Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain how most earthquakes and volcanoes are located at plate margins.
Key learning points
- There is a pattern in the global distribution of earthquakes.
- There is a pattern in the global distribution of volcanoes.
- The global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes coincides with plate margins.
Keywords
Epicentre - the point on Earth's surface that is directly above where an earthquake happens underground
Magnitude - a measure of the energy released by an earthquake
Margin - the boundary where tectonic plates meet
Hotspot - an area in Earth's mantle where unusually hot magma rises toward the surface, creating volcanic activity
Common misconception
That both volcanoes and earthquakes occur at all types of plate margin.
While earthquakes are produced by tectonic movements at all plate margins, volcanoes are not found at conservative plate margins.
Teacher tip
This lesson uses AQA terminology for plate margins; for Edexcel B plate boundaries are used instead of plate margins, destructive margins are convergent boundaries and constructive margins are divergent boundaries.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the facts with the layer of Earth.
it is oceanic or continental and 0 - 60 km thick
it is solid, made of iron and nickel with temperatures of up to 5500°C
thickest section of Earth at approximately 2900 km, made of magma
it is a liquid layer, also made up of iron and nickel
Q2.Earth's crust is broken into plates.
Q3.Earth's surface is made up of two types of crust, the crust found underneath the oceans and the continental crust, found under land masses or continents.
Q4.What is an earthquake?
Q5.Match the categories of natural hazard with their definitions.
caused by movements of Earth’s crust and mantle
related to weather and climate patterns
involve the movement and distribution of water
involve surface processes on Earth’s surface
Q6.A volcanic eruption that takes place close to a densely-populated city is likely to cause a natural .
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Match the keyword with its correct definition.
the point on Earth's surface above where an earthquake started
a measure of the energy released by an earthquake
the boundary where tectonic plates meet
an area of the mantle that is usually hot and causes volcanic activity
Q2.The global distribution of of earthquakes closely matches the edges or of these tectonic plates.
Q3.75% of the world’s active volcanoes occur in the “Ring of Fire”.
Q4.Which of these plate margins can volcanoes form on?
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 geography lesson on: Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 geography lessons from the Tectonic hazards unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.