Download Moving and Shaking: Tectonic Plates and Geological Events

Moving and Shaking: Tectonic Plates and Geological Events
Objective: Student is expected to relate plate tectonics to the formation of crustal features.
Procedures: There are 5 tasks. Read the background information first. Then complete the
activity, using the materials on your table and the Tectonic Plate Map.
Station #1: SUPER SLIDE!
Background Information: Some tectonic plates slide past each other. Place your hands in front
of you, side by side, with your palms facing the floor. Move your right hand forward and your left
hand backward. This type of movement occurs in places like along the California coast at the
boundary between the North America and Pacific Plates. The San Andreas fault in California is a
result of type this of boundary. Earthquakes are the primary geological events occurring in this area
due to sliding plates.
Activity:
1. Place 2 strips of paper next to each so that the longer edges are against one another. This is
similar to what a transform boundary looks like.
2. Stack the pennies where the index cards meet.
3. Draw an arrow on each card. They should be pointing in the opposite direction.
4. Quickly slide the strips of paper, side by side, in opposite directions.
5. Draw and record your observations in your notebook.
Station #2: COMING TOGETHER!
Background Information: At a convergent boundary, Earth’s tectonic plates move toward each
other. As these plates collide over long periods of time, they form high mountains. The
Himalayan Mountains were formed and are still reaching new heights today due to colliding
plates. This collision of plates can also produce strong earthquakes.
Activity:
1. Draw a line down the center of the aluminum foil square using the marker. This line is your
imaginary plate boundary.
2. Place your hands side by side on the aluminum foil with the line, running between them.
3. Push your hands slowly towards each while observing what occurs at the plate boundary.
4. Draw and record your observations
Station 3: MOVING APART!
Background Information: Some tectonic plates move apart. This type of plate movement
usually occurs on the ocean floor. As the plates move away from each other, hot, molten rock called
magma, moves up into the space between the plates. As the magma escapes, it cools and
hardens to form new crust in the ocean basin. The feature that is formed is called a ridge. A
series of ridges form large underwater mountain ranges along the edge of the plate boundary.
Examples include the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the Atlantic Ocean.
1. Take the candy bar and gently break it in half.
2. Pull each piece of the candy bar away from each other.
3. As you move the pieces away, push a marshmallow in between in pieces. The marshmallow is
representing magma.
4. Draw and record your observations.
Station 4: We’re Going Under!
Background Information: When 2 oceanic plates collide, one is pushed underneath the other.
This can also happen with one continental plate and one oceanic plate. The plate that is more dense
slides under the plate that is less dense. Place your hands in front of you with your palms facing the
floor. Push your left hand slightly under your right hand. This motion demonstrates what happens
when one plate slides under the other. This is referred to as a subduction zone (sub- means to go
under). The part of the plate that slides underneath melts due to high temperature and becomes
magma. This magma builds up underneath the crust and forms a volcano. The Andes Mountains
in South America are a result of a plate sliding beneath another. The Aleutian Islands of Alaska
are another example. Earthquakes are also common along these boundaries.
1. On the simulation click the tab that says “Plate Motion”
2. Place the “continental crust” on the left, and one of the “oceanic crust” on the right.
3. Press and hold the green arrow and observe what happens.
4. Draw and record your observations.
5. Click “reset all” and repeat with “young oceanic crust” on left and “old oceanic crust” on right.
6. Draw and record your observations.