10 Stratigraphy & Fossil Evidence
Core: 4 pts • Blitz: +1 pt
A. Oldest fossil letter & reasoning:
B. Why fossils only in sedimentary:
⚡ Blitz: Fossil in Magma
🏁 Quest Pacing & Self-Check
St 1-2 □ St 3-4 □ St 5-6 □ St 7-8 □ St 9-10 □
Core Points ____ / 40
Blitz Bonus ____ / 10
Total ____ / 50
Earth Crust Quest • Teacher Facilitation Playbook Turn to Page 2 for Complete Master Answer Key →
Master Key
Stations 01–10 Complete Solutions
Station 01: Layers & Convection 4 pts
A) Outer layer: Hard, solid rock. Upper mantle: Soft, solid rock.
B) Mantle (convection currents cause plates to move).
⚡ Blitz: Along plate boundaries.
• Watch-out: Students confuse "soft solid" with liquid magma.
Station 02: Divergent Boundaries 4 pts
A) Move away from each other. Magma rises from mantle and cools/hardens, adding new solid rock to plate edges.
B) Oceanic Divergent = Mid-ocean ridges. Continental Divergent = Rift valleys.
⚡ Blitz: Arrows moving apart: ← | →
Station 03: Convergent Boundaries 4 pts
A) Plates move towards each other. One plate sinks underneath the other into the mantle (subduction).
B) Oceanic/Continental = Trenches & Volcanic mountains. Continental/Continental = Mountains.
⚡ Blitz: Convergent and transform boundary zones.
Station 04: Earthquake Patterns & GPS 4 pts
A) Pattern: Earthquakes and volcanoes occur along or near plate boundaries.
B) Plate motion is too slow to be seen with human eyes (centimeters/year).
⚡ Blitz: False; they occur at all plate boundary types (convergent, divergent, transform).
Station 05: Seafloor Spreading 4 pts
A) Crust is OLDER the farther away it is from the mid-ocean ridge.
B) Earth does not get larger because subduction occurs on the other side of the plate (old crust sinks into mantle and melts).
⚡ Blitz: One plate slides under another and melts back into mantle.
Station 06: Time & Pangaea 4 pts
A) Supercontinent: Pangaea.
B) Earth is 4.6 Billion years old (according to the rock record).
⚡ Blitz: Radiometric dating of meteorites and ancient continental rocks.
• Watch-out: Ensure students write "Billion" not "Million".
Station 07: Three Rock Families 6 pts
1. Sedimentary: Weathering/erosion break rock into sediment, then compacted and cemented.
2. Igneous: Rocks melt and then cool and harden.
3. Metamorphic: Rocks go through intense heat and pressure.
⚡ Blitz: Sedimentary rock contains fossils.
Station 08: Rock Cycle Energy Sources 4 pts
A) 1. The Sun's energy; 2. The Earth's core.
B) Sun → causes weather/erosion → creates sediments → Sedimentary. Earth's core → melts rock into magma → cools into Igneous.
⚡ Blitz: Sun drives water cycle/wind that weathers rock.
Station 09: Rock Pathways 4 pts
A) YES. All types of rocks can become any other rock. There is no single set path.
B) Igneous → Metamorphic requires heat and pressure. Sediment → Sedimentary requires compaction and cementation.
⚡ Blitz: Yes, it must melt into magma and then cool/harden.
Station 10: Stratigraphy & Fossils 4 pts
A) Fossil D is the oldest because it is located at the bottom layer (Law of Superposition).
B) Fossils are only in sedimentary rock because heat/pressure of metamorphic or melting of igneous rock destroys organic remains.
⚡ Blitz: The fossil would melt and be completely destroyed.
Class Debrief Essential: 3 Most Tested Items
1. Divergent = Ridges & Rift Valleys. Convergent = Trenches, Volcanoes & Fold Mountains. • 2. Seafloor: Farther = Older crust. • 3. Sun = Sedimentary / Earth's Core = Igneous.
100% Benchmark Aligned
PROFILE B Dirt/Sand Sand & dirt fill in the gap created
PROFILE C One plate sinks underneath into soft rock
PROFILE D Two plates sliding horizontally past each other
Digit 1: Dr. Choi's Divergence (Test Q2):
Two plates move apart (← | →). Which Profile shows what happens between them?
If Profile A → Digit = 4 • If Profile B → Digit = 1
Digit 2: Dr. Steiner's Convergence (Test Q3):
GPS tracks two plates colliding (→ | ←). Which Profile depicts the true interaction?
If Profile C → Digit = 7 • If Profile D → Digit = 9
Digit 3: US & Portugal Separation (Test Q6):
Identical rock formations exist in US and Portugal. How did they get so far apart?
• Floating on water → [3]
• Moved apart as soft rock from underneath added to edges over millions of years → [2]
Digit 4: Continental Collision (Test Q14):
When two thick pieces of continental crust collide at a convergent boundary, what forms?
Ocean Trenches = [5] • Mountains = [8] • Rift Valleys = [1]
🔒 Lock 2 Passcode:
Enter the 4 single digits in sequence (Digit 1, 2, 3, 4) into your console to unlock Chamber 2.
[ _ - _ - _ - _ ]
Tectonic Escape Room • Mission Dossier Proceed to Chamber 03 after entering Lock Code 2 on your Answer Sheet
Lock Chamber 03
Lock 3: 4-Word Passcode
Real-time GPS sensors are tracking plate movement across the Pacific and South American plates. Decode the map data to proceed.
Tectonic Sector Map: South Pacific / South America GPS Active Data
South American Plate (←) Nazca Plate (→) Peru-Chile Trench (Volcanoes) East Pacific Rise Pacific Plate (←)
Key Plate Vectors: The Pacific Plate and Nazca Plate are moving away from each other at the East Pacific Rise.
The Nazca Plate and South American Plate are moving toward each other, creating deep trenches and towering volcanic mountains (Andes).
GPS Tracking: GPS is required because plates move only a few centimeters per year—too slow to witness in real time.
Word 1: Nazca & Pacific Boundary (Q29):
Which boundary type exists between the Pacific and Nazca plates where plates move apart?
Option: DIVERGENT or CONVERGENT
Word 2: Resulting Landform (Q30):
What underwater volcanic mountain feature forms at this oceanic divergent boundary?
Option: TRENCH or RIDGE
Word 3: Seafloor Crust Age (Test Q13):
In seafloor spreading, the further the ocean floor is from the mid-ocean ridge, the ________ that rock is.
Option: YOUNGER or OLDER
Word 4: Subduction Volcano Site (Test Q18):
Between which pair of colliding plates are active volcanoes and mountains currently being created?
Option: NAZCA or EURASIAN
🔒 Lock 3 Passphrase:
Assemble Words 1, 2, 3, and 4 in order to unlock Chamber 3 (e.g. "DIVERGENT - RIDGE - OLDER - NAZCA").
[ ____ - ____ - ____ - ____ ]
Tectonic Escape Room • Mission Dossier Proceed to Chamber 04 after entering Lock Code 3 on your Answer Sheet
Lock Chamber 04
Final Master Lock
The final master override lock requires deciphering geologic time units, fossil stratigraphy, and core geological vocabulary.
Undisturbed Crust Cross-Section (Q9) Layer A (Top) Layer B Layer C Layer D (Bottom)
Geologic Time Scale Hierarchy (Test Q8):
Scientists categorize Earth's 4.6-billion-year history from largest time unit to smallest:
Eon → Era → Period → Epoch
Remember: Eons contain Eras, Eras contain Periods, Periods contain Epochs.
Terminal Match: Key Geological Vocabulary (Test Q20–26)
1. Sudden shaking of Earth's surface [B = Earthquake]
2. Underwater mountain range where plates move apart [C = Mid-Ocean Ridge]
3. The boundary where two plates meet [E = Plate Boundary]
4. Long deep ocean indentation where plates collide [D = Trench]
5. Large section of hard solid rock making up outer layer [F = Plate]
6. Layer of soft, solid rock beneath plates [A = Mantle]
Final Lock Verification:
1. Oldest Fossil Layer (Q9): Which rock layer contains the oldest fossil? [Letter D]
2. Earthquake Cause (Q27-28): Why do quakes occur at boundaries? [Plates are constantly moving]
🚨 Master Override Keyphrase:
Write the final Master Override Code on your Answer Sheet to trigger the blast doors and escape!
D-EON-SUBDUCTION
Tectonic Escape Room • Final Chamber Submit your completed Student Answer Sheet to Mission Control
Plate Motion Test #1 Full Cross-Reference
Chamber 01: The Crust & Mantle Vault LOCK: R - O - C - K
Step 1 (Test Q1, Q4, Q7): Earth's outer layer underneath both soil and ocean water is hard, solid rock → Letter [R].
Step 2 (Test Q10): Outer layer is hard solid rock; mantle is soft solid rock → Letter [O].
Step 3 (Test Q11): Convection currents driving plates are located in the mantle → Letter [C].
Step 4 (Test Q24): Very large sections of hard solid rock forming outer layer are called plates → Letter [K].
Teacher Tip: Students frequently guess that ocean basins sit on sand or mud. Emphasize that basaltic oceanic crust is 100% hard solid rock!
Chamber 02: Boundary Motion Lab LOCK: 4 - 7 - 2 - 8
Digit 1 (Test Q2 & Q5): Dr. Choi's plates move apart (←|→). Profile A: soft rock from mantle rises and hardens, adding rock to edges → Digit [4].
Digit 2 (Test Q3): Dr. Steiner's plates collide (→|←). Profile C: one plate sinks underneath the other into soft rock below (subduction) → Digit [7].
Digit 3 (Test Q6): US and Portugal were once joined; they slowly moved far apart as soft rock from underneath added to plate edges over millions of years → Digit [2].
Digit 4 (Test Q14): Collision between two continental crusts crumples into mountains → Digit [8].
Teacher Tip: Clarify that plates do NOT "float across the ocean" or leave open empty gaps filled by sand.
Chamber 03: Global Seismic Grid DIVERGENT-RIDGE-OLDER-NAZCA
Word 1 (Test Q29): The boundary between the Pacific and Nazca plates where arrows point away from each other is DIVERGENT.
Word 2 (Test Q30): The underwater volcanic mountain landform formed at the East Pacific Rise is a RIDGE (Mid-Ocean Ridge).
Word 3 (Test Q13): In seafloor spreading, the further ocean floor is away from the ridge, the OLDER the rock is.
Word 4 (Test Q18): According to map vectors, subduction and volcanic mountains form where the NAZCA plate collides with the South American plate.
Teacher Tip (Test Q12 & Q19): Remind students GPS is needed because plates move at centimeters/year. Earthquakes occur at ALL boundary types.
Chamber 04: Stratigraphy & Vocab D-EON-SUBDUCTION
Geologic Time (Test Q8): Largest to smallest: Eon → Era → Period → Epoch (Option A).
Stratigraphy (Test Q9): Oldest fossils are in Layer D (bottom layer, Law of Superposition).
Vocab Matching (Test Q20–26):
20. Sudden shaking = B (Earthquake) • 21. Underwater range = C (Ridge) • 22. Where 2 plates meet = E (Boundary) • 23. Deep trench = D (Trench) • 24. Large section = F (Plate) • 25. Inside diagram = G (Cross Section) • 26. Soft rock layer = A (Mantle).
Quakes (Test Q27-28): Quakes occur at boundaries because plates are constantly moving. They occur at ALL 3 boundary types.
Master Override: D-EON-SUBDUCTION triggers blast door release!
Test Day Quick Recap (Most Common Misses)
1. Underneath soil AND ocean = hard solid rock. • 2. Magma rising & hardening adds rock to plate EDGES. • 3. Oldest rock is furthest from the ridge & deepest in strata.
100% Test Alignment
