Warm Up In complete sentences answer: How could an animal that couldn

1
Warm UpIn complete sentences answer How
could an animal that couldnt fly or swim cross
the ocean?
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
2
Your Goals for TodayWe will be able to explain

• What continental drift is.
• Why Alfred Wegeners theory of continental drift
  was rejected.

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
3
The Theory of Continental Drift
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
4
Pangaea

• The single landmass that broke apart 200 million
  years ago and gave the rise to todays continents

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
5
Continental Drift

• A hypothesis that the continents slowly move
  across Earths surface

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
6
Did you know?

• 2 Observations scientists made
• A mountain range in South Africa lines up
  identical with mountain ranges in Argentina
  (South America)
• Brazilian coal fields match up identical with
  coal fields in South Africa
• WHAT COULD YOU INFER FROM THIS?
• The evidence ____________ suggests _________
  because _______

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
7
More Observing Dont some of the coastlines seem
to match up like jig-saw puzzle?The evidence
above suggests _________ because _______

• The continents of Africa and South America best
  match up like jigsaw-puzzle pieces
• This suggests that these continents were once
  joined as a single continent, which Wegener
  called Pangaea.

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
8
Inferring According to Wegeners theory, what
does the presence of similar mountain ranges in
Africa and South America indicate?The similar
mountain ranges in Africa and SA suggest that
_______.

• The presence of similar mountain ranges indicates
  that Africa and South America were once joined.

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
9
Evidence From Fossils
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
10
Fossil

• Fossil A trace of an organism that has been
  preserved in rock

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
11
Glossopteris fossils have been found in rocks in
Africa, South America, Australia, India, and
Antarctica unexpectedly HOW MIGHT THIS SUPPORT
WEGENERS THEORY?

• Answer Seeds could not have travel that far over
  the oceans to reach other continents

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
12
Evidence From Climate
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
13
Some more evidence Climate discoveries Wegener
cited

• 1.The Island of Spitsbergen (Artic Ocean) has
  evidence of tropical plants
• 2.Deep scratches in rocks were found in South
  Africa
• These scratches support evidence of glaciers

The island of Spitsbergen today (not so tropical)
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
14
Checkpoint What were the three types of evidence
Wegner used to support his theory of continental
drift?

• Landforms
• Fossils
• Climate

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
15
Scientists Reject Wegeners TheoryList 5 reasons
why you might still reject Wegeners Theory
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
16
Why was Alfred Wegeners theory rejected?

• Wegener could not provide a satisfactory
  explanation for the force that pushes or pulls
  the continents
• He could not identify the cause of continental
  drift
• Geologists needed more evidence of how the
  continents and mountains were formed

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
17

• Make a Study Guide

Landforms Fossils Climate
1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2.
Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.
18
Exit Tickets!

• Answer in complete sentences
• 1. What was Pangaea?
• 2. Give 2-3 reasons that Wegener used to justify
  his theory of plate tectonics.
• 3. Give 2 reasons why Wegeners theory was still
  rejected, despite his evidence.

Objective SWBAT explain what continental drift
is, what Alfred Wegeners theory of continental
drift was, and why it was rejected rejected.