CONTINENTAL DRIFT/PANGAEA
6TH GRADE SCIENCE
Mrs. Tabetha Cooksey
SUPPORT FOR CONTINENTAL DRIFT
1. SHAPE OF THE CONTINENTS
Continents fit together like puzzle pieces
(Jigsaw)
SUPPORT FOR CONTINENTAL DRIFT
1. SHAPE OF THE CONTINENTS
• Wegener was not the only
one to notice the fit of the
continents.
• 1858: Antonio Pelligrini
depicted Africa and South
America connected.
• He was one of the first
scientists to publish maps
depicting the apparent fit
of the continents.
SUPPORT FOR CONTINENTAL DRIFT
2. FOSSIL EVIDENCE
SAME FOSSILS: DIFFERENT CONTINENTS
Mesosaurus was incapable of swimming across a large
ocean.
SUPPORT FOR CONTINENTAL DRIFT
3. ROCK EVIDENCE – Mountain ranges

SAME ROCK: DIFFERENT
RANGE Existing mountain
ranges separated by vast oceans
contain rocks of identical mineral
content.

A prime example are the
Appalachian Mountains in the
eastern U.S and the Caledonian
Mountains in the British Isles.
Support for Continental Drift
4. GLACIAL
SCARS
SAME SCARS:
DIFFERENT CONTINENTS
Support for Continental Drift
5. LOCATION OF COAL DEPOSITS
Coal deposits have been found in temperate and polar
regions; however, coal is formed in tropical regions.
CONTINENTAL DRIFT IN DOUBT
Why didn’t people believe in continental drift?
• People couldn’t image how the earth could be millions of years old
• People couldn’t image a force great enough to move the continents
BUT by the 1960’s evidence would prove continental drift is TRUE and…. The
story continues (as does all good science!)
DECEMBER 9TH, 2014
I CAN DESCRIBE CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS.
Continents Adrift: An Introduction to Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics | Discovery Education
You have vocabulary terms attached to your interactive. Use any resources that
you choose to use—textbook, personal devices, laptops, etc. to locate the terms
for each vocabulary description.
Then…based on your
geographical sense
identify each tectonic
plate.
TECTONIC PLATES
CONTINENTAL DRIFT
Alfred Wegener 1900’s
Continents were once a single
land mass that drifted apart.
Fossils of the same plants and
animals are found on different
continents
Called this supercontinent
Pangea, Greek for “all Earth”
245 Million years ago
Split again – Laurasia &
Gondwana 180 million years
ago
http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml
EVIDENCE OF PANGEA
SEA FLOOR SPREADING
SEA FLOOR SPREADING
•
Mid Ocean Ridges – underwater mountain chains that run through the Earth’s Basins
•
Magma rises to the surface and solidifies and new crust forms
•
Older Crust is pushed
farther away from the ridge
HOW PLATES MOVE
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/unanswered.html
DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOUNDARIES
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY –
ARABIAN AND AFRICAN PLATES
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY - OCEANIC
http://www.geology.com
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY - CONTINENTAL
http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – INDIAN AND
EURASIAN PLATES
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – OCEANIC & CONTINENTAL
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – OCEANIC & OCEANIC
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES - CONTINENTAL
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
TRANSFORM BOUNDARY – SAN ANDREAS FAULT
www.geology.com
REVIEW
•
Name the 3 main layers of the Earth
•
What is a tectonic plate?
•
What was Pangea?
•
What is Sea-Floor spreading?
•
Name the three different types of plate boundaries and one location on Earth for
each one
DECEMBER 10TH, 2014
I CAN DESCRIBE CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS.
I CAN COMPARE AND CONTRAST PLATE BOUNDARIES.
I CAN RECOGNIZE AND DESCRIBE FEATURES THAT ARE CAUSED BY PLATE
BOUNDARIES.
Describe the difference between an oceanic crust and continental crust.
What characteristics make them differ?
Today we will be completing a lab that will demonstrate the results of
plate movement!
DIVERGENT PLATE
BOUNDARIES
•
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which
splits nearly the entire Atlantic
Ocean north to south, is probably
the best-known and most-studied
example of a divergent-plate
boundary.
• Aerial view of the
area around
Thingvellir, Iceland,
showing a fissure
zone (in shadow)
that is the on-land
exposure of the MidAtlantic Ridge. Right
of the fissure, the
North American
Plate is pulling
westward away from
the Eurasian Plate
(left of the fissure).
• East Africa may be the site of the Earth's next
major ocean. Plate interactions in the region
provide scientists an opportunity to study first
hand how the Atlantic may have begun to form
about 200 million years ago. Geologists believe
that, if spreading continues, the three plates
that meet at the edge of the present-day
African continent will separate completely,
allowing the Indian Ocean to flood the area and
making the easternmost corner of Africa (the
Horn of Africa) a large island
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY –
ARABIAN AND AFRICAN PLATES
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY –
ICELAND
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY - OCEANIC
http://www.geology.com
DIVERGENT BOUNDARY - CONTINENTAL
http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT PLATE
BOUNDARIES
3 Types of Convergent Boundaries
Ocean to Continent
Ocean to Ocean
Continent to Continent
• The
convergence
of the Nazca
and South
American
Plates has
deformed
and pushed
up limestone
strata to
form
towering
peaks of the
Andes
• The 6,000km-plus
journey of
the India
landmass
(Indian
Plate)
before its
collision
with Asia
(Eurasian
Plate) about
40 to 50
million
years ago
• Sunset view of towering, snow-capped Mt. Everest,
from the village of Lobuche (Solu-khumbu), Nepal
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – INDIAN AND
EURASIAN PLATES
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – OCEANIC & CONTINENTAL
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT BOUNDARY – OCEANIC & OCEANIC
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES - CONTINENTAL
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
TRANSFORM
BOUNDARIES
• The Blanco,
Mendocino,
Murray, and
Molokai
fracture
zones are
some of the
many
fracture
zones
(transform
faults) that
scar the
ocean floor
and offset
ridges
The San Andreas fault
zone, which is about
1,300 km long and in
places tens of
kilometers wide, slices
through two thirds of
the length of California.
Along it, the Pacific
Plate has been grinding
horizontally past the
North American Plate
for 10 million years, at
an average rate of
about 5 cm/yr
HOTSPOTS
Regions of earthquake and volcanic activity which do not occur along
plate boundaries
• The vast majority of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions
occur near plate boundaries, but there are some exceptions
• Map of part of the Pacific basin showing the volcanic trail of
the Hawaiian hotspot-- 6,000-km-long Hawaiian RidgeEmperor Seamounts chain
TRANSFORM BOUNDARY – SAN ANDREAS FAULT
www.geology.com
SAN ANDREAS FAULT
Data Analysis Questions: IN COMPLETE SENTENCES
1. What type of crust is represented by the graham crackers?
2. What type of crust is represented by the fruit roll-up?
3. What physical layer of the earth does the frosting represent?
4. Give one real –life example of each type of plate boundary: (geographic location and
how it was formed)
• Continental- Continental Collision
• Oceanic-Continental Collision
• Transform Boundary
• Divergent Boundary
5. What are some of the limitations of the models you’ve created? What are some
physical and topographic features that were not represented by the models?
Works Cited: Have a works cited section with all the sources used to find information on
the background info section as well as the data analysis.
DECEMBER 11TH, 2014
I CAN DESCRIBE CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS.
I CAN COMPARE AND CONTRAST PLATE BOUNDARIES.
I CAN RECOGNIZE AND DESCRIBE FEATURES THAT ARE CAUSED BY PLATE
BOUNDARIES.
You was asked to complete the discussion questions post-lab. You
will have 15 minutes to work on each part on your lab sheet.
Make sure you also illustration your observation in each section.
Identify the three plate boundaries and with arrows show their plate
movement. Provide examples of what results.
DECEMBER 12TH, 2014--REVIEW
I CAN DESCRIBE CONTINENTAL DRIFT AND THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS.
I CAN COMPARE AND CONTRAST PLATE BOUNDARIES.
I CAN RECOGNIZE AND DESCRIBE FEATURES THAT ARE CAUSED BY PLATE
BOUNDARIES.
Get your study guide out and devices. Sign in to Kahoot
Draw the layers of the earth and describe, in detail, how each layers
contributes to the theory of plate tectonics.
DECEMBER 13TH, 2014--REVIEW
REVIEW LEARNING TARGETS—HISTORY OF EARTH PART 2
3rd Period: Kahoot
Get your study guides out and mark all of the questions that you
would like extra help with or have a question about.
This is the time to lay all the card out on the table 
DESCRIBE THE THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT
• All the continents were all one single
landmass (Pangaea-Supercontinent) and
have since drifted apart
PANGAEA
• Supercontinent- the one single landmass
that was made of all of the land on Earthpart of the theory of continental drift
WHICH TWO CONTINENTS ARE USED AS
EVIDENCE FOR THE CONTINENTAL PUZZLE?
• South America and Africa
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE THEORY OF
CONTINENTAL DRIFT.
• 1) Continents fit like a jig saw puzzle
• 2) Alike fossils of plants and animals on
different continents
• 3) Mountain ranges on different continents
match up
• 4) Glacier evidence—striation or dump sites
• 5) Coal deposits
WHY WAS THE THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT
REJECTED AT FIRST?
• __________ could not explain the force
that could move the large continents
WHO IS THE SCIENTIST THAT DEVELOPED THE
THEORY OF CONTINENTAL DRIFT?
• Alfred Wegener
THEORY OF SEA-FLOOR SPREADING.
• Molten material rises from the mantle at
the mid –ocean ridge and pushes older
rock to both sides- continually adds new
crust
EVIDENCE FOR SEA-FLOOR SPREADING.
• Molten material that cools suddenly
called pillow lave was found at the ridge
• Drilling Samples revealed older rocks at
the trenches and younger rocks at the
ridge
• Magnetic striping along both sides of the
ridge matched
WHAT OCCURS ALONG THE DEEP OCEAN
TRENCHES?
• __________ – the oceanic crust sinks
beneath a deep-ocean trench and back
into the mantle- crust is destroyed
WHAT ARE MOVING PLATES MADE UP OF?
• Lithosphere + Crust
WHAT LAYER OF THE EARTH ARE MOVING PLATE
“FLOATING” ON?
• Asthenosphere
DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
TWO TYPES OF PLATES
• Continental Crust: Thicker; Less Dense
• Oceanic Crust: Thinner: More Dense
DRAW AND LABEL (ARROWS) TO IDENTIFY THE 3
TYPES OF PLATE BOUNDARIES:
Convergent Boundary
Divergent Boundary
Transform Boundary
WHAT RESULTS WHEN 2 PLATES MOVE
TOGETHER, CAUSING ONE PLATE TO DESCEND
BENEATH THE OTHER? EXPLAIN.
• Subduction Zone: Weaker plate descends to
produce a “trench”; This can be oceaniccontinental or oceanic-oceanic.
(Convergence)
WHAT IS A “PLATE” IN GEOLOGIC TERMS?
• Rock!
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY (OR PHENOMENA)
CAUSED THE FOLLOWING?
Sea Floor Spreading: Divergence
Example: Mid Atlantic Ridge (Rift Valley)
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY (OR PHENOMENA)
CAUSED THE FOLLOWING?
Subduction Zone: Convergence
Trench –Volcanic Arcs and Island Arcs
Oceanic-Continental
Oceanic-Oceanic
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY (OR PHENOMENA)
CAUSED THE FOLLOWING?
Earthquake: Transform Boundary
Example: San Andreas Fault
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY (OR PHENOMENA)
CAUSED THE FOLLOWING?
Volcanic Island: Convergence
example: Hawaii
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY (OR PHENOMENA)
CAUSED THE FOLLOWING?
Mountain Range: Convergence
Example: Andes, Himalayas (Mt. Everest)
WHAT LAYER OF EARTH IS DIVIDED INTO
PLATES?
• Moving plates (Crust and Lithosphere)
• Floating on Asthenosphere
WHAT IS A RIFT VALLEY (MID OCEAN RIDGE) AND
WHAT TYPE OF BOUNDARY OCCURS? (REPEAT)
• Sea Floor Spreading/Divergent Boundary
WHAT IS A GEOGRAPHIC EXAMPLE OF A
DIVERGENT PLATE BOUNDARY? (REPEAT)
• Mid Ocean Ridge (Rift Valley)—Between N.
America/S. America and Europe/Africa
WHAT IS A GEOGRAPHIC EXAMPLE OF A
CONTINENTAL-CONTINENTAL CONVERGENT
BOUNDARY?
• Andes Mountains in South America
• Himalayas (Mt. Everest) in Europe