The kids will move broken graham crackers on top of a frosted sheet of wax paper to create divergent, convergent, transform fault, and sub. Slightly dampen one long side of each graham cracker by exposing them to water for a few seconds. To represent the natural world by creating models and analyzing their limitations. Stepbystep powerpoint for both you and your students total of 7 steps, pictures of student expectations is included. Movements deep within the earth, which carry heat from the hot interior to the cooler surface, cause the plates to move very slowly on the surface, about 2 inches per year on average. Sketch this model on your lab sheet and answer the questions. When a plate descends beneath another plate it is called subduction. How do wet crackers act more like real plates than dry crackers. What happened to the frosting between the crackers.
Place the graham crackers on opposite sides of the plate. Edible plate tectonics divergent, convergent, and transform. This theory also says that most of these plates are in. Gently push graham cracker towards the ocean plate fruit roll up until the two overlap. Take two pieces of dry crackers and place them side by side on the frosting. Which movement from your plate tectonics boundary graphic organizer formed the midocean ridge. Plate movements introduction the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of less than twenty separate plates that float on the hot plastic mantle of the inner earth. This video walks through the gram cracker plate tectonics lab. The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. In addition, some plates may appear to be inactivity. To understand how plate boundaries interact with each other and the features created as they drift atop the slow moving asthenosphere. Identify the type of boundary associated with each picture below.
Observe what is happening to the marshmallow spread. Plate tectonics strand earth patterns, cycles, and change topic investigating plate tectonics primary sol 5. If you are low on cash, stick with procedure and skip the rice crispies. Key concepts include e changes in earths crust due to plate tectonics. After completing the previous labs on volcanoes and earthquakes, sixth graders use the gained knowledge to explore plate boundaries and the movement of earths. Approximately1 foot by 1 foot square of wax paper knife frosting glob approximately 14 cup or 1 heaping glob full graham cracker fruit rollup dixie or 23 oz cup with water napkin, paper towel, or baby wipes. This process that creates new ocean floor from diverging plates is seafloor spreading. This graham cracker plate tectonics lesson plan is suitable for 7th 10th grade. The kids will move broken graham crackers on top of a frosted sheet of wax paper to create divergent, convergent, transform fault, and subduction zone boundaries. Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of earth layers or processes of plate tectonics.
This is a nice way to teach plate tectonics to high school students. Plate tectonics lab questions divergent plate boundary discussion questions 1. Dec 04, 2011 place the graham crackers on opposite sides of the plate. Plate tectonics lab by the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. In this activity, ocean plates are represented by fruit roll ups and continental crust is represented by graham crackers. Here is a set of prelab, lab, and postlab lesson plans on plate tectonics.
Name a specific location on the earth where this kind of boundary activity takes place. Every ten seconds, push the graham crackers closer to each other. This lab is an introduction to the boundary zones between tectonic plates and how we currently believe they are formed. Exploring the movement of tectonic plates with smores. I use a version similar to this free version of graham cracker tectonics provided by. Graham cracker plate tectonics lesson plan for 7th 10th. What is the process that creates new ocean floor from diverging plates. Buy wax paper, knives, frosting, fruit rollups, and graham crackers. Plate tectonics graham cracker lab by science station tpt. Graham cracker plate tectonics lab just a little info the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of seven major plates and numerous smaller plates.
Graham cracker plate tectonics plate tectonics, earth. In this lab activity, what type of plate was represented by the fruit rollup. Students use graham crackers and icing to represent and observe how tectonic plates behave. In addition, some plates may appear to be inactive. What happens to the wet ends of the graham crackers. Converging continental plates graham crackers moving toward each other. In this plate tectonics worksheet, students use graham crackers, frosting, water and a paper plate to simulate tectonic processes such as convergent, divergent and transforming plate boundaries. To introduce, model, and demonstrate how earths plates move. Each piece of graham crackers represents a continental plate.
Graham cracker plate tectonics lab stepbystep photo. Kimberly miller printed on 101717 edible plate tectonics lab sheet purpose. Just a little info the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of seven major plates and. Plate tectonicsgraham cracker lab by junior high school science. The graham crackers represent the earths crust, which is broken up into plates. Second grade lesson incredible edible earth changes. Graham cracker tectonics by bryce hixson this lab is an introduction to the boundary zones between tectonic plates and how we currently believe they are formed. At the stations they will learn about tectonic plates, plate boundaries, earthquakes, major plates, and seafloor spreading. At the plate boundaries, plates may converge collide, diverge separate, or slide past each other transform boundary. Dec 17, 2018 this snackable plate tectonics lab provides the perfect combination of science rigor and fun. Students will perform an edible plate tectonics lab and start their graphic organizer. Break the graham cracker on its seam to make 2 rectangles and place the 2 rectangles, touching, on top of the frosting. Name date class period snack tectonics lab exercise. Copy of the plate tectonic exit ticket for each student.
Students will use shaving cream and graham crackers to simulate the three types of plate boundaries transform, divergent, and convergent. Break the other whole graham cracker in half, and then break each half in half again so you have 4 pieces. Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers into a cup of water about 2 cm. A tectonic plate that gets subducted is a plate recycled. The children will experience the grinding and clashing of the earths plates by using an incredible, edible model. I have copied the picture and information for continental drift front to back, and the picture and information for plate tectonics front to back. They will work in partners, one person will move the model graham crackers and cool whip and the other partner will diagram the events. The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate the different types of interactions at plate boundaries. Learn how earths tectonic plates interact in this delicious activity. This is an awesome edible science lab that demonstrates plate boundaries by using an oreo as.
These plates move on the top of the hot plastic upper mantle known as the asthenosphere. Graham cracker plate tectonics this quick and tasty kids science activity gives little scientists a hands on way to explore plate tectonics the movement of the earths crust that leads to the formation of volcanoes, mountains, and oceanic trenches. Google graham cracker plate tectonics lab for a variety of different versions used by schools across the. Place two graham crackers next to each other on top. A specific location for this kind of boundary is north america and eurasian. These plates ride on the hot plastic upper mantle known as the asthenosphere. These plates ride on the hot plastic upper mantle called the asthenosphere. Jan 29, 2015 at the plate boundaries, plates may converge collide, diverge separate, or slide past each other transform boundary.
Draw what your food looks like after you created the transform boundary in the space provided 4. Each piece of graham cracker represents a continental plate. Which movement from your plate tectonics boundary graphic organizer caused mountains to form. Plate tectonics lab doral academy preparatory school. Immediately remove the crackers and lay them end to end on the frosting with the wet edges nearly touching.
First they will follow a given set of directions to explore the idea of plate tectonics. With these photoenhanced instructions, you wont need to lead your students through the lab. Draw a picture and draw arrows to show the direction of cracker movement. Movements deep within the earth, which carry heat from the hot interior to the cooler surface, cause the plates to move very slowly on the surface, about 2. This theory also says that most of these plates are in motion, creating.
Schaefer the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. Spread frosting on wax paper to cover an area a bit larger than the graham cracker square. Graham cracker plate tectonics lab stepbystep photo instructions print out sets of these stepbystep photo instructions to help your students successfully model plate tectonic activity using graham crackers, cake icing and fruit rollups. What physical layer of the earth did the frosting represent. Diverging oceanic plates fruit rollups moving away from one another. To identify and demonstrate the forces that shape the features of the earth 2. The purpose of this lab is to demonstrate interactions of plate boundaries. To study the interactions of the tectonic plates as they move slowly on the asthenosphere.
Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers into a cup of water. Give each student a paper plate covered in frosting and several graham cracker squares. However, the version i prefer includes the use of a rice crispy treat to illustrate oceanic vs. Use only two of the pieces for part 3, saving the other two for part 4. What type of plate was represented by the graham cracker. In this windows to the universe activity, students use these. Phet sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, gamelike environment where students learn through exploration and discovery. Once the graham crackers have touched each other, note how the marshmallow spreading is a different shape than it was at the start of the experiment. Graham cracker tectonics this is another fun activity with a sweet treat reward at the end. Plate movement directly affects the construction of earths surface because the land recycles and creates new crust by divergent plates. Getting ready our summer travels led us to several volcanoes so naturally my what others are saying. Microsoft word graham cracker plate tectonics lab activity. To model the interactions of earths tectonic plates as they move about its surface. Plate tectonics lab station activity teach science.
Google graham cracker plate tectonics lab for a variety of different versions used by schools across the country. Plate boundary description landformsfeatures materials. Slowly push the graham crackers towards each other. Place the crackers onto the frosting with wet edges touching each other. At the plate boundaries, plates may converge collide, diverge separate, or slide past each other in a lateral motion transform. Break one whole graham cracker into two square pieces by following the perforations. Founded in 2002 by nobel laureate carl wieman, the phet interactive simulations project at the university of colorado boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. Move the two small graham crackers toward each other such that they form a small upside down v on top of the marshmallow fluff. The theory also states that the motion of these plates creates a variety of interactions at the plate boundaries. Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers into a cup of. Plate tectonics graham cracker lab test written observations.
The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 16 major pieces or plates. What can you do with fruit rollups, graham crackers and frosting in your science class. For this activity, i grabbed a box of graham crackers, some cool whip, and a plate. This activity breaks the information up and provides a differentiated learning approach. Plate movement directly affects the destruction of earths surface because the more dense plates sink causing a trench where the plates are thoroughly destroyed. Model the plates movements using frosting and graham crackers to understand how earths landscape can. The theory was formulated in the 1960s and 1970s as new information was obtained about the nature of the ocean floor, earths. This snackable plate tectonics lab provides the perfect combination of science rigor and fun. Approximately1 foot by 1 foot square of wax paper knife frosting glob approximately 14 cup or 1 heaping glob full graham cracker fruit rollup dixie or 23 oz cup with water napkin, paper towel, or baby wipes procedure. Which of the three tests is a model for seafloor spreading. Graham cracker plate tectonics lab the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of seven major plates and numerous smaller plates.