1. With Fruit Rollups and Graham Crackers
Plate Tectonics
With Fruit Rollups and Graham Crackers

2. Objective and Essential Questions
Use models to describe how tectonic plates cause major geological events such as; ocean basins, earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.
Questions:
How does a model help us understand plate movement?
How do the movements of tectonic plates cause geological events?

3. Supplies Each student should have: Journal 2 squares of graham cracker
1 Fruit Rollup cut in half
1 cup of water (for 2 people)
Frosting (teacher will distribute)
1 sheet of wax paper
1 plastic knife
1 paper towel

4. Procedures
Write down data and observations in journal (answering questions) p. 45 Tectonic Plates Lab
Read instructions on how to make each type of boundary carefully
No side-bar conversations
Record your scientific observations

7. Divergent Plate Boundary
Answer these questions in your journal:
Divergent = to move away or apart from each other
What layer does each food represent?
frosting –
fruit roll up –
Draw what your food looks like after you created the divergent boundary in the space provided
Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of Earth layers or processes of plate tectonics.
Use these words: asthenosphere, oceanic crust, divergent plate boundary

8. Example Drawing

9. Reflection Question
Answer this question as thoroughly as you can. Think it through! 5. When divergent plates pull apart, how is new crust being made?

11. Convergent Plate Boundary (Continental to Oceanic)
Answer these questions in your journal:
Convergent = to collide or crash into each other
What layer does each food represent?
frosting –
fruit roll up –
graham cracker –
Draw what your food looks like after you created the convergent (continental to oceanic) boundary in the space provided
Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of Earth layers or processes of plate tectonics.
Use these words: convergent plate boundary, asthenosphere, oceanic crust, continental crust

12. Reflection Question
Answer this question as thoroughly as you can. Think it through! 5. When continental crust and oceanic crust collide, one plate goes under another. Explain why the process of subduction occurs.

14. Convergent Boundary (continental to Continental)
Answer these questions in your journal:
What layer does each food represent?
frosting –
graham cracker –
Draw what your food looks like after you created the (continental to continental) convergent boundary in the space provided
Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of Earth layers or processes in plate tectonics.
Use these words: asthenosphere, continental crust, convergent plate boundary

15. Reflection Questions
Answer this question as thoroughly as you can. Think it through! 4. In our model, the wet edges of the cracker buckled or folded. What geological event does this buckling mimic? 5. Why do you think this event occurs in real life?

17. Transform Plate Boundary
Answer these questions on your page:
Transform = to slide past each other
What layer does each food represent?
frosting –
graham cracker –
Draw what your food looks like after you created the transform boundary in the space provided
Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of Earth layers or processes of plate tectonics.
Use these words: transform plate boundary, asthenosphere, continental crust

18. Reflection Question
Answer this question as thoroughly as you can. Think it through! 5. What happened to the dry edges of the cracker? 6. How is this model similar to what happens in an earthquake?

19. Finish and Clean Up When you are done eating:
Throw away food and used wax paper.
Clean any debris left on table tops.
Place knife in the sink.
Put fresh water into the cup and put it back on the counter.
Look around your area to make sure everything is picked up and clean
Put journal away.