He studied land features, fossils, and evidence of climate change. Oceans, a book outlining wegeners theory, was published. You will be piecing together a puzzle of the supercontinent pangea based on fossil and rock evidence on the present day continents. In the early 1900s, alfred wegener proposed the idea of continental drift.
A historical account of how continental drift and plate tectonics. These frames are reconstructed maps of the landmasses that existed on earth at a specific time. Lab based activity that allows students to observe all the supercontinents that have existed and how they changed over time. A plate tectonic puzzle american museum of natural history. The discovery of apparent polar wander renewed scientists interest in continental drift. Later, seismometersinstruments that measure the motions of the groundand other technologies showed that continental drift was real. Activity highlights and suggested timeframe engagement.
Sep 30, 2014 travel through deep time with this interactive earth explore key moments in earths transformative history as continents drift and climate fluctuates over 4. Fossil evidence of continental drift key and puzzle work sheets hyper linked fig some of the landmasses of the ancient supercontinent gondwanaland show selected geological and fossil evidence. Pangea continent map continental drift supercontinent. The speculation that continents might have drifted was first put forward by abraham ortelius in 1596. Students will understand what continental drift is, why it occurs, and how earthquakes occur because of it. A continental drift flipbook, journal of geology, v. In addition, a variant spelling of pangaea is pangea.
Travel through deep time with this interactive earth explore key moments in earths transformative history as continents drift and climate fluctuates over 4. In the early 20th century, wegener published a paper explaining his theory that the continental landmasses were drifting across the earth, sometimes plowing through oceans and into each other. When people made the first maps of the new world, the puzzlelike fit of the american and the europeanafrican coastlines seemed more than a coincidence. Travel through deep time with this interactive earth. Set in the early 1980s, it follows two plots, through which banks explores the relationship between apparently distant people drawn together in the world under globalization, which banks compares to the geologic phenomena of continental drift. This video explores how the apparent fit of the continents, fossil and rock correlation, and paleoclimate data.
At the time of his death in 1930, the technology needed to validate continental drift was still decades away. My first book about outer space 544 best rocks and minerals images on. This continental drift lesson plan is suitable for 6th 8th grade. Susd5 student version of the continental drift activity. Provide students with copies of map sheets figure 1 photocopied on heavy paper card stock, each with a number of frames f1 to f20. Some intellectuals suggested that perhaps the continents might have been connected at one time, but few accepted this. For example, wegener noticed that when he pieced together maps of. Map activity continental drift use the pieces that you have been provided to try to develop the same ideas as early explorers. One of the reasons is that his theory had no credible mechanism. First, we need to know who alfred wegener is and what his hypothesis, continental drift is all about. Continental drift is the theory that the earths continents have moved over geologic time relative to each other, thus appearing to have drifted across the ocean bed.
A brief overview of the theory of continental drift and the evidence supporting it. The continental drift hypothesis was developed in the early part of the 20th century, mostly by alfred wegener. Write the evidence in a graphic organizer like the one below. The idea was not quite correct compared to the plate tectonics theory of today but his thinking was on the proper track. This was the time when reptiles and winged insects first appeared. Another problem with wegeners proposal was the fact that he stated that the velocity of continental drift was 8. You will be piecing together a puzzle of the supercontinent pangaea based on fossil and rock evidence on the presentday continents. Alfred wegeners fossil evidence for continental drift is shown on the cutouts. Continental drift is a 1985 novel by russell banks.
Continental drift interactive simulations edumedia. Under each flap of the evidence foldable, explain how that evidence supports continental drift. Station activity includes activities covering pangaea, alfred wegener, and different forms of evidence for continental drift theory. On the puzzle pieces handout, assign a color to each type of fossil or mountain belt in the legend and color the areas on the landmasses. A brief introduction to alfred wegeners theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the. Starting with pangaea, draw how the continents would look, then as continental drift was in progress, then color in the present day world map.
Freelooks like a great intro activity for continental drift theory this is a simple lesson, with a powerful understanding of alfred wegeners idea of continental drift. Nov 29, 2012 a brief introduction to alfred wegeners theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the geology of the earth. We now have not only detailed geographical maps of the entire earth in the. Continental drift timeline activity sheet continental. Continental drift theory continental drift is the hypothesis that all the continents had once been joined together in a single landmass. Continental drift plates in the crust of the earth, according to the plate tectonics theory from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia continental drift is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. Wegener said that continents move around on earths surface and that they were once joined together as a single supercontinent. Seafloor spreading theory sfst seafloor spreading describes the movement of. Apparently, it was on a reading list for an english class in which he was enrolled. Polar wandering similar to continental drift theory polar wandering is the relative movement of the earths crust and upper mantle with respect to the rotational poles of the earth.
Although the evidence for continental drift was extremely strong, scientists rejected the idea because no mechanism for how solid continents could move around on the solid earth was developed. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics plate tectonics is a theory developed in the late 1960s, to explain how the outer layers of the earth move and deform. Teacher prompts students with questions about earths interior. Collaborative learners look for fossil evidence that supports the theory that one supercontinent divided into two. Students will plot on a world map volcanic eruptions and. State alfred wegeners hypothesis about how earths continents have moved. This lab is designed to get your students engaged, collaborating, and moving in your daily lesson.
Since the development of the theory, geologists have had to reexamine almost every aspect of. Since the development of the theory, geologists have had to reexamine almost every. Continental drift timeline activity sheet continental drift. Jul 24, 2019 continental drift was a revolutionary scientific theory developed in the years 19081912 by alfred wegener 18801930, a german meteorologist, climatologist, and geophysicist, that put forth the hypothesis that the continents had all originally been a part of one enormous landmass or supercontinent about 240 million years ago before breaking apart and drifting to their current locations. Mar, 2007 this book was introduced to me by my eldest son who is a student at the university of california, berkeley.
Voyage through time a plate tectonics page 2 of 16 procedure. Students will defend their position on continental drift. The theory of continental drift is most associated with the scientist alfred wegener. Wegeners fossil evidence continental drift continents with fossils on them to cut out and piece together. The theory has caused a revolution in the way we think about the earth. The heat from inside the earth causes the material of the mantle to permanently rise up along the ocean ridges, resulting in the formation of a dense basaltic crust which slowly rolls away from the ridge, much like a rug being rolled up. Mar 18, 2017 continental drift timeline activity sheet continental drift, timeline, activity, sheet, worksheet. Before the 1800s there once was a theory of how all of our landmasses ended up in their current locations. As you read about the evidence that supports the theory of continental drift, complete the graphic. While wegener was alive, scientists did not believe that the continents could move.
Five hun dred years ago, the sea vo yages of columbus an d other explorers changed the map of the world. Mountain ranges and other landforms provided evidence for. Continental drift and plate tectonics f you look closely at a world map, you might notice something about the coastlines of south america and africa. In a book called the origin of continents and oceans, wegener presented his evidence. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics.
Your job is to write down observations in your lab notebook about what you see when dealing with these different pieces. Dec 16, 2019 continental drift refers to the movement of the continents relative to each other. This activity is a teacherled demonstration of continental drift and includes a math worksheet for students involving the calculation of continental drift over time. To start this activity the teacher will present background information on wegener. Color the legend on the puzzle pieces handout according to the key. Continental drift germantown municipal school district. Feb 01, 1985 continental drift by russell banks great book that almost made it into my all time favorites, but then it turned out to be less positive than this panglossian reader likes his reads to be there are two small chapters to this note.
In a book called the origin of continents and oceans. Wegeners evidence sheet, the student map of the world today reference. Jun 04, 2018 a number a geologists denounced his hypothesis after he published it in his book about the origin of oceans and continents in 1915. Continental drift lesson plan for 6th 8th grade lesson planet. Tcss earth systems unit 2 plate tectonics information. Next, fill out the evidence foldable with four pieces of evidence mentioned in the reading passage. Be sure to come prepared to discuss the theory of pangaea and the two supercontinents, laurasia and gondwanaland. This is a simple lesson, with a powerful understanding of alfred wegeners idea of continental drift. Cut out each of the continents along the edge of the continental shelf the outermost dark line. Use those same colors to color each type of fossil or mountain belt according to your legend. Continental drift wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Plate tectonics latitude and longitude activity use world map.
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