Hey there! Are you ready to learn something cool about mountains and even make your own mini versions right at home? Let’s dive into the world of mountains and see how they form!
Mountains are some of the biggest things on Earth. They can be made in different ways, but the most common type is called “fold mountains.” These mountains form when pieces of the Earth’s surface, called plates, push against each other. The Earth’s surface is like a crust, similar to the crust of a sandwich, and it’s broken into lots of pieces called plates. Even though we can’t see it happening, these plates are always moving slowly.
When two plates push into each other, the giant pieces of rock start to bend and fold into curvy shapes. This pushing makes parts of the plates move up, creating mountains. Some famous fold mountains are the Rocky Mountains in North America, the Himalayas in Asia, and the Andes in South America.
Now that you know how fold mountains form, let’s create some mini mountains using towels! Here’s what you’ll need:
Follow these steps to make your mini mountains:
Do you see how the different colored layers bend and fold? Real fold mountains around the world have layers that curve up and down just like this!
Try pushing the towels in different ways. What happens if you push them closer together or barely push them at all? Does it make a difference if you push fast or slow? Make a plan, guess what will happen, and then try it out. Don’t forget to have fun!
If you have questions about mountains, fossils, or anything else about the Earth, let us know! We’d love to hear from you. Grab a grown-up and leave a comment or send us an email. Thanks for learning with us, and see you next time!
Mountain Observation Walk: Take a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park with a grown-up. Look for hills or small mounds of dirt. Imagine these are tiny mountains. Can you see any layers in the soil or rocks? Discuss with your grown-up how these might be similar to the layers in your towel mountains. Draw a picture of what you see and label the layers.
Plate Movement Experiment: Use two pieces of cardboard to represent the Earth’s plates. Slowly push them towards each other and observe how they interact. Do they slide over each other, or do they crumple up like the towels? Try placing a small object, like a toy car, on top of the cardboard and see what happens when the “plates” move. Talk about how this is similar to how mountains form.
Story Time: The Journey of a Mountain: Create a short story about a mountain’s journey from being a flat piece of land to a tall, majestic peak. Use your imagination to describe what the mountain might “see” or “feel” as it grows. Share your story with a friend or family member and ask them what they think happens to mountains over time.
