STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 1.   Describe the internal structure of the earth.

 2.   Define and discuss the theory of plate tectonics and its development.

 3.   Describe the process of continental breakup and re-joining.

 4.   Relate plate tectonics to the origin of oceans, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I. Continental Drift

       A. History of the concept

             1. Geologic Time

             2. Wegener

       B. Lines of Evidence

             1. Continental outlines

             2. Continental and oceanic crust and the true boundary of continents

             3. Similar ages and types of basement rock

             4. Matching geologic structures

             5. Paleoclimates

             6. Matching fossils

 II. Plate Tectonics

       A. Sea floor spreading

             1. Paleomagnetism

                  a. polar wandering

                  b. magnetic reversals

                  c. parallel magnetic anomalies

       B. Earth’s internal structure and definition of plates

       C. Plate boundary features and current plate boundary locations

              1. Divergent Boundaries

              2. Convergent Boundaries

              3. Transform Boundaries

              4. Variation with crustal composition

        D. Mechanism and rates of plate motion

        E. Mantle plumes and hot spots

 III. History of Plate Tectonics

        A. Pangea, Laurasia, Gondwanaland

        B. Accretionary terranes

        C. Recognition of ancient plate boundaries

 IV. Field Trip to discuss plate tectonics history of the region