HOW LAND IS CHANGED

AND FORMED:
EROSION AND TECTONIC PLATES
STUDENTS CLICK
HERE

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Given the image of tectonic plates, students will identify how they effect the shape of
the land with one real-life example

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Given a picture of a landscape, students will label the elements that reshape the lands
surface using the terms: wind, water, glacial ice without error

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Given pictures of volcanoes, students will explain how volcanoes change the shape of the
land with one real-life example

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Given a choice between 4 possible definitions of erosion, students will identify the correct
definition

AT THE END OF THIS

MODULE YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO

Describe erosion and the elements that are needed for it to occur

AT THE END OF THIS

MODULE YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO

Describe how earthquakes, volcanoes and oceanic trenches suddenly

change the shape of the land

AT THE END OF THIS

MODULE YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO

Describe that time is the factor that distinguishes erosion from

more sudden changes in the shape of the land

How to Use the Buttons

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HOW LAND IS CHANGED AND FORMED:

Erosion and tectonic plates

EROSION
TAKE THE FINAL
QUIZ!

VOLCANOES

OCEANIC
TRENCHES

Erosion is
The process by which the surface of the earth is worn away by
the action of water, glaciers, winds, waves, etc.

Water Erosion

Wind Erosion
Wind Erosion

Examples of
erosion

Glacial Erosion

Wind Erosion video

Wind takes fine particles of dirt
and dust and transports them by
wind, these particles brush the
land around them and wear away
the surface.
Watch this video. The play
button will show up here when you
move your mouse over that area.

Water Erosion video

Watch this video. The play

button will show up here
when you move your mouse
over that area.

Glacial Erosion video

Watch this video. The play

button will show up here
when you move your mouse
over that area.

Modeling videoHow to tell apart the different kinds of erosions by looking at the
evidence!

Click here to watch the video!

Identify: Wind Erosion Pictures

Practice identifying erosion types by

categorizing pictures into each type!

Good Try But

Take another look at the things in the picture that can tell
you what type of erosion this is.

Good job!
Yes, this picture of erosion is WIND EROSION, you can tell
based on the things around it in the picture!

Identify: Water Erosion Pictures

Practice identifying erosion types by

categorizing pictures into each type!

Good Try But

Take another look at the things in the picture that can tell
you what type of erosion this is.

Good job!
Yes, this picture of erosion is WATER EROSION, you can tell
based on the things around it in the picture!

Identify: Glacial Erosion Pictures

Practice identifying erosion types by

categorizing pictures into each type!

Good Try But

Take another look at the things in the picture that can tell
you what type of erosion this is.

Good job!
Yes, this picture of erosion is GLACIAL EROSION, you can
tell based on the things around it in the picture!

Great! Now
Take this mini-quiz to check your understanding about
EROSION further!
TAKE EROSION
QUIZ!

1. Erosion means
A.

Wearing stuff away over time

B.

Changing how the land looks

C.

Wind, water and ice wearing stuff away

D.

Wind, water and ice changing how the land looks by wearing it away over time

Almost!
Remember this phrase: What does What, How?

Yes! That is correct!

2. How does erosion work?

A.

Wind, water and ice themselves wear away the surface

B.

Wind, water and ice carry debris, which wears away the surface

C.

Wind and water carry debris, which wears away the surface, ice itself wears away the
surface

D.

None of the above

Not quite
Remember what each type of erosion USES to erode.

Yes! That is correct!

3. What type of erosion is this?

A.

Wind

B.

Water

C.

Glacial

Youre getting there

Remember to look for the things around the erosion for clues to which
type it is!

Yes! That is correct!

Great!
Now that you know what EROSION is, you can learn about other things that change the
Earths surface.

BUT FIRST
(CLICK HERE)

You have earned the

EROSION

Erosion knowledge award!

volcanoes
Usually form on tectonic plate
boundaries but can occur within an
interior area of a tectonic plate (inside
the area of the plate).

*Lithosphere means the outer crust and

upper mantle

Definition:
Tectonic platesThe 2 sub-layers, the lithosphere and crust, of the
Earths crust that move, float, and sometimes
fracture and whose interaction causes
earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and oceanic
trenches.

Volcano
examples
Notice that some of these pictures are underwater!

Volcanoes can

Change the land through formation of

new rock from the lava cooling. In the
cases of the underwater volcanoes, this
is very quick, and easy to see with a
whole islands appearing!

Like Hawaii!

Volcanoes also change the

land by creating a cloud
when they erupt. This can
kill plants and animals by
blocking out the sun for a
long time, covering the
plants with ash, etc.

Kilauea

What is one way volcanoes

change the land?
Type your answer in the box:

Alright!
Now take this mini-quiz to check your understanding of VOLCANOES further.

TAKE VOLCANO
QUIZ!

1. How does a volcano shape

the land?
A.

It erupts and spreads lava that makes rock on land or islands

B.

It erupts and spreads lava that makes rock and spreads ash that
changes the environment

C.

It erupts, spreading lava that makes rock, a cloud, and ash that
changes the environment

D.

It erupts and makes islands

Yes!
These are the main ways volcanoes change the land around them.

Not quite
Remember the different things that a volcano expels, and how it affects
the land and environment.

2. Click on the part of the

picture That shows the place
volcanoes usually form

Good!
Volcanoes USUALLY form on the edges of tectonic plates that rub against
each other!

Almost
Re-read the question: where do volcanoes Usually form?

3. Where are volcanoes

found?
A.

Under the ocean or seas

B.

On land

C.

On land and under the ocean or seas

You got it!

Volcanoes can form in many types of places!

Almost
Remember Hawaii also!

Youre on fire!
Now that you know where VOLCANOES form and how they
change the land, you can learn about other things that change
the Earths surface.
BUT FIRST
(CLICK HERE)

You have earned the

VOLCANOES!

VOLCANO knowledge award!

Oceanic trenches
Are long but narrow depressions (indents) of the sea floor. They are the deepest parts of
the ocean floor, and are an outcome of tectonic plate boundaries.

*Click on
tectonic plate
for a refresher of
the definition

Definition:
Tectonic platesThe 2 sub-layers, the lithosphere and crust, of the Earths
crust that move, float, and sometimes fracture and
whose interaction causes earthquakes, volcanoes,
mountains, and oceanic trenches.

It is important to remember
That OCEANIC trenches can only form in the ocean
That they are the deepest part of the ocean

Just How deep are they?

The deepest OCEANIC TRENCH is called the Marianna Trench. If you think of Mt.
Everest, (the tallest mountain on land) which is 8,848 meters tall you can compare
the Marianna Trench to Mt. Everest. The Marianna trench would be 11,035 meters tall
(or deep) if we could move Mt. Everest underwater, this is how it would look!

*That means the

trench is 2,187
meters taller than
Mt. Everest!

2187 meters is
Like putting 159 school buses tip to tip!

How do oceanic trenches

shape the land?
Tectonic plates are
moving, and this
stretches or compresses
the trenches as well as
the sea floor around
them.

Sea floor
spreading
Is the tectonic plates
moving away, as you
now know, this can
cause volcanoes-but it
also causes ocean
trenches

Which way does the tectonic plate move

the land in trenches?
OR

Kind of, but

What else?

Yes!
They get pushed and pulled so the land is moved in both ways.

What are oceanic trenches?

A. Indentions

in the ocean floor due to tectonic

plates moving

B. Very

deep indentions in the ocean floor due

to tectonic plates moving

C. Mountains

on the ocean floor due to tectonic

plates moving

D. Very

tall mountains on the ocean floor due to

tectonic plates moving

Not quite
Remember that picture comparing the tallest
mountain and the deepest trench?

Yup!
The trenches are extreme indentions in the ocean
floor.

Alright!
Now take this mini-quiz to check your understanding of OCEANIC TRENCHES further.

TAKE OCEANIC
TRENCH QUIZ!

1. What is the deepest

oceanic trench?
A. Mt.

Everest

B. Marianna
C. Mariachi
D. Mt.

Marianna

Look again
Remember the picture comparing the tallest mountain
to the deepest trench!

Correct!
Remember the deepest is the Marianna Trench, not Mt.
anything!

2. What is it called
when tectonic plates
move under the ocean?
A.

Sea Floor Spreading

B.

Sea Floor Squishing

C.

Sea Floor Stretching

D.

Tectonic Plate Movement

Not quite
Look again at the wording!

Great!
Yes, sea floor spreading is when tectonic plates move,
changing the shape of the land on the ocean floor.

Youre gliding right through these!

Now that you know where OCEANIC TRENCHES form and how they change the land, you
can take the final quiz!
BUT FIRST
(CLICK HERE)

You have earned the

OCEAN TRENCH

OCEANIC TRENCH knowledge

award!

FINAL QUIZ FOR HOW

THE LAND IS CHANGED
AND FORMED!
TAKE THE FINAL
QUIZ

Identify the erosion types by typing wind,

water, glacial in each box.
DO NOT MOVE ON
UNTIL YOU HAVE
FINISHED TYPING

Identify the erosion types by typing wind,

water, glacial in each box.
DO NOT MOVE ON
UNTIL YOU HAVE
FINISHED TYPING

Identify the erosion types by typing wind,

water, glacial in each box.
DO NOT MOVE ON
UNTIL YOU HAVE
FINISHED TYPING

2. How does erosion work?

A.

Wind, water and ice themselves wear away the surface

B.

Wind, water and ice carry debris, which wears away

the surface

C.

Wind and water carry debris, which wears away the

surface, ice itself wears away the surface

D.

None of the above

Not quite, try again

Remember the phrase mentioned earlier?

Yes!
Wind and water carry debris while ice grinds the land
away

3. How do tectonic
plates effect the
shape of the land?
A. Tectonic plates pull and push the land to
make oceanic trenches
B. Tectonic plates pull and push the ocean,
which changes the land
C. Volcanoes form on tectonic plates, and
volcanoes can change the land
D. A and C
E. All of the above

Umm
Take another look at the possible answers, and take a
moment to remember what you learned about tectonic
plates

Almost, but is there a

better answer you could
choose?
Look again!

Thats the one!

Yes, A and C because they are both
true, and include what you learned
in this module.

4. True or false?
The Marianna Trench is deeper than Mt.
Everest is tall.

Yes, the Marianna

Trench
Is the deepest trench in the oceans, and if Mt.
Everest were to be placed on the bottom of
the trench, it would not reach the surface!

Think about the picture

And also about the bus analogy from earlier!

5. How do volcanoes
change the shape of
the land?
Give one real-life example!

Youre an Erosion and Landchange master!

Now you know
Where OCEANIC TRENCHES form and how they change the land
How VOLCANOES form and how they change the land
How EROSION works, and how to identify the different types
So it is time to get your final trophy!

Get your trophy!

You have earned the

LAND-CHANGE MASTER

VISIT YOUR
TROPHY ROOM

LAND-CHANGE MASTER
award!