Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
3.1 Drifting Continents
Period: ______
Chapter 3: Plate Tectonics (S, P)
Essential Questions:
What should I know by the end of this lesson…?
1. What was Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents?
Previewing Vocabulary:
Word & Definition:
CONTINENTAL DRIFT –
Use it in a sentence:
What does it look like?
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PANGAEA –
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FOSSIL –
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Who is ALFRED WEGENER?
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What was Wegener’s THEORY about the continents?
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Earth’s Structure S/P
Lesson 3.1 Page 1
Fry 2015
Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
Exploring Chapter 3: Lesson 1
(Pages 76-79)
Summarizing Key Supporting Details
Use the organizer to summarize the text. First present the central idea; then record the most
important details. Use your own words, and write in complete sentences.
MAIN HEADING: ___________________________________________
What is the central idea in this section?
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Subheading 1: ____________________________________________
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Detail 2: __________________________________________________
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Detail 1:
Subheading 2: ____________________________________________
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Detail 2: __________________________________________________
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Detail 1:
Subheading 3: ____________________________________________
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Detail 2: __________________________________________________
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Detail 1:
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Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
Subheading 4: ____________________________________________
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Detail 2: __________________________________________________
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Detail 1:
What is the essential question for this chapter? Write it below.
1. __________________________________________________________________________________
Write the answer to the essential question below:
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Drifting Continents
What Was Wegener’s Hypothesis About the Continents?
1a. REVIEW (please circle)
Based on evidence from land features, fossils, and climate, Wegener concluded that continents
(sink / rise / move).
b. PREDICT Wegener said that because continents move, they can collide with each other. How could colliding
continents explain the formation of mountains?
I get it! Now I know that Wegener’s hypothesis about the continents stated that
I need extra help with
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Lesson 3.1 Page 3
Fry 2015
Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
Extension Activity
Try to empathize with Alfred Wegner, imagine you are in his shoes. Imagine that you have
been doing scientific research and have made a fantastic discovery. You have lots of
evidence to support your claim however; there are a few things you still cannot explain.
Please answer the following questions:
How would you convince the public that you’re right?
If they didn’t believe you, how would you proceed?
Would YOU believe Wegner? Why or why not?
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Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
What was the name of Wegener’s SUPERCONTINENT?
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(pronounced: _____ _____ _____ )
What three areas did Wegener use as EVIDENCE for his theory…?
Land Features
Fossils
Climate
 What did Wegener notice
about the MOUNTAINS on
different continents?
 What did Wegener notice
about GLOSSOPTERIS?
 What happens when a
continent moves toward the
EQUATOR? (Circle the correct answer.)
When you put the two continents next to one
another, the mountain ranges:
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 What did Wegener notice
about the COAL FIELDS in
North America and Europe?
When you put the two continents next to one
another, the coal fields:
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 How does this support his
theory?
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He found evidence of the glossopteris ferns:
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
Why is this weird…?
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 What did Wegener notice
about MESOSAURUS and
LYSTROSAURUS?
He found evidence of mesosaurus and
lystrosaurus, the freshwater reptiles:
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The climate gets colder.
 What happens when a
continent moves toward the
POLES?
The climate gets warmer.
The climate gets colder.
 Where did Wegener find
some of his TROPICAL
FOSSILS?
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
What ultimately happened
when Wegener presented his
theory to others?
The climate gets warmer.
Can freshwater
reptiles swim across
whole oceans?
YES
NO
 How does this support his
theory?
 How does this support his
theory?
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Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
PANGAEA
Fossil & Mountain Chain Evidence
Follow Up Questions:
1. What is the idea of Continental Drift?
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2. Which two continents have the most obvious fit to their coastlines?
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3. How were the fossil symbols and mountain belts helpful in deciding where to move the continents?
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4. Why don’t the present shapes of the continents fit perfectly into a supercontinent?
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5. Explain how this activity supports Wegener’s hypothesis. What were the three pieces of evidence he used to support
his theory?
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Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
DIRECTIONS:
PANGAEA
Fossil & Mountain Chain Evidence
1.) Color the fossils or mountains in the legend and color the symbols on
each continent the same as the legend.
2.) Cut out the continents and match up the fossil and mountain evidence
to recreate Pangaea.
3.) Glue the continents into place on your construction paper.
CUTTING EXAMPLE…
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Name: _________________________________
Earth’s Structure S/P
Date: _________________
Lesson 3.1 Page 8
Period: ______
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Name: _________________________________
Date: _________________
Period: ______
Drifting Continents
Understanding Main Ideas
Answer the following questions in the spaces provided. Use a separate sheet of paper
if you need more room.
1. State the hypothesis of continental drift.
2. Describe the land features that provided evidence for Wegener’s
hypothesis.
3. What role did the fossil Glossopteris play in Wegener’s hypothesis?
4. How did Wegener use climate evidence to support his hypothesis?
5. Why did most scientists reject Wegener’s theory for nearly half a
century?
Building Vocabulary
Use your vocabulary sheet to fill in the blank to complete each statement.
6. All the continents were joined together in a supercontinent that Wegener called ____________________.
7. A(n)
is any trace of an ancient organism preserved in rock.
8. Wegener’s idea that the continents slowly moved over Earth’s surface became known as
_____________________________.
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