Aim : What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift? Do now: Draw a convection current and explain why this happens? What evidence.

Aim : What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Do now: Draw a convection current and explain why this happens?

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Noticing Deeply : Animation

• http://www.suu.edu/faculty/colberg/hazards/platetectonics/18_Pangaea.html

• How do the continents change over time?

• List two specific changes you saw in the animation.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

In 1912, German scientist, Alfred Wegener proposed:the theory of continental drift.What evidence did Wegner use to support

his theory of continental drift?

Wegner’s Theory of continental drift: The continents were once a single

landmass, that eventually split & drifted into today’s positions

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Pangaea- name given to the single joined land mass.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Pangaea about 200 million years ago, before it began breaking up.Wegener named the southern portion of Pangaea Gondwana, and the northern portion Laurasia.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

The continents about 70 million years ago. Notice that the breakup of Pangea formed the Atlantic Ocean. India’s eventual collision with Eurasia would form the Himalayan Mountains.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

The position of the continents today. The continents are still slowly moving, at about the speed your fingernails grow. Satellite measurements have confirmed that every year the Atlantic Ocean gets a few inches wider!

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

What proof did Wegner have?

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Evidence for Continental Drift

• Continents fit like a puzzle

• Rock evidence.

• Fossil evidence.

• Climatic evidence

• Glacial scars “striations”

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Continents Fit Together Like a Puzzle

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Rock Evidence

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

The rock strata (rock layers) on the eastern side of South America match the rock strata on the western side of Africa.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Diamond mines in Brazil contain the same size & quality diamonds as

mines in West Africa.

Diamonds mines here

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Mountain ranges in the United States match mountain ranges in Greenland

and in Europe.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Fossil evidence:

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

fossils of extinct species are found in sedimentary rock layers on different

continents.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

These animals were fresh water animals they couldn’t have swim the

Atlantic!

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Glacial Scars

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Evidence of glacial deposits

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Glaciers (miles thick “rivers of ice”) leave striations (scars) on the continents as slowly move.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Climatic evidence of continental drift:

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Climatic evidence: coal deposits in Antarctica.

This is Coal Sack Bluff, Antarctica.It was once a rain forest.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Coral reefs in the Arctic Ocean

This is the arctic ocean, coral reefs were found here.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

The Theory of Continental Drift had a fatal weakness.

Wegener couldn't answer the fundamental question:

What kind of forces could be strong enough to move such large masses of solid rock over such great distances?

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Wegner Couldn’t

• explain why the continents drifted.

• explain how the continents were drifted.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Activity

• Complete worksheet.

• Work with a partner and your notes to answer the questions.

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Summary…

• What we have learned from Wegner but have not yet explained why it happens…

What evidence did Wegner use to support his theory of continental drift?

Aim: How do we complete our lab on continental drifting?

• Do Now explain the picture shows.

Aim: How do we complete our lab on continental drifting?

• Complete Worksheet.

Aim: How do we complete our lab on continental drifting?

• Do Now:

• Gather materials• Try to arrange the different pieces of the

puzzle so that the evidence matches. (5 minutes)

Individual Work

• Students will work on completing a lab on continental drift. Students will use the following map to help them correctly identify where the various fossil evidence is located to create the super continent of Pangea.

Follow this as a guide.

Independent work

• Complete lab on continental drift.

Short Writing Assignment

• Theory of Continental Drift

• 1) Explain what is it. Who came up with this idea.

• 2) What evidence did he have? ( Use your puzzle to help)

• 3) Why was this theory not accepted.

HW

Regents Questions

The End

Now, color and label your Lithospheric Plates Worksheet.