Our Changing World
The world in which we live is continually changing. Earthquakes, volcanoes, and other
forces of nature gradually shape our continent. While we sleep the continents are slowly, ever so
minutely, adrift in the seas of our planet. Today you will learn about the changes our Earth has
experienced throughout its existence and the changes it may face.
Objectives
 Students will be familiar with vocabulary involving plate tectonics and continental drift
 Students will be able to describe how plates move
 Students will be able to explain the supercontinental theory
 Students will be able to compare and contrast two evolutionary periods of time in regards
to plate tectonics
 Students will be able to identify present-day areas that are continually experience changes
in land mass
 Students will be able to explain how continents placement affects climate and species that
live there
Directions
 Read each Task before beginning.
 Complete each task quietly.
 Use “Copy/Paste” each link into a web browser window so you don’t have to type in each
long Internet address
 Submit your “Continental Drift Quiz” for grading
 Submit your Venn Diagram of two geological time periods for grading
 Submit other materials as required by your teacher
TASK 1- Important Vocabulary Words for Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift
1. Type in the following website to read and hear vocabulary words and their definitions.
http://www.nisd.net/lockehill/webquests/platetectonics/task1vocab.htm
2. Now, type in the following link to practice learning these new words.
http://www.quia.com/custom/514main.html
3. Use the Flashcards game to practice the vocabulary definitions. Read the directions and
go through the desk of 20 cards by reading each one, clicking on it to flip it over and see
the word, then clicking on the "Try again later" button. Once you have gone through the
deck once, now try to guess each word without looking at it first. When you know the
word that matches the definition without looking first, click the "Remove card" button
and try the next one. If you can't get one, click the "Try again later" button and go on to
the next card. Move on to step #4 when you have removed all of the cards from the deck.
4. Now play the Matching, Concentration, and Word Search games to practice the
vocabulary definitions until you feel you know all the words really well.
5. Be prepared… quiz tomorrow! .
TASK 2- Learn about Continental Drift.
1. Find your worksheet titled “Continental drift treasure hunt”
2. Go to this website:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml
Here you will read about the Theory of Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift. Using your
printed worksheet, answer the questions as you read through the information found on
this site.
3. Be sure to read all of the information carefully. Also, view the animated graphic on the
Continental Drift. See if you can spot when Pangea is formed (hint: when all the
continents are together, 200 million years ago).
4. Submit your worksheet to your teacher before you leave today for grading.
5. Now, go to the online quiz found at this website:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/radiobuttonquiz/Tectoni
cspz.shtml
6. If you answer the questions correctly, the puzzle pieces will form a picture of the earth's
crust. If you answer a question incorrectly, the puzzle piece that shows up will be in the
incorrect place so you will need to try another answer. If you are not sure of an answer,
you can look back at the Web site for the answer. When you are finished with the quiz,
you can close that window.
7. Now, visit this website for a Pangea puzzle.
http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/education/student/tectonics/continental_drift.html
8. When you get to where the map is on the website, click first on the "Pangea On" button
to see the outline of Pangea. This outline will guide you in fitting the pieces into their
correct positions. You will form the supercontinent, Pangea, by clicking and dragging the
continents with your mouse. If you need to rotate a continent, click on it to highlight it
and then slowly click and drag the circle rotate button.
9. From what you learned, answer the questions on the worksheet titled “About Pangea”
TASK 3- Earth: changing through time
1. Go to the following website http://www.scotese.com/earth.htm
2. Scroll down and look for the links on the left side of the screen.
3. Travel through time by clicking on the different time period links at the left of your
screen. The different time periods show what the earth looked like in the far distant past
and what it might look like in the future.
4. Try to identify which geological time scale involved an Ice Age.
5. Choose two time periods and find similarities and differences between them. Record your
thoughts by building a Venn Diagram. If you don’t know what this is, as your teacher.
6. Submit this Venn Diagram to your teacher for grading.
TASK 4- Virtual field trip to learn about how glaciers have changed Earth’s surface
1. Open your notebook and take out a blank piece of paper as you will be taking notes as
you watch a video.
2. Visit the following website: http://www.sd5.k12.mt.us/glaciereft/glac1.htm
3. You need Real Player downloaded on your computer to hear the audio part of the virtual
field trip. If Real Player is already on your computer, click the blue Real Player button
near the top right corner of the screen to start the field trip. If not, you will need to
download it.
4. This virtual field trip is about twenty-five minutes in length. Make sure to take notes in
your science journal on important facts as you view the virtual field trip.
5. These notes will be important to help you summarize what you learned (in case you are
asked about it on tomorrow’s quiz….)
6. Once the video finishes, open Microsoft Word.
7. Put your name on the paper you are typing and title it “Glacier Video”
8. Using your notes, in your own words, summarize how glaciers change the land. Your
summary should be no longer than three sentences.
9. After typing this summary, use bullets to state at least 5 other interesting facts you
learned from this virtual field trip.
10. Print your paper and submit it to your teacher.
Extension: Online Video about Plate Tectonics, teacher led…
1. Go to this website: http://www.brainpop.com/
2. Click on the “Science Movies” section. Let the next page load, then choose the "Plate Tectonics" link from
the list of given movies. Be sure you have the sound on.
3. Once the video loads, click on “Play the Movie”
4. As time allows, after viewing the video, click on the button “Play the Quiz” and take a short quiz
Alternative Extension: Multi-media group work
1. Have students work in teams to develop a presentation about a topic they have learned from this exercise.
Examples could include “Jurassic versus Triassic” or “Glaciers”
These activities have been specially adapted for Seabreeze High School. This study was based on the website
http://www.nisd.net/lockehill/webquests/platetectonics/index.htm