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Science
Quarter 1 – Module 1
The Earth’s Lithosphere
Science – Grade 10
Supplementary Learning Material
Quarter 1 – Module 1: The Lithosphere
First Edition, 2020

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Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

Development Team of the Module

Writers: Mrs. Melalaine B. Austria

Editors: Mrs. Carmencita Diapo
Ms. Annabelle E. Salamida
Reviewers: Dr. Maria Pilar O. Capalongan
Mrs. Ma. Nimfa R. Gabertan
Dr. Edna Galiza
Illustrators: Ms. Jeanne Marie Gabrielle Tenchavez,
Mrs. Melalaine B. Austria
Layout Artist: Mr. Roland del Rosario
Management Team: DR. JENILYN ROSE B. CORPUZ, CESO IV, SDS
MR. FREDIE V. AVENDANO, ASDS, IN-CHARGE CID
MR. JUAN C. OBIERNA, CHIEF CID
DR. HEIDEE F. FERRER, EPS – LRMS
DR. MARIA PILAR O. CAPALONGAN, EPS - SCIENCE

Printed in the Philippines by Schools Division Office- Quezon City

Department of Education – Region NCR

Office Address: Nueva Ecija St., Bago Bantay Quezon City

Telefax: 3456-0343
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E-mail Address:
sdoqcactioncenter@gmail.com
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Science
Quarter 1 – Module 1:
The Earth’s Lithosphere
HOW TO USE THIS MODULE
Before you start answering the Supplementary Learning Material (SLeM),
kindly set aside other tasks that will disturb you while enjoying the lessons. Read
carefully the instructions below to successfully attain the objectives of this kit.
Have fun!

1. Read carefully all the contents and follow the instructions indicated in every
part of this SLeM.
2. Write on your notebook the concepts about the lessons. Keep in mind that
Writing develops and enhances learning,
3. Perform all the provided activities in the SLeM.
4. Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.
5. Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned.
6. Enjoy studying!

PARTS OF THIS MODULE

Expectations This will provide what will you will be able to know
completing the lessons in the SLeM.

Pre-test This will assess your prior knowledge and the concepts to
be mastered throughout the lesson.

Looking Back This section will measure the skills that you learned and
to your Lesson understand from the previous lesson.

Brief This section will give you an overview of the lesson.

Introduction

Activities These are activities designed to develop your critical

thinking and other competencies that you need to
master. This can be done solely or with your partner
depending on the nature of the activity.

This section summarizes the concepts and applications of

Remember the lessons

Check your This will verify how you learned from the lesson.
Understanding

Post-test This will measure how much you have learned from the
entire SLeM

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Lesson 1: Through Thick and Thin!

Expectations
You will describe and relate the distribution of active volcanoes,
earthquake epicenters, and major mountain belts to Plate Tectonics
Theory.

Specifically, this module will help you to:

1. Describe the Earth’s lithosphere.
2. Differentiate oceanic from continental crust.
3. Infer the origin of the lithosphere.

Let us start your journey in learning more about the Earth’s Lithosphere. I am sure you
are ready and excited to answer the Pretest. Pens up! Smile and cheer up!

Pre-Test
Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. What do you call the rigid outer part of the earth?

A. atmosphere B. biosphere C. hydrosphere D. lithosphere

2. What makes up the lithosphere?

A. oceanic crust C. continental crust and oceanic crust
B. continental crust D. crust and the upper layer of the mantle.

3. What is the correct order of the layer of the earth from the center?
A. crust, mantle, core C. core, mantle, crust
B. crust, core, mantle D. mantle, core, crust

4. What type of rocks is made up of the oceanic crust?

A. basalt B. granite C. pumice D. limestone

5. Which crust is thicker but with lesser density?

A. continental crust C. both oceanic and continental
B. oceanic crust D. neither oceanic nor continental

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 Looking Back

In your Grade 9 Science, you were familiarized with the different types of
volcanoes and were also able to determine the factors that give its
distinctive conical shapes and how energy can be harnessed from
different volcanic activities.

In this module, you will have a chance to figure out what causes the formation of
different geologic features like volcanoes, mountain ranges, volcanic arcs, trenches,
mid-ocean ridges, and rift valleys. To start, let us investigate the Earth’s Lithosphere!

Brief Introduction

Earth’s crust is the thin outermost shell of a terrestrial planet. It is

essentially floating on hot, semi-fluid rock called magma on the upper layer of the
mantle called the asthenosphere which causes the crust to crack and move. When two
pieces of crust, called plates, interact or move apart with each other they create
earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain ranges, deep trenches, island chains, create rift
valleys and oceans.

Earth's crust is generally divided into two, the older, thicker, and less dense
continental crust generally made of different granite rocks refer to as “Sial” (silicate
and aluminum) and the younger, denser oceanic crust generally made up of different
kinds of basaltic rocks refer to as “Sima” (silicate and magnesium). The transition zone
between these two types of crust is sometimes called Conrad discontinuity. The
dynamic geology of Earth's crust is informed by plate tectonics.

Activities

Activity 1.1 Check the difference!

Materials: pen, paper

Procedure:
Use the figure below and fill in the Venn Diagram with the needed information to
compare oceanic crust from the continental crust.

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 Characteristics Characteristics
continental of Continental Similarities of Oceanic
oceanic crust crust Crust
crust
asthenosphere

The Earth’s Lithosphere

Questions:
1. What made up the earth’s lithosphere?
2. Which crust is denser? What makes it denser than the other?
3. Which crust is thicker? What makes it thicker than the other?

Activity 1.2 Rice that Sinks!

Materials: small transparent bowl or glass, 1 tablespoonful of cooked rice, 1
tablespoonful of uncooked rice and water
Procedure:
1. Put the cooked and uncooked rice in a transparent bowl or glass.
2. Pour water into the bowl or glass enough to submerge the rice, crush the cooked rice
if necessary, and mix.
3. Observe the materials.

Questions:
1. What happens to the mixture as you pour in water into the bowl or glass.

2. What does the cooked rice represent? The uncooked rice?

3. Which material stayed at the bottom? Why do you think so?

Activity 1.3 Newborn Crust!

Materials: colored paper, used folder/carton, and pair of scissors
Procedure:
1. Make a horizontal cut at the center of the user folder or carton.
2. Fold the colored paper vertically, cut, and placed them face to face.
3. Insert the colored paper into the cut of the folder.
4. Ask help from your brother or sister, slowly pull the colored paper, and move the
two separate sheets sideways. Observe.

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Questions:
1. If the cut in the folder represents a volcano under the ocean, what does the colored
paper represent?
______________________________________________________________________

2. What will happen to the colored paper if fully drawn out from the cut? What does it
represent?
______________________________________________________________________

3. What type of crust is formed in question no. 2? Describe the crust.

______________________________________________________________________

Remember

● The earth’s lithosphere is composed of the crust and the upper layer of the
mantle called the asthenosphere.
● Crust is the outer part of the earth.
● Oceanic crust is the thin part of the Earth’s crust located under the oceans and
made up of basaltic rocks.
● Continental crust is the thick part of the Earth’s crust located under the
continent and made up of granite rocks.

Checking Your Understanding

Read and analyze the following questions. Apply what you learned from this lesson.
1. Oceanic crust is said to be younger than continental crust, why do you think so?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2. What makes the oceanic crust denser than continental crust?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

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 Post-Test

Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. How would you compare the oceanic and continental crust?

A. Oceanic crust is heavy and dense, while continental crust is light.
B. Oceanic crust is basaltic, while continental crust is granitic.
C. Oceanic crust is younger than continental crust.
D. All the answers are correct.

2. What will happen when an oceanic crust and continental crust collide with
landmasses one another?
A. The oceanic crust will downward because it is denser.
B. The continental crust will move downward because it is denser.
C. The continental crust will move below the oceanic crust because it is denser.
D. The oceanic crust will move above the continental crust because it is less dense.

3. What composes the Earth’s lithosphere?

A. oceanic crust C. continental crust and oceanic crust
B. continental crust D. crust and the upper layer of the mantle.

4. What type of crust is made up of granite rocks?

A. oceanic crust C. both oceanic and continental
B. continental crust D. neither oceanic nor continental

5. Which crust is thin but with more density?

A. continental crust C. both oceanic and continental
B. oceanic crust D. neither oceanic nor continental

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Answer Key

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 Lesson 2: The Supercontinent!

Expectations
You will describe and relate the distribution of active volcanoes, earthquake
epicenters, and major mountain belts to Plate Tectonics Theory.
Specifically, this module will help you to:
1. Infer that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into plates.
2. Identify the major lithospheric plates.
3. Determine the scientific basis for dividing the lithospheric plates.

Let us start your journey in learning more about the Earth’s Lithosphere. I am sure you are
ready and excited to answer the Pretest. Smile and cheer up!

Pre-Test
Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. What is the name of the Permian supercontinent believed to be the origin of all the continents
today?
A. Eurasia B. Laurasia C. Pangea D. Gondwanaland

2. When did Pangea begin to break apart? (mya – million years ago)
A. about 5 mya C. about 250 mya
B. about 10 mya D. about 500 mya

3. What are the two major landmasses aimed from the supercontinent?
A. Eurasia and Pangea C. Laurasia and Gondwanaland
B. Eurasia and Laurasia D. Laurasia and Pangea

4. What are the seven major continents we have today formed from Pangea?
A. Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
B. Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Austria, India, North America, South America
C. Asia, Africa, Arctica, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
D. Asia, Africa, Arctica, Austria, India, North America, South America

5. What theory explains the breakup of Pangea into several continents?

A. Atomic Theory C. Plate Tectonic theory
B. Big Bang Theory D. Quantum Mechanical Theory

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 Looking Back
You just finished a lesson describing the earth’s lithosphere. Let us recall how
well you understand, label the picture below, and describe each briefly.

Brief Introduction

Do you know what continent our country belongs to? If you are to recall your
Social Studies lessons, I am sure you can easily identify different countries and continents in
your world map. Do you think the formations and arrangements of these continents are the
same millions of years ago?

This lesson will help you understand the movement of the lithospheric plates from a single
supercontinent called Pangea to the 7 major continents that we have today. Pick up your world
map and have a short trip to the Supercontinent!

Activities

Activity 2.1 Name Drop!

Materials: activity sheet, world map

Procedure:
1. Refer to your map and locate the 7 major continents of the world.
2. Label the continents and answer the questions that follow.

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Questions:
1. What helps you locate the contents on the map?
_______________________________________________

2. Which continent is the biggest? smallest?

_______________________________________________

Activity 2.2 Broken Pieces!

Materials: paper and pen

Procedure:

1. Observe the formation of the continents over the years on the drawing below and
answer the questions that follow.

Source: https://geology.com/articles/supercontinent.shtml

Questions:
1. How do you describe the continents 250 million years ago?
_________________________________________________________

2. What are the two continents from Pangea?

_________________________________________________________

3. What are the 7 new continents?

____________________________________________________________

4. What do you think made these continents move?

____________________________________________________________

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Activity 2.3 Blocks in Motion!
Materials: casserole (any container for heating), stove (any heat
source), water, small pieces of wood
Procedure:
1. Pour in water in the casserole (about ¼ the volume the
container).
2. Let it boil using the stove or any source of heat.
3. When the water starts to boil, slowly add the pieces of wood in the water. Observe.
Questions:
1. What happened to the pieces of wood as you place them in boiling water?
________________________________________________
2. If the pieces of wood represent the lithospheric plates, what does the boiling water
represent?
________________________________________________
3. What makes the plates move?
________________________________________________

Remember

● About 250 million years ago, the world’s 7 major continents were all
group in a supercontinent called Pangea.
● Pangea was first divided into two major plates after 200 million years: Laurasia and
Gondwanaland.
● At present, we have 7 major plates: Eurasian, African, Antarctic, Indo-Australian
(Australia, surrounding oceans and Indian subcontinent), Pacific, North American and South
American plates.
● A slow but constant moving of plates made the 7 major continents in their location
today was explain by the Tectonic Plate Theory.

Checking Your Understanding

Read and analyze the following questions. Apply what you learned from this
lesson.

1. Ophiolite rock complex was exposed in Zambales in western Luzon, how does an
oceanic crust uplift in a landform like Zambales?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

2. If the movement of the plates continue, what do you think the plates in the globe will look
like another 10 million years from now?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

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 Post-Test

Choose the letter of the best answer.

1. What happened to Pangea?

A. It divides into several pieces’ millions of years ago.
B. It divides into two major landmasses.
C. It sinks and disappears in the ocean.
D. It remains solid and undivided.

2. What do you call the smaller pieces the earth’s crust?

A. continent C. plate
B. crust D. mantle

3. Plate Tectonic Theory states that the;

A. earth’s crust is solid and never be broken.
B. pieces of the earth’s crust are moving fast.
C. pieces of the earth’s crust are moving slowly.
D. continental and oceanic crust are moving away from each other.

4. What are the seven major continents we have today formed from Pangea?
A. Asia, Africa, Arctica, Austria, India, North America, South America
B. Asia, Africa, Arctica, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
C. Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Austria, India, North America, South America
D. Asia, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Europe, North America, South America

5. What makes the plates move?

A. water in the ocean where the plates are located.
B. movement of the magma under the plates.
C. boiling water in the mantle.
D. heat of the inner core.

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 Answer Key

References

Herma D. Acosta etal..2015.Science-Grade 10 Learner’s Material First Edition. Philippines.

Department of Education

Retrieved from: https://geology.com/articles/supercontinent.shtml

Date: 6/18/2020 time: 10:00 am

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Schools Division Office-Quezon City

Email Address: sdoqcactioncenter@gmail.com

Telephone no. 8352-6806/6809; Telefax: 34560343

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