Plate Tectonics 3/11/18

This week we were talking about plate tectonics. We learned that the newer crust could be found closer to ridges under the ocean and the further the crust was from the ridges, the older it was. Old crust is recycled at subduction zones where it goes underneath the other crust into the mantle and becomes a liquid again. To depict this, we did a great lab on Friday called Snack Tectonics to help us learn the processes of plate tectonics.

First we had a spoonful of frosting that the teacher gave to us. We had to spread it around until it was a rough rectangle.

After we did that, we unwrapped two fruit roll ups and lay them side by side on the frosting. We then gently pulled them apart to show divergent boundaries.

Next, we removed one of the fruit roll ups and ate it. We placed a graham cracker next to the fruit roll up and pushed it together. This shows a subduction zone, because the graham cracker went above the fruit roll up.



Then we ate the next fruit roll up, and took another graham cracker. We dipped the ends in water and then placed them back on the frosting. Then we pushed them together. This shows continent-continent collision. It made a mountain!

I learned a lot about how these plate tectonics move and collide to form different things in these labs that we have done.

S&EP: SP2, Using Models.
I used a lot of models in these labs. We used the wet graham crackers to show mountains, the fruit roll ups to show subduction zones and the divergent plates. This really helped me to learn more about how all of these boundaries worked.

XCC: Cause and Effect
If the tectonic plates move and collide, then mountains will form. If they split apart, divergent boundaries will form. And if an oceanic crust and continental crust meet, then one will submerge in magma and be recycled. These are all examples of cause and effect relationships.