Reconstructing Pangea
Learning Targets

I can explain continental drift and what causes it
by using evidence to reconstruct Pangea.
On white board…

List the 5 layers of the Earth based on physical
structure in order from the outside to the inside.

Which layer is the hottest?

Which layer of the Earth is under the greatest
amount of pressure?

Which layer is considered plastic?
Who was Alfred Wegener?

1915

Proposed the idea of
continental drift

While watching the video:
 What
type of scientist was Wegener?
 What
2 continents did Wegener notice fit together?
 What
is Pangea Greek for?
What is the theory of continental drift?

Supercontinent – Pangea began breaking apart about 200
million years ago

Continents “drifted” to present positions
What proof did Wegener have?
Reconstructing Pangea

Silently read over the introduction on the front
page of the activity. While reading, you will learn
about five pieces of evidences for continental
drift.

On page 27 in your ISN:
 List
the 5 pieces of evidence that Alfred Wegener used
to support the idea of continental drift
Wegener’s Evidence
1.
Shape of continents
2.
Fossils
3.
Climate (coal deposits and tropical plants)
4.
Mountain ranges
5.
Glacial scars
Shape of the Continents

Like a puzzle, the shape of each continent seemed to
connect and fit with the others

http://safeshare.tv/v/ss5624d075b6260

When Pangea broke apart, how many continents did it first
become?
Fossil Evidence

Both Mesosaurus and Glossopteris were organisms that
would not have been able to travel to the different
continents at the distances that the continents are at
today.
Fossil Evidence

The fossils on various continents
make sense when you put them
back together.
Mountain
Ranges

Wegener’s matching of
mountain ranges on
different continents
Paleo-climate

How can we account for the evidence of ancient
glaciers in all these areas?
Reconstructing Pangea

Begin working through the packet.

Your goal for today is to have steps one and two
completed by the end of class.
 Step
1 – color code the key and draw it on the
evidence on pages 1 and 2
 Step
2 – Use the information from the evidence to
place each item on the map.