds new material that cools and hardens, gradually building mountains over time, especially at plate boundaries and hotspots.
Section 4
Scientists Explore Extreme Environments to Study Earth
Researchers like Ro Kinzler collect lava samples from active volcanoes and use submersibles to study underwater volcano chains, helping us understand how magma moves through Earth's interior.
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Section 1
Plates Move and Transform Earth's Surface
Earth's crust consists of giant plates that move slowly. Where these plates meet, they create faults, folds, mountains, and plateaus, gradually changing the landscape over millions of years.
Section 2
Earthquakes Release Energy Through Seismic Waves
When plates suddenly shift along faults, stored energy releases as vibrations called seismic waves. Scientists use seismographs to measure these waves, helping them determine an earthquake's location and strength.
Section 3
Volcanoes Build Mountains Layer by Layer
Volcanoes form openings in Earth's crust where magma erupts as lava. Each eruption adds new material that cools and hardens, gradually building mountains over time, especially at plate boundaries and hotspots.
Section 4
Scientists Explore Extreme Environments to Study Earth
Researchers like Ro Kinzler collect lava samples from active volcanoes and use submersibles to study underwater volcano chains, helping us understand how magma moves through Earth's interior.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter