Geological Knowledge Comments and and understanding skills The Earth has a Candidates should be concentric able to appreciate the structure based on relative thicknesses of its: the different layers of the chemical properties Earth. [crust, mantle and core] Teachers are referred to the following practical mechanical demonstrations: behaviour [lithosphere, 1. Using a toilet roll to demonstrate the variation in thickness of the Earth’s layers (crust, mantle, lithosphere and core). b. The mechanical 2. Bending two behaviour of the outer chocolate bars, one of Earth involves the which has previously lithosphere [cold, rigid been frozen, to outer shell composed of demonstrate the effect crust and uppermost of temperature on brittle mantle]. It is underlain and plastic deformation by the asthenosphere of the same material. [weaker layer composed of upper mantle]. c. The lithosphere is Candidates should be divided into a aware of the possible number of rigid causes of plate movement (slab pull and ‘tectonic plates’ which move relative ridge push). to one another by mechanisms not yet completely understood.
Knowledge and understanding Geological and skills Comments The Earth has a concentric structure based on its: chemical properties [crust, mantle and core] mechanical behaviour [lithosphere, Candidates should be able to appreciate the relative thicknesses of the different layers of the Earth. Teachers are referred to the following practical demonstrations: 1. Using a toilet roll to demonstrate the variation in thickness of the Earth’s layers (crust, mantle, lithosphere and core). b. The mechanical behaviour of the outer Earth involves the lithosphere [cold, rigid outer shell composed of crust and uppermost mantle]. It is underlain by the asthenosphere [weaker layer composed of upper mantle]. 2. Bending two chocolate bars, one of which has previously been frozen, to demonstrate the effect of temperature on brittle and plastic deformation of the same material. c. The lithosphere is divided into a number of rigid ‘tectonic plates’ which move relative to one another by mechanisms not yet completely understood. Candidates should be aware of the possible causes of plate movement (slab pull and ridge push).
Geology%20Eduqas%20GCSE%20Guidance%20for%20teaching%20Word%20version.docx