Name_________________ Date__________________ Pd______
Plate Tectonics Candy Bar Simulation Activity
How do the tectonic plates move?
Objectives
1. Students gain understanding of plate movement in modeling the affects of plate tectonics by applying
different forces to a soft candy bar.
2. Students demonstrate in their written responses their knowledge of different types of plate
boundaries by applying them to the candy bar model.
3. Students demonstrate their knowledge of different types of deformation, faulting and land formations
caused by stresses applied to the candy bar model. (stress=shearing=pushing in opposite directions,
compression=pushing together, tension=pulling apart)(force= push or pull)
Use your notes over the continental drift and plate tectonics to help answer these questions.
Procedures:
1. Do – unwrap the candy bar and gently pull on it from both sides so that the candy bar stretches
but does not break apart.
a. What type of force are you applying to the candy bar?__________________________
b. What type of plate boundary does this candy bar model represent?
___________________________________________________________________________
c. What type of deformation (mountain, valley, plateau, etc.) from stress does the candy bar exhibit?
________________________________________________________________________
2. Continue to pull on the candy bar until it break apart.
a. What type of force are you applying to the candy bar?__________________________
b. What type of deformation (mountain, valley, plateau, etc.) from stress does the candy bar exhibit?
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Now put the two pieces together and slide them past one another.
b. Plates that undergo this type of force create what type of boundary? What could be happening at
this boundary?
__________________________________________________________________________
4. Now, push the two pieces into one another..
a. What type of force is being applied to the candy bar? ____________________________
b. What type of plate boundary does this candy bar represent?
_________________________________________________________________________
c. If the two pieces represent continental plates, what type of landform develops as you push the pieces
together? _________________________________________________________________
5.Force one piece of the candy bar to slide under the other
a. What is called when one plate sinks below the other? ___________________________
Name_________________ Date__________________ Pd______
Sea Floor Spreading Simulation Activity
How does the sea floor build new sea floor?
Objectives
1. Students gain understanding of seafloor spreading in modeling the affects of plate movement by
applying different forces to graham crackers and pudding.
2. Students demonstrate in their written responses their knowledge of different types of sea floor
spreading by applying them to the pudding model.
3. Students demonstrate their knowledge of boundary formed and the stresses applied to the
graham crackers.
Procedures:
1. Do – spread the pudding onto the wax paper or foil and lie the graham crackers on top of the
pudding with a small space between them. What does it look like or remind you of?
Observations:______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Questions:
a. What type of plate boundary does this represent?
________________________________________________________________________
2. Push down on the graham crackers until pudding starts to come up between the opening.
a. What is this demonstrating?
________________________________________________________________________
b. Plates that undergo the force and deformation just described exhibit what type of
faulting?_________________________________________________________________
2. Now, push the two pieces back together and continue to push them together. What happens?
Observations:_________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
4.Force one graham cracker under the other. What does this represent?
a. What is called when one plate sinks below the other? ___________________________
b. When the rock materials break what type of faulting occurs?______________________
Eat your graham crackers and pudding and enjoy!