Download Plate Models - Fairmont State University

Plate Models (Adapted from the FOSS Earth History, 2nd Edition, Investigation Guide)
Students use plate models to simulate interactions at plate boundaries that result from plates moving in different ways.
Essential Question: What happens to Earth’s crust during plate interactions?
STANDARDS:
S.7.ESS.6 – Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor
structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions.
S.9.ESS.5 – Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of
plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.
MATERIALS:
4 Foam pieces, 15 x 20 cm
3 Cardboard pieces, 15 x 20 cm
3 Foam pieces, 2 blue, 1 yellow, 7.5 x 30 cm
1 Scissors
Permanent marker
Plate Model A, B, C, and D Instructions
4 Zip bags, gallon
Plate Interaction Map, notebook sheet
Plate-Interaction Map
PREPARATION:
Model A: Continental-Continental Plate
2 Foam pieces, 15 x 20 cm
Model A instructions
1. Mark a center line around the outer edge of each foam piece.
2. Place the 2 foam pieces next to each other along the longer side.
3. On the topside close to where the two pieces meet, draw an arrow up on one and down on the other.
4. Label both halves on the lower outside corners as “A”.
5. Store in zip bag with Model A instructions.
Model B: Oceanic-Oceanic Plate
2 Cardboard pieces, 15 x 20 cm
Model B instructions
1. Place the 2 cardboard pieces next to each other along the longer side.
2. On the topside close to where the two pieces meet, draw an arrow up on one and down on the other.
3. Label both halves on the lower outside corners as “B”.
4. Store in zip bag with Model B instructions.
Model C: Oceanic-Continental Plate
1 Foam piece, 15 x 20 cm
1 Cardboard pieces, 15 x 20 cm
Model C instructions
1. Mark a center line around the outer edge of the foam piece.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Place the foam and cardboard pieces next to each other along the longer side.
On the topside close to where the two pieces meet, draw an arrow up on one and down on the other.
Label both halves on the lower outside corners as “C”.
Store in zip bag with Model C instructions.
Model D: Midcontinent Mountain Building
2 Foam pieces, blue, 7.5 x 30 cm
1 Foam piece, yellow, 7.5 x 30 cm
Model D instructions
1. On the surface of the top piece, draw two arrows at the outer edges pointing towards the center.
2. Label a lower outside corner as “D”.
3. Store in zip bag with Model D instructions.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Introduce the plate-interaction models
2. In groups, have students take the foam/cardboard pieces out of the zip bag leaving the instructions in the bag
for now.
3. Allow time to explore and develop ideas for using the materials to show the different plate interactions and the
resulting formation.
4. Have students then use the instructions for the activity.
5. Provide a copy of the Plate Interaction Map notebook sheet to each student and the Plate-Interaction Map to
answer questions about each model.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
 Students explain that foam foam pieces represent continental plates and that cardboard pieces represent
oceanic plates.
 Students accurately identify locations of plate boundaries on Earth that correlate with a given model.
 Students record organized observations and ideas in their notebooks.
 Based on the models, students develop a reasonable explanation for the resulting landforms or changes in the
crust where the two plates interact.
FURTHER DISCUSSION:
Convergent Boundary:
Model A
 What did you observe as the two pieces were pushed together forming a convergent boundary? (The two sides
of the plates along the boundary wrinkle up or bulge up.)
 Where do you see a plate boundary with pieces of continental crust converging on Earth? (The region between
Saudi Arabia and the Eurasia: the region between India and the Eurasia.)
 What landform do you see on Earth there? (Mountains; the Himalayas.)
 Introduce the term uplift.
Model B
 Why would is this model difficult to demonstrate convergence? (The cardboard tends to push up like a tent.)
 Where do you see a boundary with oceanic crust converging? (Look for arrows that move in one direction only)
 Introduce the term trench.
Models A and B
 Introduce the term subduction.

Point out on the map where the eastern edges of the Pacific Plate along the western edge of South America are
subduction zones as well as areas along other trenches.
 Earthquakes and volcanoes tend to happen near subduction zones.
Model C
 What happens when foam and cardboard push together? (The foam pushes up over the cardboard and the
cardboard continues to slide under the foam.)
 Where do you see a continental-oceanic interaction like this on Earth? (The boundary between the South
American and Nazca plates.)
 What landform do you see there? (The Andes Mountains.)
Divergent Boundary:
Models A and B
 As the two pieces are pulled apart, what happens between them? (A space develops.)
 Where do you see two continental plates pulling apart like this on Earth? (Between Arabian and African plates.)
 Where do you see two oceanic plates like this? (Along Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.)
 There are no gaps in Earth’s crust. So what happens in the space between the two plates? (Subduction.)
Model C
 Where do you see a continental-oceanic divergent boundary like this on Earth? (None are visible)
 Explain that divergent boundaries almost always occur between two oceanic plates.
Model D
 What did you observe happening as you pushed the sides together? (The middle bent upward so that all three
layers formed an arch.)
 What would you call the landform that was created if this happened in Earth’s crust? (A mountain, hill, or
plateau.)
 Looking at the map, where do you think landforms like this might occur? (Where the plate is being pushed from
two sides. The Tibetan Plateau is an example.)
Transform Boundary:
Model A
 What did you observe as the two pieces moved past each other? (The pieces bent and warped some and then
broke apart where they were touching and separated past one another.)
 Was it difficult or easy to slide the two pieces when they were touching? (Not hard but they didn’t slide
smoothly. Energy build up and then broke loose.)
 Where do you see two continental plates moving past each other like this on Earth? (The San Andreas Fault in
California.)
 Introduce the term fault.
Model B
 Where do you see two oceanic plates moving past each other like this on Earth? (Hundreds are visible on the
map. More occur at oceanic plates than at continental plates.)
Model C
 Where do you see a continental-oceanic transform boundary on Earth? (Northern California.)
 What do you know about volcanoes that might explain why there is no empty space between the plates at the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge? (Lava flows up in the space between the plates at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. As plates get
subducted under other plates and sink, new molten rock fills in spaces opening between other plates.)