PANGAEA MODELING ACTIVITY
Pangaea: The Super-Continent
Pangaea Puzzle----Do the Pieces Fit?
PURPOSE:
To reconstruct the ancient “super-continent” Pangaea and then let the continents “drift”
to their present positions.
MATERIALS:
For each group of two students: one set of Pangaea Puzzle pieces; scissors; tape; one
sheet of blank paper
For every two groups (four students): an earth globe
PROCEDURE:
1. Re-read the Background Information.
2. Examine the globe and identify the seven continents and look at their present
positions.
3. Cut out and study the Pangaea puzzle pieces. Compare each piece to the continents
on the globe.
a. Do all the pieces look exactly like modern continent outlines?
YES or NO
4. Assemble the seven continental Pangaea plates as they would have appeared
250,000,000 years ago when they formed the one large “super-continent”. Use the
shape, the references provided and logic to recreate Pangaea. Knowing that glaciers,
mountains and even animals shared this ancient land mass, use the “clues” to
assemble the continents.
5. “Drift” the continents back to their present positions (today’s geographic locations)
and then back to Pangaea several times.
6. When you have made an arrangement REPRESENTING PANGAEA, tape the
seven Pangaea plates in place on the blank sheet of paper provided. You will then
sketch your solution on Handout B.
Have the continents stopped moving? What will probably continue to happen to South
America and Africa?
Prepared by: Dr. Debbie Payne, Ruth H. Liddell, Shirley K. Scarbrough
Alabama State University, Math, Science Partnership, Fall 2013