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Name_________________________________________________Date_______________ Period____ (B)
Finding Faults with Food
Background Information: The Earth’s crust is divided into a set of large moving plates. The place where these
plates meet is called a plate boundary. There are three different types of plate boundaries. The first type is called a
divergent boundary and this is where plates separate from each other. The second type is called a convergent
boundary and this is where plates collide with each other. Lastly, the third type of plate boundary is called a
transform boundary and this is where plates slide past each other. This lab will focus on each of these boundaries
and the geological features created at these boundaries.
Materials:
Aluminum foil
Icing
Plastic spoon
2 small graham crackers
2 soft chocolate chip cookies
2 hard chocolate chip cookies
Part I: Divergent Boundary
1. The first type of plate movement you will model is a divergent plate boundary. Place a LARGE
spoonful of icing on the aluminum foil.
2. Next, place 2 pieces of graham crackers next to each other on the icing.
3. SLOWLY press down on the graham crackers.
4. This represents oceanic crust.
5. Notice the oceanic plate (graham crackers) floating on top of the asthenosphere (icing).
6. SLOWLY push the graham crackers about a centimeter apart.
7. Notice how the icing is exposed where the crackers separated. This is a model of how magma
comes to the surface where real oceanic plates are moving apart.
8. Most divergent boundaries are on oceanic crust. When plates, pull apart, rift valleys are made.
9. Draw your model below. Include these labels with your model: oceanic plates and magma.
Divergent Boundary
Name_________________________________________________Date_______________ Period____ (B)
Based on your model you created, explain the major geological event- rift valley.
Imagine that there was a divergent boundary running underneath the Mississippi River. Discuss
what the United States would look like in 1,000,000 years:
Part II: Convergent Boundary (oceanic and continental crust)
1. The second type of plate movement that you will explore is when oceanic crust converges
(meets) with continental crust.
2. Pick up 1 of the graham crackers and place it to the side.
3. Smooth out the icing with the spoon.
4. Place a hard chocolate chip cookie on the icing where the graham cracker that you moved
was located.
5. Look at the chocolate chip cookie. This cookie represents continental crust!
6. DO NOT push the cookie down on the icing.
7. Gently move the chocolate chip cookie and the graham cracker toward each other until the
edge of the chocolate chip cookie is ON TOP of the edge of the graham cracker.
8. This models how the oceanic plate is subducted below the continental plate. When this
happens, a deep trench (pit/hole) is formed.
9. Draw your model below. Include these labels with your model: oceanic plate, continental
plate, and trench. Use arrows to show the direction the plates are moving.
Convergent Boundary
Name_________________________________________________Date_______________ Period____ (B)
Why does oceanic crust sink beneath continental crust?
How are the rock cycle and plate tectonics connected (similar)?
Part III: Convergent Boundary (continental and continental crust)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Now you will explore when continental crust converges (meets) with continental crust.
Remove the graham cracker and the hard chocolate chip cookie from the icing.
Smooth out the icing using the spoon.
Place 2 SOFT chocolate chip cookies onto the icing.
Slowly, push the cookies toward each other.
Notice how the edges crumble and push up!
Draw and label your model below. Use these labels: continental plates, mountains. Use
arrows to show the direction the plates are moving.
Convergent boundary
Name_________________________________________________Date_______________ Period____ (B)
What geological features (mountains, valleys, hills, volcanoes, or earthquakes) are
formed at convergent boundaries? Why?
How do plate tectonics affect life on Earth?
Why do you think there is more destruction (damage) produced when certain types of
crust collide? (continental to continental, continental to oceanic, or oceanic to oceanic)
Part IV: Transform Boundary
1. The last type of plate movement you will explore is when continental plates slide
past each other (transform plate boundaries).
2. Remove the 2 soft chocolate chip cookies and place them to the side.
3. Place the 2 hard chocolate chip cookies onto the icing.
4. Push the 2 cookies together.
5. Apply pressure so that the 2 cookies begin to slide past each other.
6. This is the same type of movement taking place at the San Andreas Fault in
California!
7. Notice that small bits of cookies are pressing together. This models that the land is
under stress where plates pass beside each other.
8. Draw and label your model below. Include these labels: stress (where earthquakes
would be taking place) and continental plates. Use arrows to show the direction the
plates are moving.
Name_________________________________________________Date_______________ Period____ (B)
Transform Boundary
Explain why crust is neither created nor destroyed along transform boundaries?
In California, there is a fault that separates it from other states. What do you think will
eventually happen in this area?
Summarize what you learned from this lab (3-4 sentences):