Pangaea Puzzle
Introduction
In the early 1900s, a German scientist named Alfred Wegener noticed that the shape of the continental
coastlines appeared as if they could fit together. From this and other evidence, he proposed that the presentday continents were once connected as a single, large landmass or supercontinent that he called Pangaea.
Wegener proposed a theory that 200 million years ago Pangaea began to break apart into individual
continents that drifted to their current positions, this theory is called Continental Drift.
Wegener amassed a great deal of varied information to support his theory. He learned that fossils of the
same plants and animals had been found on several different modern-day continents. How these identical
plants and animals came to be in such different geographic regions intrigued Wegener. The fossils were
separated by vast expanses of ocean, yet appeared to be the same species. Wegener reasoned that the
organisms must have evolved together on one supercontinent before the landmass broke apart. He did not
believe the organisms could have been separated by physically traveling across the ocean. In Wegener’s
time, many scientists believed that a land bridge had once connected the continents that shared similar
fossils. However, this hypothesis could not explain the climatic inconsistencies that Wegner also came to
discover.
Around 250 million years ago, vast ice sheets covered extensive portions of the earth. When these glaciers
moved, they left great gouges, called glacial scars, in patterns on the land. Such glacial scarring has been
found in climates that are currently too warm to support glacial formation. For example, evidence for past
glaciation has been identified in the hot, equatorial region of Africa; Wegener believed that glaciated areas
were once joined together as the single supercontinent of Pangaea, and that Pangaea was located far to the
south of the present locations of the African glacial scars. He reasoned that certain areas, which were once
nearer the southern pole drifted north upon the breakup of Pangaea.
Wegener also learned about mismatches of paleontologic findings and modem-day climate, Distinctive
fossils of the ancient fern-like plant, Glossopteris, have been discovered in the polar region of Antarctica.
The growth of such plant life in Antarctica is not possible today. Wegener believed that Antarctica was
once in a more temperate location on the globe as part of Pangaea. In addition, deposits of coal formed
from the accumulated remains of ancient tropical and subtropical plants have been found in places where
present climatic conditions would not support the growth of such vegetation. Many coal fields exist today
in the temperate climate of Pennsylvania. Wegener believed that this area of North America was once
located in the subtropical equatorial zone as part of Pangaea. When Pangaea split apart, the warm swamps
with their lush vegetation drifted north, eventually becoming the major coal fields of the eastern United
States, Europe, and Asia. This fossil evidence supported Wegener’s theory that the continents were once in
different locations on the earth.
Many of the present-day continents also exhibit similarities in geological formations, such as mountain
ranges and sequences of layered sedimentary rock. For example, the Appalachian Mountains extend along
the eastern flank of North America and disappear off the coast of Newfoundland. Mountains of about the
same age and structure as the Appalachians are found in Greenland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia.
When the continents bearing these mountain chains are put together as Pangaea, the mountain ranges
connect to form a nearly continuous belt, adding further support to Wegener’s theory.
In this activity you will model the thought process used by Alfred Wegener to develop his theory of
Continental Drift. You will use the evidence that was available to Wegener to think critically and recreate a
representation of the ancient landmass of Pangaea.
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Instructions:
Note: Since there are many steps it may be helpful to check off each step as it is completed.
1. Carefully tape the two map pieces together, so that they line up, forming one large map. Then carefully
cut the nine puzzle pieces out.
2. The set of continent pieces represents nine different landmasses: North America, South America, Africa,
Madagascar, Greenland, Eurasia, India, Antarctica, and Australia. Using the key page in the K-1 section
determine the identity of each. Position each piece in their present-day locations on the map. Pay close
attention to the orientation of Greenland, Madagascar, Australia, and Antarctica as these continents could
be easily inverted during the layout.
3. Write the name in the center of each piece from West to East in pencil. Due to the size of Greenland and
Madagascar you may want to abbreviate Greenland using GLD, and Madagascar using MGR.
4. In developing the theory of Continental Drift, Alfred Wegener synthesized several lines of evidence.
You will use the symbols on the key page in the legend section to represent the physical evidence that
Wegener gathered during his time. Follow the instructions to draw these symbols in specific locations on
the appropriate continent pieces.
Wegener found that fossils of the same ancient plant were present on several different modern-day
continents. The fern-like plant, Glossopteris, existed around 260 million years ago. Fossils of this plant
have been located in India, Australia, Antarctica, South America, Madagascar, and Africa.
5. Draw one green leaf symbol for Glossopteris within the northern half of India.
6. Draw two green leaf symbols for Glossopteris along the northern coast of Australia on the western edge.
7. Draw one green leaf symbol for Glossopteris along the northeastern coast of Antarctica.
8. Draw one green leaf symbol for Glossopteris in the southern portion of South America.
9. Draw one green leaf symbol for Glossopteris within the northern half of Madagascar.
10. Draw three green leaf symbols for Glossopteris running from the central east coast of Africa diagonally
to the southwestern coast.
Wegner also discovered that fossils of the same reptiles were found on different continents. The reptile
Cynognathus existed 240 million years ago. Fossils of this organism have been found in South America and
Africa.
11. Draw two purple symbols for Cynognathus along the central east coast on South America.
12. Draw two purple symbols for Cynognathus along the central west coast of Africa.
The reptile Lystrosaurus also lived around 240 million years ago. Fossils of this organism have been found
in Africa, India, Antarctica, and Madagascar.
13. Draw three brown symbols for Lystrosaurus from central Africa to its east coast.
14. Draw one brown symbol for Lystrosaurus within the southern half of India.
15. Draw one brown symbol for Lystrosaurus along the northeastern coast of Antarctica.
16. Draw one brown symbol for Lystrosaurus within the southern half of Madagascar.
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
The reptile, Mesosaurus, swam in freshwater lakes and rivers about 260 million years ago. Fossils of this
organism have been found in South America and Africa.
17. Draw three red symbols for Mesosaurus within the southern tip of South America.
18. Draw three red symbols for Mesosaurus within the southern tip of Africa.
Glacial scarring exists in areas that are or have been covered by glacial ice. Wegener found that such
glacial evidence exists in South America, Africa, India, Antarctica, Madagascar, and Australia.
19. Draw the blue symbol for glacial scarring within the southern tip of South America.
20. Draw the blue symbol for glacial scarring along the eastern half of Africa extending from the southern
tip to the Equator.
21. Draw the blue symbol for glacial scarring throughout the entire continents of India, Antarctica, and
Madagascar.
22. Draw the blue symbol for glacial scarring along the western coast of Australia.
Mountain ranges of the same age and geologic structure have been found in North America, Eurasia,
Africa, and Greenland.
23. Draw the black symbol for mountain ranges stretching along the southeastern portion of North
America.
24. Draw the black symbol for mountain ranges stretching along the west coast of Eurasia.
25. Draw the black symbol for mountain ranges stretching along the northwest coast of Africa.
26. Draw the black symbol for mountain ranges stretching along the east coast of Greenland.
Deposits of subtropical plants in the form of coal have been found within South America, Eurasia, and
North America.
27. Draw four orange subtropical deposits along the northern coast of South America.
28. Draw four orange subtropical deposits along the southern coast of Eurasia on the western edge.
29. Draw four orange subtropical deposits along the southeastern portion of North America.
30. Color the map blue for oceans and green for land.
30. Use the evidence represented by the symbols drawn on your landmass pieces, along with the shapes of
the continental coast lines to piece all the continents together as Pangaea. Start by positioning Antarctica a
quarter inch north of the bottom edge of the map (See image K-2 in on the key page.).
31. Bring the other continent piece to Antarctica and fit them together. Pay close attention to the coast lines.
Glue all pieces in place.
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Name__________________________________ Date ____________ Period______
Pangaea Puzzle Map Questions:
1. Why was the discovery of Cynognathus fossils in modern-day South
America and Africa significant to Alfred Wegener? ____________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. How did the position of the mountain ranges on the continent pieces help
you piece together the representation of Pangaea? ____________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. Explain how subtropical plants were once able to grow in regions of
present-day North America and Eurasia in which they cannot grow today.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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4. Which continent drifted south upon the breakup of Pangaea? What
evidence from Wegener’s data leads you to this conclusion?
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
5. Which continent moved the greatest distance from its position within
Pangaea to its present-day location?
_____________________________________________________________
Give an example from Wegener’s data to describe how climate changed on
this continent as a result of the new location. _________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006
Adapted from Carolina biological Supply Pangaea Puzzle Kit 2006