Learning Targets
Learning Target #9
I can explain the theory of Continental
Drift, and how it was developed.
Learning Target #10
I can infer past and future movements of
Earth’s plates using evidence from the
theory of Plate Tectonics.
Vocabulary
(Put in Index of Lab Notebook)
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
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Pangaea
Continental Drift
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Plate Tectonics
Tectonic Plates
Law of Uniformitarianism
Introduction to Plate Tectonics
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
Video Hook
https://app.discoveryeducation.com/tec
hbook/concept/conceptGuid/E9AEA8B81FC4-4A5D-BAA046999736F839/unitGuid/EBC84B8740FE-4145-890765C50B383880#/tab=exploretab&page=1&subTab=curriculumstandards
Getting to Know Continental
Drift
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What is a major difference between the Lithosphere and the
Asthenosphere?
How do the Lithosphere and the Asthenosphere interact?
Who is Alfred Wegner?
What was “Pangea”?
What is the theory of Continental Drift?
What evidence did Alfred Wegner have to support his claim about
Continental Drift?
Why did people reject Alfred Wegner’s idea?
What is the theory of Plate Tectonics?
How does Plate Tectonics differ from Continental Drift?
Which natural processes occur as a result of plate tectonics?
Tectonic Plate
1. What is the major difference
between the Lithosphere and the
Asthenosphere?


The lithosphere has
rocks that are rigid
and can bend, but
cannot flow
The asthenosphere
has rocks that are
“plastic” and can flow
because of
convection
2. How do the Lithosphere and the
Asthenosphere interact?


The lithosphere is broken
up into several large
tectonic plates. The
continents and oceans are
attached to the top of these
plates.
The lithosphere plates ride
on top of the flowing
asthenosphere.
3. Who is Alfred Wegener?

German scientist who developed the
theory of Continental Drift.
4. What was “Pangea?”

Pangea was a
supercontinent
where all of
Earth’s
continents were
once joined
together.
5. What is the theory of Continental
Drift?

Continental Drift- a theory that states
that over time, the continents of Pangea
split apart and drifted to their current
locations on the globe.
6. What evidence did Alfred Wegener
have to support his claim about
Continental Drift?

Along the coastlines of Africa and South America,
he noticed:
 That the coastlines looked like they might fit
together like puzzle pieces
 The same plant and animal fossils were found
Wegner’s Evidence for
Continental Drift
Mesosaurus: a freshwater
reptile fossil found in Africa
and South America.
Glossopteris; a fern that
requires warm climates
was found on Antarctica,
Southern South America,
Australia, Southern Africa
and India.
7. Why did people reject Alfred
Wegener’s idea?

His theory of Continental Drift did not
explain how and why the continents
moved.
8. What is the
Theory of Plate Tectonics?

Plate Tectonics- Theory that the lithosphere is
broken into plates (which hold oceans and
continents) which are moving slowly around the
planet due to convection currents in the
asthenosphere.
So, How Do Those Plates Actually
Move?
Simulation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=ryrXAGY1dmE
9. How does Plate Tectonics differ
from Continental Drift?


Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift
are the same basic process. However…
Plate Tectonics explains how and why
continents move because of advanced
technology, but Continental Drift does
not.
10. Which natural processes occur as
a result of Plate Tectonics?




Creation of mountains
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions
Creation of underwater
mountain ranges
WELCOME TO THE
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE!
Far Flung Fossils Vocabulary
1.
2.
Fossil- the remains of once living animals or
plants.
Law of Superposition- rock layers at the bottom
are the oldest because they were formed first;
rock layers at the top is the youngest because it
was formed last.
Far Flung Fossils Activity
Directions- Day 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Start your journey at the continent at your table.
You will investigate the fossils in one rock layer at a
time, beginning with the youngest layer (modern timesblue). Use your catalog to help you identify them, and
record them on your chart in your notebook.
Then, you will dig into deeper, older rock layers.
You should finish with the oldest rock layer (300myared).
When time is called, pack your bags and fly to the next
continent (go in numerical order).
*8 goes to 9, 9 to 10, 10 to 1.
Far Flung Fossils Activity
Directions- Day 2
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Trace and label 4 “Globes” in your lab notebook.
Grab a stack of continents from the lab counters
Working with one color at a time, arrange the continents
location by using the fossil evidence you gathered
yesterday. (2 minutes)
Share out your ideas with the class.
Glue mini-continents into your “Globes”
Answer Question 4b after making each arrangement by
time period

Develop a reason for arranging the continents the way that you
did for each time period.
Fossils and Living Animals Found on 5
Continents of Gondwanaland
?# Time
Present
Day
(Blue)
#3
#2
South America


100

Million
Years Ago
(Green)
200

Million 
Years Ago
(Yellow)

Africa
Giant Anteater
Earthworm
Genus 2, Species
2


Aardvark
Earthworm
Genus 2,
Species 1
Secernosaurus

Kentrosaurus 
Mesosaurus
Later
Glossopteris
Flora
Dicroidium Flora



Lystrosaurus
Mesosaurus
Later
Glossopteris
Flora
Dicroidium
Flora
Early
Glossopteris
Flora

#1
300

Million
Years Ago
(Red)
India
Early
Glossopteris
Flora







Pangolin
Earthworm
Genus 1,
Species 2
Australia


Brachyopodo 
saurus

Lystrosaurus
Later
Glossopteris
Flora
Dicroidium
Flora

Early
Glossopteris
Flora


Echidna
Earthworm
Genus 1,
Species 1
Antarctica

None
Austrosaurus 
Minmi

Austrosaurus
Minmi
Later
Glossopteris
Flora
Dicroidium
Flora


Lystrosaurus
Later
Glossopteris
Flora
Dicroidium
Flora
Early
Glossopteris
Flora


Early
Glossopteris
Flora
Far Flung Fossils
Debriefing
Based on the activity, what
evidence did Alfred Wegener offer
to support his theory of
Continental Drift?
What are Glaciers?


Huge amounts of
snow, ice and rock
debris that
accumulate in great
quantities and begin
to flow outwards and
downwards under the
pressure of their own
weight.
They are just sheets
of ice that move over
land. They do not
move continents!
Glacial Grooves

Deep
trenches
in the
land
caused
by
glaciers
moving
Present Day Continent
Locations
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 1a. On the basis of what you found in the
red rocks, which continents had similar
fossils?
A- All of the continents had similar fossils.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 1b. On the basis of what you found in the
red rocks, from this fossil evidence, which
continents seem to have been connected 300
million years ago?
A- All of the continents seem to have been
connected.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 2a. On the basis of what you found in the
yellow rocks, which continents had similar
fossils?
A- All had similar plant fossils. South America
and Africa had Mesosaurus. Antarctica, India,
and Africa had Lystrosaurus.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 2b. On the basis of what you found in the
yellow rocks, from this fossil evidence, what
can you tell about the connections of the 5
continents about 200 million years ago?
A- The continents were probably very close
together, but beginning to move apart.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 3a. On the basis of what you found in the
green rocks, which continents had similar
fossils?
A- Only Australia and Antarctica had similar
fossils.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 3b. On the basis of what you found in the
green rocks, from this fossil evidence, which
continents seem to have been connected 100
millioin years ago?
A- Only Australia and Antarctica
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 4b. Explain your reasons for putting the continents
together as you did for each time period.
A300 mya (red): They all contained the same fossils. They fit
together like puzzle pieces. Glacial grooves showed where the glacier
started and spread to.
200 mya (yellow): Continents had similar plant fossils, but not all
the same animal fossils. This suggests they were moving apart.
100 mya (green): Except for Australia and Antartica, each continent
had its own distinct (different) fossils.
Today (blue): Continents are in their present day position. Fossils
are completely different.

Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 5a. Suppose you were the first person to
have found the glacial grooves in southeastern South America. From where would it
seem the glacier came? Could the glacier
have come from the ocean?
A- Glacier seems to have come from the
ocean. No, glaciers cannot move across
oceans.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 5b. Why would the geologist who first
found the glacial grooves in India be puzzled
by the discovery?
A- It seems the glaciers would be spreading
out from the equator (hottest region of
Earth). Glaciers always start at the coldest
point.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 5c. How might the idea of continental drift
explain 300 million year old glacial grooves on
four separate southern continents?
A- When the continents were together, a
large glacier formed at the coldest point and
spread out in all directions.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 5d. Where on the surface of the Earth was
the probable location of the “x” 300 million
years ago? (Remember, that a continental
glacier moves out and away from its center)
A- The “x” on Africa was probably at or near
the South Pole
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 5e. Where would you look for glacial
grooves in the 300 million year old rock of
Antarctica?
A- On the coastlines closest to Africa (arrows
should be pointing downward)
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 6. Two species of living earthworms in the soils of southern
South America and Africa were found to be very closely related.
Also, 2 species of living earthworms in soils of southern India
and southern Australia were found to be very closely related.
How is the theory of Continental Drift strengthened by the
evidence of closely related earthworms on widely separated
continents?
A- When South America and Africa were connected, they had
the same soil and earthworms. When the continents separated,
the earthworms would have changed a little bit (because they
had to adapt to their new soil environment).
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
Q- 7. Explain in terms of Continental Drift and evolution how 4
very different kinds of ant/termite eaters could occur in most of
the continents.
A- After the continents separated, different ant eaters
developed to eat the insects on that continent. However, they
are similar because they came from the same ancestor from
when the continents were connected. (Isolation of Mammals)
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key #8a


Reason #1:
Continents fit
together like
puzzle pieces
Evidence #1:
South America and
Africa fit together
almost perfectly.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
#8a


Reason #2: Similar
plant fossils on
separate continents
Evidence #2:
Early Glossopteris
Flora (warm climate
plant) fossils found
on all continents
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
#8a


Reason #3: Similar
animal fossils on
separate continents
Evidence #3:



Mesosaurus on S.
America and Africa
Lystrosaurus on India,
Antarctica, and Africa.
Minmi was on
Australia and
Antarctica
Far Flung Fossils
Answer Key #8a


Reason #4: Glacial
Grooves
Evidence #4:
 Glacial grooves were
found on many
continents, but glaciers
can’t move over water.
 Glacial grooves are
found on Africa, but
that’s too near the
equator. Africa must
have moved from the
South Pole area.
Far Flung Fossils Answer Key
#8a


Reason #5: Isolation
(separation) of
mammals
Evidence #5:
Mammals didn’t exist
until after the
continents split up.
Different anteaters
from the same ancestor
on Pangea are found
on separate continents.
Other Evidence of Plate
Tectonics
Reason #6
Movement of continents can be
measured
Evidence #6
• Global positioning satellites (GPS)
show that Europe and North
America are moving apart by
about 2.3cm every year.
Other Evidence of Plate Tectonics
Reason #7
Matching mountain
ranges on coastlines
Evidence #7
The Appalachian
Mountains in North
America match up with
Mountain Ranges on
the coast of Africa

What is the Law of
Uniformitarianism?

Law of Uniformitarianism- the idea
that the way things happen today is the
way things have always happened in
the past, and the way they will continue
to happen in the future.

Example: if animals with wings fly today,
we can infer that fossilized animals with
wings were probably able to fly.
Applying the Law of Uniformitarianism
to Plate Tectonics
1.
2.
Use the Law of Uniformitarianism to explain how you
know Pangea once existed.
 Since we know the speed and direction continents
move today (by GPS), we can make inferences about
where they have been in the past. If some continents
are moving apart now, they must have been together
in Pangea.
Infer where continents will be located on our globe in
the future.
 In the future, they will probably rejoin to be a new
and different supercontinent.
Warm-Up
Use your
Argumentation
checklist (Claim,
Reason, Evidence,
Rationale) to answer
the question below:
1.What was Alfred
Wegener’s CLAIM?
11-3-14
Warm-Up
11-4-14
Write out the questions and answers in your
lab notebook. Use your colored diagram of
the layers of the Earth to assist you.
1.
2.
3.
Which main layer of the Earth contains the
asthenosphere?
Which main layer of the Earth contains the
lithosphere?
Which main layer of the Earth contains the
continents and oceans?
Warm-Up
1.
11-5-14
Review the Plate Tectonics simulation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrXAGY1dmE
2.
List 2-3 wonderings, comments, or
inferences about plate movement.
Warm-Up
1.
2.
11-6-14
Read the first page of Far Flung Fossils
packet carefully. Be prepared to be called
on to share what we will be doing today.
Page through the remainder of the catalog
to see the types of fossils you will
encounter today.
Warm-Up
11-7-14
Record LT#10 in your Table of Contents and
your next available notebook space (probably
after your fossil chart)
Learning Target #10
I can infer past and future movements of
Earth’s plates using evidence from the theory
of Plate Tectonics.
Warm-Up
11-11-14
Write 3-5 sentences about what you learned
during the Far Flung Fossils activity from the
previous 2 class periods.