To represent the natural world by creating models and analyzing their limitations. Take another graham cracker to represent the thin but dense oceanic plate and lay it next to a rice cake to represent the thicker but less dense continental plate so they are almost touching, end to end. The theory also states that the motion of these plates creates a variety of interactions at the plate boundaries. 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. Have students look over their plate tectonics chart to ensure they have completed each of the entries.
However, the version i prefer includes the use of a rice crispy treat to illustrate oceanic vs. Tectonic plates the skin of our planet down to earth duration. 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. What happened to the frosting between the crackers. Plate tectonics this plate tectonics lesson plan involves a classroom activity to help students understand the processes that move and shape earths surface. Push one cracker past the other to simulate a transform plate boundary like the san andreas fault. This quick and tasty kids science activitygives little scientists a hands o teaching explore weather vocabulary with preschool and kindergarten students with this free printable weather board game from playdough to plato. This activity can be done using edible ingredients like graham crackers or cookies for plates and cool whip or pudding for magma. Plate tectonics lab activity the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. Spread a thin layer of frosting on another quarter of your paper plate. I use a version similar to this free version of graham cracker tectonics provided by. To create a transform plate boundary, pick two crackers up off the frosting and turn them around so that two dry edges are next to each other.
Plate boundaries are found at the edge of the plates. The kids will move broken graham crackers on top of a frosted sheet of wax paper to create divergent, convergent, transform fault, and sub. Graham cracker plate tectonics plate tectonics, earth. Graham cracker plate tectonics plate tectonics, earth science. Students will use shaving cream and graham crackers to simulate the three types of plate boundaries transform, divergent, and convergent. Jul 06, 2017 this video walks through the gram cracker plate tectonics lab. My 5 year old instantly recognized this boundary as its what led to the formation of all the volcanic mountains that surround us.
The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. Buy wax paper, knives, frosting, fruit rollups, and graham crackers. Finally we used our last graham crackers to make a subduction zone what happens when a more dense oceanic plate is thrust under a less dense continental plate. Plate boundary description landformsfeatures materials. Check out the plate tectonics module if you are not sure which type of boundary is two plates moving apart. Graham cracker plate tectonics second grade science, plate. The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of seven major plates and numerous smaller plates. The theory also states that the motion of these plates. The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of seven major plates and. As they finish, allow students to choose a type of boundary to imitate with their graham crackers and have their partner guess what type of boundary they are creating. This snackable plate tectonics lab provides the perfect combination of science rigor and fun. Observe what is happening to the marshmallow spread. Print out sets of these stepbystep photo instructions to help your students successfully model plate tectonic activity using.
A tectonic plate that gets subducted is a plate recycled. As part of your plate tectonics activity, answer the questions below. In this activity, ocean plates are represented by fruit roll ups and continental crust is represented by graham crackers. Which movement from your plate tectonics boundary graphic organizer formed the midocean ridge. Label drawing as to what each item represents in terms of earth layers or processes of plate tectonics. Dec 17, 2018 this snackable plate tectonics lab provides the perfect combination of science rigor and fun. Plate tectonics graham cracker lab by science station tpt. The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 16 major pieces or plates. This theory also says that most of these plates are in.
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. Converging continental plates graham crackers moving toward each other. Unit 5 covers standards relating to earths systems. Every ten seconds, push the graham crackers closer to each other. Graham cracker plate tectonics tectonic plates activities. This video walks through the gram cracker plate tectonics lab.
Break the graham cracker into four pieces use only two and save the remaining two pieces of graham cracker for the next section. Immediately remove the crackers and lay them end to end on the cool whip with the wet edges nearly touching. Break the other whole graham cracker in half, and then break each half in half again so you have 4 pieces. Sep 10, 2015 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. Break the graham cracker on its seam to make 2 rectangles and place the 2 rectangles, touching, on top of the frosting.
Describe the differences between this and the previous activity. Spread a thick layer of frosting on the paper plate. They will work in partners, one person will move the model graham crackers and cool whip and the other partner will diagram the events. Name a specific location on the earth where this type of boundary activity takes place. Dec 04, 2011 place the graham crackers on opposite sides of the plate. If you are low on cash, stick with procedure and skip the rice crispies. Remove the graham crackers from the frosting and scrape any frosting off the crackers. Immediately remove the crackers and lay them end to end on the frosting with the wet edges. What is the process that creates new ocean floor from diverging plates.
Love the whole activity, especially the convergent boundary. Here is an activity for students to do after they have learned about plate tectonics. Google graham cracker plate tectonics lab for a variety of different versions used by schools across the country. Reuse the graham cracker used above for this activity. Swbat describe the impact that plate tectonics have on the topography of earth. These plates move on the top of the hot plastic upper mantle known as the asthenosphere. To model the interactions of earths tectonic plates as they move about its surface. Edible plate tectonics divergent, convergent, and transform. Gently put the wet cracker section and a dry cracker section on the layer of frosting. This includes activities about plate tectonics, convection currents, using a compass, earthquakes, volcanoes, instructions on how to make a shake table and more.
Each piece of graham cracker represents a continental plate. A specific location for this kind of boundary is north america and eurasian. The graham crackers represent the earths crust, which is broken up into plates. 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. Model the plates movements using frosting and graham crackers to. 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. Graham cracker plate tectonics lesson plan for 7th 10th. 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. What feature do the resulting ends of the wet crackers represent. The graham cracker represents the earths crust, divided into plates. Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers into a cup of water about 2 cm. Graham cracker plates minilab worksheetgraham cracker plates minilab answer keyyou can pur. Graham cracker plate tectonics playdough to plato 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.
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. In this activity, students will use handson materials including graham crackers and frosting to investigate tectonic plates helping take an abstract idea and making it more concrete. This is another fun activity with a sweet treat reward at the end. Graham cracker tectonics this is another fun activity with a sweet treat reward at the end. Schaefer the theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of 7 major plates and numerous smaller plates. Sep 25, 2014 plate tectonic lab with graham crackers. Demonstrate plate tectonics with graham crackers and frosting. The theory of plate tectonics states that the crust of the earth is composed of less than twenty separate plates. For the mesh or screen, a roll of no slip shelf liner works well. For 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.
Second grade lesson incredible edible earth changes. First they will follow a given set of directions to explore the idea of plate tectonics. 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. Stepbystep powerpoint for both you and your students total of 7 steps, pictures of student expectations is included. These plates ride on the hot plastic upper mantle called the asthenosphere.
These plates move on the top of the hot plastic upper. Draw what your food looks like after you created the transform boundary in the space provided 4. Graham cracker plates minilab worksheetgraham cracker plates minilab. Take two pieces of dry crackers and place them side by side on the frosting. Break one whole graham cracker into two square pieces by following the perforations.
Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers two centimeters into a cup of water. Model the plates movements using frosting and graham crackers to understand how earths landscape can change over time. You have now created a continentcontinent collision. Convergent places where plates crash or push together. Dip one end of each of the two graham crackers into a cup of water. Exploring the movement of tectonic plates with smores. To understand how plate boundaries interact with each other and the features created as they drift atop the slow moving asthenosphere. This lab is an introduction to the boundary zones between tectonic plates and how we currently believe they are formed. Questionanswer slides after steps to check for student understanding. What happens with the whipped cream between the graham crackers as you drag them apart.
Which movement from your plate tectonics boundary graphic organizer caused mountains to form. 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. Microsoft word graham cracker plate tectonics lab activity. After learning about plate tectonics, students will model how plates move when a prompt is given. The children will experience the grinding and clashing of the earths plates by using an incredible, edible model. This lesson plan is useful for elementary, secondary, middle school, and university students. Hand out the appropriate materials for each student. For this activity, i grabbed a box of graham crackers, some cool whip, and a plate. Place the graham crackers on opposite sides of the plate.
Place the crackers onto the frosting with wet edges next to each other and slowly push the graham crackers towards each other. Lay the two pieces of graham crackers side by side on top of the frosting so they are touching. Graham cracker plate tectonics playdough to plato teach kids about plate tectonics with graham crackers and cool whip. To identify and demonstrate the forces that shape the features of the earth 2. The fruit rollups act as the oceanic crust and the graham crackers are. What happens to the wet ends of the graham crackers. Place two graham crackers on the whipped cream so that two of the edges are up. To study the interactions of the tectonic plates as they move slowly on the asthenosphere. Spread frosting on wax paper to cover an area a bit larger than the graham cracker square. Learn how earths tectonic plates interact in this delicious activity.
Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, andor atmosphere interact. Model the plates movements using frosting and graham crackers to understand how earths landscape can. Give each student a paper plate covered in frosting and several graham cracker squares. Use only two of the pieces for part 3, saving the other two for part 4. Browse plate tectonics graham crackers resources on teachers pay teachers, a marketplace trusted by millions of teachers for original.