Ch. 2: The Sea Floor
 
The geology of the ocean floors greatly affects the physical characteristics of the oceans & shorelines which in turn determines which organisms will be able to survive in that area. This chapter introduces the layers of the earth including the crusts, differentiating between oceanic and continental crusts. It discusses plate tectonics and the effects of the plate motions. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the 3 parts of the continental margin, comparing passive and active margins.
Equador's Tungurahua Volcano Erupts
Volcanic activity is a by-product of a convergent boundary. It occurs as the oceanic plate subducts under the continental plate. The western coast of North and South America are examples of convergent plate boundaries. As we have learned, plate tectonics dramatically affect both the Earth's surface and the organisms, including people, living on the Earth.
USGS: United States Geological Survey
The Dynamic Earth: The Story of Plate Tectonics by W. Jacquelyne Kious & Robert I. Tilling
additional information
National Museum of Natural History: The Dynamic Earth
Videos
Video Citation

Video Description

Continents Adrift: Intro to Continental Drift & Plate Tectonics.

Rainbow Educational Media. 1995. unitedstreaming. 15 January 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

 In a clear, concise manner, this program explores the causes of land masses splitting. Starting with the theory that continents can move (continental drift) to the idea that the earth’s shell is broken into plates that move (plate tectonics), the narrator explains divergent boundary, convergent boundary and transform boundary. Other topics covered are seafloor spreading, mid-ocean ridge, subduction zone, faults and seismic waves. Viewers will see that ocean waves will break on new shorelines, towering mountains will rise in places that are now flat and earthquakes and volcanoes will continue to shape the new land.

Our Changing Earth.

Rainbow Educational Media. 2005. unitedstreaming. 15 January 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

 This video is designed to help students appreciate that the earth is a planet characterized by continuous change. It shows that while the positions of the continents may seem immutable, the continents were once located in very different places. Students see that mountains and hills that now look smooth and rounded had at one time been jagged and steep. They learn that some of the tallest mountains in the world were formed by colliding plates that float on the Earth’s mantle. They see dramatic examples of how rivers carve channels out of solid rock and glaciers gouge out and shape valleys. The video focuses on the Earth’s outermost layer, the crust, and emphasizes the varied nature of the crust. It includes footage of the Grand Canyon, the rapids of the Colorado River, sand dunes in Colorado and glaciers in Alaska. The program covers all the key forces of change including erosion, weathering, plate tectonics, and global warming. Students see how some changes occur over millions of years. Dramatic footage of the 1994 California earthquake and various volcanic eruptions emphasize that other changes in the Earth’s surface are sudden and violent. The video includes interviews with geologists who both explain key concepts and offer role models of people engaged in scientific inquiry. Throughout the program graphics and animation clarify key points. In addition, students are shown demonstrating experiments and activities that make difficult concepts easier to understand.

Volcanoes: Mountains of Fire.

Rainbow Educational Media. 1995. unitedstreaming. 15 January 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

 Ring of fire, lava lakes, hot spots... these are just a few of the interesting items covered in this program. Students will see the three types of volcanoes; shield, cinder cone and composite, and how they are formed. The program further explains that in spite of their fiery displays and destructive capabilities, volcanoes and volcanic activity are responsible for the continuing regeneration of our planet
Global Ocean Realm, United Learning. 2002. unitedstreaming. 15 January 2008
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>		 "The Global Ocean Realm" explores in depth many of the complex and dynamic oceanic events that occur around the world. Topics include the volcanic mid-oceanic ridge system, seamounts, volcanic islands, deep-sea trenches, the continental shelf, turbidity currents, ocean currents, coastal wave action, barrier islands, tidal patterns, coral reefs, and the abyssal plains.