Earth Science Summer Assignment
2015/2016
Directions: Complete Part I and Part II for ONE of the
following summer assignment options. Feel free to email me
at any time if you have any questions on the assignment.
Ms. Kelly's Email
bkelly ©middle villageprep. org
Summer Assignment Option 1: Plate Tectonics
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Parti
Using the internet (websites articles, videos, podcasts, newspaper articles)
or library books, research and answer the questions below about plate tectonics
and how they affect things such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
These questions must be retyped and answered. Please print the questions and
answers to turn in with your project during the first week of school.
Questions
1. What are plate tectonics and why do people compare them to puzzle
pieces?
2. Why do so many earthquakes occur in the ring of fire?
3. How does the shifting of plates cause earthquakes?
4. How are volcanoes formed?
5. How do tsunamis occur?
Part II
Natural disasters such as earthquakes,
tsunamis and volcanic eruptions are
extreme, sudden events caused hy
environmental factors that can injure
people and damage property. These events
can leave catastrophic and long lasting
effects on the communities i n which they
strike. This is why it is important for us to
understand how and why these events
occur, so that we can properly plan for
them.
Your assignment is to choose one of the natural disasters you learned about in
the video. These include earthquakes, tsunamis, or volcanic eruptions. As you
may recall, these disasters occur as a result of the shifting, separation or collision
of the plates that make up our earth's crust. Imagine you are a news writer
reporting on the scene. You will write an article about what you observed and
what you know to be true about these types of disasters. You may report on a
disaster that you make up or you may wish to research a natural disaster that has
already occurred in the past and report on that.
Remember, this article should be all your own work. You will construct your
article using the template on the next page and be sure to include the following
pieces of information:
• A 'catch the reader's attention' headline
* The date of the disaster
* The location of the disaster
o Include a circle on the map showing the location
* The cause of the disaster
o Talk specifically about the plates that were involved and what they
did in order to make the disaster occur. Did they collide, shift,
separate?
• How it affected the community and the surrounding areas
• 2 website links that readers can visit to get more information on your
chosen natural disaster
worLD News
Parti
ITsing the internet (websites articles, videos, podcasts, newspaper articles)
or library books, research and answer the questions below about the three
different types of rocks and how they are formed. These questions must be
retyped and answered. Please print the questions and answers to turn in with
your project during the first week of school.
Questions
1. What is the rock cycle?
2. What are igneous rocks?
3. What is the difference between extrusive and intrusive rocks?
4. What is sedimentary rock?
5. How is metamorphic rock formed and what are some examples of
metamorphic rocks?
Part II
In Earth Science class this year you will be learning about the three major types
of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock. After watching the video
you have gained a brief understanding of the differences between the three types
and how they are formed.
Collect three different rocks from
your community. Try to find what
you think may represent one of
each type of rock. These can be
found at the beach, in the park, in
your yard. (It's okay i f you are not
correct. We will go over rock
identification in detail during the
school year.) Draw what each rock
looks like in the spaces provided on
the worksheet.
Lastly, name each rock and construct a 1-2 paragraph story about each rock's life
and how they were formed to become the rock they are today. For example,
Gerald Granite wasn't always a professional metamorphic rock. In fact, he began
as a small igneous rock. After thousands and thousands of years of high pressure
and temperature Gerald Granite was finally morphed into a new type of rock and
ready to complete in the metamorphic rock Olympics.
Be sure to include:
• The rock's name
• What each rock started as
• What each rock ended as
• The process that the rock had to undergo to become who they are today
o For example: high temperature, pressure, exposure to the elements
• What they are currently doing now
o For example: where are they used, what are their functions?
Igneous Rock
Sedimentary Rock
Metamorphic Rock