(Feb 23, 2023 at 9:05 AM)CW. Graham Cracker Model PictureScience
In science this year, we did a lot of amazing things. For example, we built a house out of cardboard then added electrical items like lights, a fan, a doorbell. We made a heat shield to protect an egg, and so many more amazing projects. Currently, we are learning about maps and tectonic plates. We just did an experiment where we used graham crackers as the plates and frosting as the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is the layer of magma under all the tectonic plates. In this experiment we learned about different ways the plates move and push against each other.
There are three types of plate boundaries, divergent, transform, and convergent. Divergent is where the plates move away from each other. Transform is when they push against each other but are moving in different directions. Transform causes earthquakes. Convergent is when two plates are pushing against each other and either form mountains or a deep trench. The trench is only formed if a plate that’s under the ocean is pushed up against one that’s under land.
In this experiment, we all had one plate we talked about. The one I got was when it forms mountains (continental convergent). I dipped the ends of the graham crackers into water and then pushed the wet sides together. They both pushed up creating a mountain. Next, we had to describe what we did in a way that a fifth grader could understand. I explained how the frosting worked as magma and the crackers worked as the plates. Then I explained one flaw of this design etc.
I hope you enjoyed learning all about the tectonic plates!