IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
A. Title of this lesson: Plate Boundaries
B. Summary of this lesson
Work in Progress
C. Objective(s)/Learning Goal(s)/ Key Student Learning(s) of this lesson
• Explain the moving pieces of the lithosphere
• Recognize subduction
• Identify the types of plate boundaries and compare and contrast the
features
• Distinguish between oceanic and continental plate
D. Teacher Background Knowledge for this lesson
Work in Progress
E. Prior knowledge that students need to understand this lesson - with an assessment to
determine what they already know (if appropriate).
Work in Progress
F. Standards covered in this lesson
Current California Science Standard
Work in Progress
NGSS
1e. Students know major geologic events, such as earthquakes, volcanic
eruptions, and mountain building, result from plate motions.
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
CCSS that apply
Reading
Work in Progress
Writing
Work in Progress
Listening & Speaking:
Work in Progress
Math
Work in Progress
G.
Suggested time to complete this lesson
50 minutes
H. Materials Used in this lesson typed in a bulleted list with quantities (e.g., 10 beakers; water
– 2 liters)
For Each Pair of students:
 One large graham cracker (broken in half)
 About Two 3-inch squares of fruit roll up
 A cup of water
 A scoop of cake frosting
 A square sheet of wax paper
 Plastic knife or spoon
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
I. Materials Prep for this lesson
Work in Progress
J. Lesson Plan – detailed, numbered step-by-step plans.
DAY 3 Plate Boundaries
Ask students to look at the hard-boiled egg with a very cracked shell.
Ask how the surface of the earth is similar or different from the egg.
There are different types of plate movement – convergent, divergent and
transform boundaries. Students will watch a video that demonstrates the 3
types of plate movement.
Students will do the Graham cracker/ fruit roll up activity. (Adapted From Changes Over Time)
Students will need materials stated in “Materials” of this program.
Directions:
Make the model
1. Give each student about a 9 inch by 9 inch square of wax paper and a large
scoop of frosting. Tell students to spread frosting into a layer about half a cm
thick on the wax paper.
2. Tell students that the frosting in this model represents the asthenosphere,
the viscous layer on which Earth’s plates ride. The plates in this model are
represented by fruit roll up (oceanic crust which is thin and dense) and
graham crackers (continental crust which is thick but less dense).
3. Divergent plate boundary
a. Instruct students to place the two squares of fruit roll up (oceanic plates)
onto the frosting right next to each other.
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
b. Press down slowly on the fruit roll ups (because they are dense and will
sink a bit into the asthenosphere) as you slowly push them apart about half a
cm.
c. Notice how the frosting is exposed and pushed up where the plates are
separated? This is analogous to how magma comes to the surface where real
plates are moving apart at divergent plate boundaries. Most divergent
plates’ boundaries are located within oceanic crust. When plates begin to
pull apart at continents, rift valleys are made, like the Great Rift Valley in
Africa, which can become the bottom of the sea floor if the plates continue
to pull apart.
4. Continental-oceanic collision
a. Instruct students to remove one of the fruit roll ups from the frosting.
(They can eat it if they wish!)
b. Tell students to place one of the graham cracker halves lightly onto the
frosting asthenosphere next to the remaining fruit roll up piece. The graham
cracker represents continental crust, which is thicker and less dense than
oceanic crust (fruit roll up). It floats high on the asthenosphere so don't push
it down.
c. Gently push the continent (graham cracker) towards the ocean plate (fruit
roll up) until the two overlap and the graham cracker is on top. The oceanic
plate is subducted below the continental one.
5. Continent-continent collision
a. Tell students that they will next model what happens when two continents
collide. Have them remove both the cracker and fruit roll up from the
frosting asthenosphere. (Students can eat or discard the fruit roll up.)
b. Place one edge of both crackers into the glass of water for just a few
seconds.
c. Place the crackers onto the frosting with wet edges next to each other.
d. Slowly push the graham crackers towards each other.
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
e. Notice how the wet edges crumple? This is how mountains are made at
convergent plate boundaries. When continents move towards each other
there is nowhere for the rock to go but up!
6. Transform plate boundaries
a. Pick the two crackers up off the frosting and turn them around so that two
dry edges are next to each other.
b. Push one cracker past the other to simulate a transform plate boundary
like the San Andreas fault!
7. Final step: eat all remaining model materials (except, of course, wax paper
and plastic utensils
Evaluation:
Have students:
• Draw what each situation looks like in cross section (by looking at the edge
of their model)
• Summarize what happened.
• Discuss it as a whole class,
• Discuss model limitations.
Additional Activity:
Cookie Subduction
(Adapted from an Exploratorium activity)
This is a quick activity that is a demonstration of how new rock and sediment
is added to the edge of continents during subduction.
Student Objective: Students will learn that when oceanic plates slide below
the continental crust, layers of the sea floor are often scraped off and added
to the edge of the continental plate.
Materials : One Oreo (or store brand) cookie per student
Directions: Pull apart the Oreo cookie. Set aside the part that does not have
the cream filling on it. Slide the cream covered cookie into your mouth,
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
cream side up, making sure that your two top front teeth are scraping into
the cream filling. When the cookie is completely in your mouth, you should
have a lot of the filling plastered all over your teeth.
Explanation: The process of adding oceanic material to the edge of the
continental plate is called accretion. It happens when oceanic crust is
subducted under the continental crust and layers of sea floor are scraped off
and plastered to the edge of continents. Much of the west coast of the
Americas are made up of accreted rocks or terrains. In the activity your
teeth represent the edge of the continental crust and the cream filling is the
sediment from the sea floor.
K. Vocabulary words – key vocabulary words that are targeted or taught as part of the lesson.
(Understanding these words is essential for students to understand the key concepts of this
lesson.)
Work in Progress
L. Potential Pitfalls for: a. student understanding; b. laboratory mishaps and common
procedural errors; c. academic vocabulary issues, etc.
Work in Progress
M. Differentiation: Modifications for English Learners, advanced learners, struggling learners,
etc.
Work in Progress
N. Please list all worksheets used in this lesson.
Work in Progress
O. Please list all assessments that require a separate sheet.
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)
IC Lessons Plate Tectonics
This is lesson _3_ of _4_ in this IC
Exit card: Illustrate and explain one type of plate boundary (either
convergent, divergent or transform).
P. Photos/Illustrations
N/A
Q. Other Resources
N/A
Created by San Lorenzo USD Teachers: Julie Ramirez, Veenu Soni, Marilyn Stewart, and Lawrence Yano
(2012)