Page 12 - Kindergarten.indd

MAKING A MODEL - RESPONSE FORM

PLATE TECTONICS - SC.7.E.6.5

Student Name: _____________________________________
Date: __________________

TITLE PLATE TECTONICS

PURPOSE To discover how the movement of the Earth’s plates affect land formations.

The plate tectonic theory was formulated in the 1960s to explain the movement of
Earth’s plates. There is scientific documentation that Earth’s plates move an estimated 1
BACKGROUND
-10 cm per year. Through plate tectonics, scientists now understand the cause and
INFORMATION formation of both slow and rapid geologic phenomenon such as earthquakes, volcanoes,
mountains, ocean basins, and ocean trenches. As the boundaries of these large plates
interact with one another, they cause seismic activity in the form of earthquakes and
volcanoes. Deformations also occur at the plates’ boundaries as they slip, slide,
separate, and collide with each other. When plates collide, mountain ranges are formed.
As tectonic plates move away from each other, rocks break and form a gap between the
plates. This begins the process of seafloor spreading. Underwater volcanoes act
between the crack of the plates, and eventually new oceanic crust is formed causing the
seafloor to extend away from the ridge.

 two – whole graham crackers
MATERIALS  cake frosting
 one – plastic knife
 one – sheet of wax paper
 water
 one – rice treat

Part A:
Step 1: Break one graham cracker into separate squares and lay them on the wax paper.

Step 2: Use the knife to spread the frosting over the middle of the wax paper in a thick layer.
Step 3: Lay the graham crackers on top of the frosting with the edges touching.
Step 4: To imitate the divergent plates of the ocean floor, press down as you slowly move the

PROCEDURES crackers apart and observe what happens. Record your observations.

Part B:
Step 1: Remove one of the graham crackers from the frosting in Part A.
Step 2: Lay the rice treat next to the cracker where the edges just touch.
Step 3: Push the rice treat (continental plate) towards each other and observe what happens.

Part C:
Step 1: Remove the rice treat from Part B and replace it with the other graham cracker half.
Step 2: Place one hand on each of the crackers and push them together while pressing down
and moving one towards you and the other in the opposite direction.
Step 3: As you move the crackers, observe what happens as the pressure increases.

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