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Science – Grade 10
Learner Activity Sheets
Quarter 1 – Week 1: Plate Tectonics

First Edition, 2021

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Writer: Pat II E. Baguio

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Author: Pat II E. Baguio

School/Station: Manat National High School
Division: DepEd – Agusan del Sur
email address: patii.baguio@deped.gov.ph
 WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS Science
10, Quarter 1, Week 1

PLATE TECTONICS

Name: Section:

Learning Competency:
Describe and relate the distribution of active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters, and major mountain
belts to Plate Tectonic Theory. (S10ES –Ia-j-36.1)

Specific Learning Objectives:

1. Determine the composition of earth's lithosphere;
2. Differentiate the two types of crust;
3. Determine the major plates and minor plates;
4. Demonstrate the concept of Elastic Rebound Theory; and
5. Promote earthquake preparedness in the school and community

Time Allotment: 4 hour

Key Concepts
• Plates are rigid sections of the lithosphere that move as a unit. The plates move very slowly but
constantly, and this movement is called tectonics.
• Plate tectonics is a theory which suggests that Earth’s crust is made up of plates that interact in
various ways, thus producing earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, and other geologic forms. It
incorporates the continental drift theory and the seafloor spreading theory.
• Convection current is a heat transfer process that involves the movement of energy from one
place to another. The convection currents tend to move a fluid, gas particles, or molten
rock. These are due to the differences in the densities and the temperature of a specific gas or a
fluid. Due to this temperature difference, the hot fluid tends to rise as it expands, whereas cold
fluid tends to sink because it contracts. This current is responsible why plates move.
• The lithosphere (from the Greek
words lithos [λίθος] meaning rocky and
sphaira [σΦαῖρα] meaning sphere) is
defined as the outermost rigid shell of the
Earth (Skinner et al., 2003)
• Lithosphere is the rocky outer part of the
Earth. It is made up of the brittle crust
and the top part of the upper mantle.
The lithosphere is the coolest and most
rigid part of the Earth. The most well-
known feature associated with earth’s
lithosphere is tectonic activity.
• The mantle is the mostly-solid bulk of
Earth’s interior. The mantle lies
between Earth’s dense, super-heated core
and its thin outer layer, the crust. The
mantle is about 2,900 kilometers
(1,802 miles) thick, and makes up a Figure 1. Earth’s Lithosphere
whopping 84% of Earth’s total volume. Source:https://www.nationalgeographic.org/enc
yclopedia/lithosphere/
• Crust is made of variety solid rocks like sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. It has an
average density of 2.8 g/cm 3 and its thickness ranges from 5 to 50km. There are two kinds of
crust, the continental crust and
oceanic crust.
• Continental crust is the crust that makes up the
continents. Relatively thicker and less dense. It
is about 40-70 km thick. It made up of less dense
granitic rocks.
• Oceanic crust is the crust that underlies the ocean
floor which is relatively thinner but denser
that continental crust. It has an average
thickness of 5 km. It is made up of denser basaltic
rocks.
• The asthenosphere is a soft, less rigid upper part
of the mantle where the lithospheric plates
float and move around.
Figure 2. Kinds of Crust
Source:https://geographyrevision.co.uk/a
-level/physical/structure-of-the-earth/

• There are 15 major tectonic plates which consist of

seven (7) primary plates and eight (8)
secondary plates. The major plates are the
Eurasian Plate, Australian Plate, Pacific Plate, North
American Plate, South American Plate, African Plate,
and Antarctic Plate. The minor plates are Juan de
Fuca Plate, Nazca Plate, Cocos Plate, Caribbean
Plate, Philippine (Filipino) Plate, Arabian Plate,
Indian Plate, and the Scotia Plate

Figure 3. Earth’s Major Tectonic Plates

Source:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-elastic-
rebound-theory-From-top-to-bottom-Original-position-of-
the_fig8_259829517level/physical/structure-of-the-earth/
• Elastic Rebound Theory explains how energy is
spread during earthquakes. As rocks on opposite
sides of a fault are subjected to force and shift,
they accumulate energy and slowly deform until
their internal strength is exceeded. At that
time, a sudden movement occurs along the
fault, releasing the accumulated energy, and
the rocks snap back to their original undeformed
shape.

Figure 4. Concept of Elastic Rebound Theory

Source:https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-elastic-rebound-
theory-From-top-to-bottom-Original-positionofthe_fig8_259829517
Activity 1. Lithospheric Float
Objective: Determine the Composition of Earth’s Lithosphere
What you need: Paper, ballpoint pen and a picture showing the convection process
What to do: Answer the given questions by referring to the picture provided below. Use a separate
sheet of paper.

Figure 5. The Convection Process

Source: Retrieved from Science 10, Quarter 1 Module 4
Photo Courtesy by Richard C. Paragas
Guide Questions:
1. What represents the plates?
2. What is represented by the water?
3. What is the heat source?
4. Which part of the water has greater density, lesser density?
5. Why are block of wood floating?
6. How convection current is illustrated in the picture?

Activity 2. Feed Me, I’m Hunger for Correct Information!

Objective: Differentiate the two types of crust
What you need: Sheet of paper and ballpoint pen.
What to do: Draw the Venn diagram reflected below and complete it by providing correct
information.

Oceanic Crust
Continental Crust

Scoring Rubrics
5 The Venn diagram is comprehensively answered with complete and accurate information.
3 The Venn diagram is answered completely with a minimal issue on the accuracy of
information.
1 The Venn diagram is not answered completely and information provided are not accurate.
Activity 3. Where Do I Belong?
Objective: Determine the Major and Minor Plates
What you need: Ballpoint pen and paper

Part 1. Word Pool

What to do: Below is a word pool containing the major and minor plates. Draw 2 boxes and place each plate
to the box where it belongs.

Eurasian Plate Antarctic Plate Caribbean Plate Philippine Plate

Arabian Plate Indian Plate Juan de Fuca Plate African Plate

Australian Plate Pacific Plate South American Plate Cocos Plate

North American Plate Scotia Plate Nazca Plate

Major Plates Minor Plates

Part 2. Plate Map

What to do: Study the unlabelled map below and identify what plate is being referred according
to the corresponding number.

Figure 6. The Earth’s Plate

Source: https://www.jkgeography.com/plate-tectonics.html
Activity 4: More Stretch, More Energy!
Objective: Demonstrate the concept of Elastic Rebound Theory
What you need: Rubber Band, Ballpoint Pen, and paper
What you need to do:
1. Prepare a rubber band and hold it both hands.
2. Pull the rubber band on the opposite direction. Record what happened to the rubber band.
3. Stretch the rubber band until it breaks or loses its elasticity.
(Note: Please stay your eyes away from the rubber band)

Figure 7. Stretching of Rubber Band

Source: http://www.physics.ucla.edu/k-6connection/forwpts.htm

Process Questions:
1. What is represented by rubber band?
2. Why rubber band is stretched? How it is connected to the elastic rebound theory?
3. In the context of Elastic Rebound Theory, what do you call the broken part or breakage of
the rubber band?
4. How this simple activity relates the Elastic Rebound Theory?

Scoring Rubrics
2 Correct answer is provided with scientific explanation.
1 Correct answer is provided but no scientific
explanation.

Reflection
Objective: Promote earthquake preparedness in the school and community

As you complete this learning activity sheet you have learned that plate tectonic is a theory
that explains how an earthquake is produced and occurred. As a responsible student who is also a leader
in your school and community, how are you going to promote earthquake preparedness among
your schoolmates and co-citizens? Express your answer in a form of essay and refer to the rubrics below
for a clearer view on how your output will be graded.

Scoring Rubrics
3 Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, and has no misconception.
2 Practical application is scientifically explained consistent to the
concepts, but with minimal misconception
1 Practical application is explained consistent to the
concepts, but with misconceptions.
References for learners:

Book:

Grade 10 Science Learner’s Material (Quarter 1). Philippines: Department of Education., 2015

Electronic Sources:

Peter T. Bobrowsky, Encyclopedia of Natural Hazards: Elastic Rebound Theory (Dordrecht: Springer,
2013).

Skinner, B. J., Porter, S. C., and Park, J., 2003. The Dynamic Earth: An Introduction to Physical
Geology. London: Wiley, 648 pp

https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/lithosphere/ Photos

https://geographyrevision.co.uk/a-level/physical/structure-of-the-earth/
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-elastic-rebound-theory-From-top-to- bottom-
riginalpositionofthe_fig8_259829517level/physical/structure-of-the-earth/
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Illustration-of-elastic-rebound-theory-From-top-to- bottom-
Original-positionofthe_fig8_259829517
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/lithosphere/
https://www.jkgeography.com/plate-tectonics.html
http://www.physics.ucla.edu/k-6connection/forwpts.htm

Photo of Lithosperic Float Courtesy by Richard C. Paragas

Answer Key

Author: Pat II E. Baguio

School/Station: Manat National High School
Division: DepEd – Agusan del Sur
email address: patii.baguio@deped.gov.ph