DSE Geography: Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes

DSE Geography: Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes — Tutor Lesson Plan

2026-10-27

Tutor lesson-prep guides · Secondary geography

Students draw three boundaries but answer why Japan shakes and Hong Kong does not with only near a plate. They need the boundary type and the energy release.

Objectives — the student can name the three boundary types with landforms, explain earthquake occurrence, and distinguish magnitude from intensity.

01 Prerequisites (3-minute check)

If any of these fails, fix it before the lesson starts.

Skill	Quick check	Pass mark
Earth structure	Crust, mantle, core	Outside in
Map reading	Find the Pacific Ring of Fire	Around the Pacific
Density	Why oceanic plates sink	They are denser

02 Lesson flow (60 minutes)

Time	Stage	Tutor does	Student does
0-10 min	What plates are	Lithosphere blocks, mantle convection	Sketch six plates
10-26 min	Three boundaries	Divergent, convergent, transform	Match three examples
26-42 min	Earthquakes	Stress, fracture, focus and epicentre	Explain one event
42-54 min	Magnitude and intensity	Energy against damage	Compare two events
54-57 min	Management	Design, drills, planning, warning	List three measures
57-60 min	Exit check	Three questions marked	Finish alone

03 Teaching script (read it out)

Scene 1: Three boundaries, three landform sets

Divergent: plates separate, magma rises, forming mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.
Convergent: an oceanic plate subducts, producing trenches and volcanic arcs.
Transform: plates slide past each other, as on the San Andreas fault.

Student matches Japan, Iceland and California to their boundary types.

Scene 2: Earthquakes release stored stress

Moving plates accumulate stress until rock fractures and seismic waves radiate.
The focus is underground, the epicentre is the point directly above.
Shallow earthquakes usually cause more damage.

Student explains why one earthquake produces different damage in two places.

Scene 3: Magnitude is not damage

Magnitude measures energy, and each unit is about thirty-two times more energy.
Intensity measures local damage, set by depth, distance, geology and buildings.
Measures: seismic design, drills, land-use planning, warning systems.

Note: name specific measures rather than writing raise awareness.

04 Question types and worked steps

Type	Example	Steps	Answer
Boundary	the Japan trench	Oceanic subduction	Convergent
Landform	the Icelandic rift	Plates separating	Divergent
Magnitude against intensity	one quake, two cities	Geology and buildings differ	Same magnitude
Management	a dense city	Design, drills, warning	Three measures

Sanity check (teach this): Boundary type must match the landform: a trench is convergent, never divergent.

05 Independent practice (3 questions)

Question	Answer	What to watch
Iceland boundary type	Divergent	Plates separating
Energy increase per magnitude unit	About 32 times	Logarithmic scale
Why shallow quakes damage more	Less energy lost before the surface	Short travel path

06 Common mistakes and what to say

Mistake	Student writes	Say this
Magnitude and intensity mixed	calls magnitude damage	Energy against damage.
Boundary and landform mismatch	trench called divergent	Trenches are convergent.
Only plate movement described	no stress or fracture	Explain the release.
Vague management	only awareness	Name concrete measures.

07 Homework (paper, section and question numbers)

Secondary geography chapter index — Use the three questions on this page

08 Exit check (last 5 minutes)

Question	Answer	Decision
Iceland boundary type	Divergent	All right: move to weather
Energy per magnitude unit	About 32 times	One wrong: re-teach
Why shallow quakes damage more	Less energy lost	Two wrong: repeat scene 3

09 Tutor FAQ

Why is Hong Kong quiet?

It is far from an active boundary, though minor tremors occur.

Can quakes be predicted?

Risk can be assessed, timing cannot.

Link to human geography?

Dense populations raise disaster risk.

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A TutorZone lesson-prep guide. Written by the TutorZone team; questions and lesson flow are original and are not taken from any school or publisher material.