Plate tectonics – Edexcel IAL Geography

A fully editable, ready-to-teach lesson on Plate tectonics for Edexcel International A Level (IAL) Geography, Unit 1: Global Challenges – World at Risk.

Lesson aim: To explain how plate tectonics causes geophysical hazards.

Learning outcomes

• To describe the structure of the Earth
• To explain why tectonic plates move
• To explain the processes and hazards at different plate boundaries

Specification: Global hazards — key idea 1 (geophysical hazards)

What’s included

• Editable PowerPoint lesson (15 slides)
• Word worksheet: Part A: Fact file
• Teacher notes and suggested answers in the speaker notes

Lesson overview

• Starter: Look at the map of plate boundaries.
• The structure of the Earth
• Key terms
• What makes the plates move?
• Four types of plate boundary
• Destructive (subduction) boundaries
• Constructive boundaries
• Conservative and collision boundaries
• Hotspots
• Why are some plate boundaries far more hazardous to people than others?
• Plate boundary fact file
• Homework task
• Exam practice: Explain why volcanoes are found at destructive plate boundaries. (4)

This lesson is part of my complete Edexcel IAL Geography World at Risk unit, which is also available in my shop if you would like every lesson in the topic.

Want a free sample? Visit The Geography Teacher website.