Drifting Continents
Chapter 4
Section 3
Standards
 S 6.1a Students know evidence of
plate tectonics is derived from the
fit of the continents, the location
of earthquakes, volcanoes and
mid ocean ridges; and the
distribution of fossils, rock types
and ancient climate zones.
Anticipatory Set
What is different?
Vocabulary
 Continental drift
 Pangaea
 fossil
Continental Drift
 Wegener’s hypothesis was that all the continents
were once joined together in a single landmass and
have since drifted apart.
 The following evidence supports Wegener’s
hypothesis:
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Evidence from landforms
Evidence from fossils
Evidence from human remains
Evidence from climate
 Wegener gathered evidence from different
scientific fields to support his ideas about
continental drift. He studied land features,
fossils, and evidence of climate change.
 Most geologists rejected Alfred Wegener’s
idea of continental drift because Wegener
could not identify a force that could move
the continents.
Continental Drift/ Fossils
 Any trace of an ancient organism that
has been preserved in rock is called a
fossil.
 Fossils have been found in rocks in
Africa, south America, Australia, India
and Antarctica.
 Supports the fact that Pangaea existed.
Continental Drift/Climate
 Climate zones
 Fossils show that South Africa actually used to be very
cold.
 There were deep scratches in the rocks left from
glaciers.
 Now the temperature is too warm for glaciers to form.
 He concluded that the drift moved South Africa away
from the south pole.
Checking for
Understanding
 Who proposed the concept of
continental drift?
 What was the original temperature of
South Africa?
 What are the four ways that support
drifting continents?
Guided Practice
Independent Practice
 Guided Practice: front side of
worksheet
 Stop See Ms. Graham
 Independent Practice: Back side. Not
finished it is homework.